“Science, especially experimental science, is not just about being smart”

Meet our doctoral candidate Wei Liang (梁崴)!

Dedication is a hallmark of scientific success for doctoral candidate Wei Liang (梁崴). As a researcher in the group of Prof. Ferenc Krausz, he is building Cr:ZnS-based infrared ultrafast laser systems. Get to know Wei in this interview, as he talks about his life in and outside of research.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I’m Wei Liang (梁崴). I’m from Shenzhen, the Silicon Valley of China, home to leading tech innovators like Huawei, DJI, and BYD. Guangdong, the province where Shenzhen is located, is known for the language Cantonese and one of the best cuisines in the world. In research, my interests mainly lie in the details of building stable, reproducible ultrafast laser systems, as well as the rich physics behind the interaction between strong light field and matters. In life, I’m an easy-going person. I like many sports, like hiking, basketball, biking, swimming and so on. I also enjoy cooking and Karaoke.

What is your PhD research about?

My PhD research is conducted within the WINGS program, a collaborative project between LMU, the University of Regensburg and the startup company Pulsed GmbH. Overall, the goal is to build a field-resolved infrared pump-probe spectroscopy system based on Cr:ZnS lasers, and use the system to study light-matter interactions. I will build (or have already built) a Cr:ZnS oscillator, a single-pass amplifier, compress the pulses to sub-10 fs, stabilize the carrier-envelope-phase, implement a pulse picker to reduce the repetition rate, generate mid-infrared and near-infrared with the pulses, and an electro-optic sampling setup to measure the electric field. With such a laser system, we will be able to look at the fast dynamics in the energy band of solid-state matter in an unprecedented way. And I will actually do such an experiment in the last year of my PhD.

Another important aspect of my project is transforming our group’s scientific progress in lasers over the past decade into a precise and stable engineered instrument that can open the door to even more exciting science.

Why did you choose to pursue your PhD in this field?

Science is built on both theory and experiment. While theorists often view these two pillars as equal, if you look at the history of science, humans have learnt much more from direct hands-on experiences than mathematical deductions. A wise man said, which I still agree with, that the best minds in science should go build instruments. The sharp, organized, dedicated minds. That is the kind of individual I hope to shape myself into.

To describe any physical process, one cannot bypass this parameter called time. Capturing increasingly fast motions enables us to reveal more of nature’s structure. The shorter the time scale, the more concentrated the energy, and usually the more confined the space scale. All these fascinating features converge in one field, the ultrafast lasers.

What is the biggest takeaway from your PhD studies up to this point?

Science, especially experimental science, is not just about being smart. To achieve ambitious scientific goals within a favorable time scale, your work has to be well-organized and comprehensively documented. You need to have strong team spirit. You need to think about the direction and progress of your project all the time. You need to be dedicated.

Can you share a memorable experience or event that stood out during your time in the IMPRS-APS program?

There have been many memorable experiences. The visits to institutes and companies like FRM II research reactor, Trump Scientific Laser and Marvel fusion have broadened our horizon. The IMPRS alumni meeting has helped us build connections as well as plan our career at early stages. To retreat and discuss science at the annual meeting in the beautiful Ringberg castle was also absolutely stunning.

How has the IMPRS-APS community shaped your academic and personal development?

So far, the company visits are really fruitful, because we get to see what exactly the graduated students of IMPRS-APS are doing, in their very current lab. I’m also very happy just to be with so many competitive PhD candidates. I can always learn something from them.

How is life in Germany/Munich for you?

I’m already very used to it. The standardized grocery stores are convenient. The architectures are pretty. The fresh air and peacefulness in Garching are worth more than gold. The easy access to the mountains is priceless. The bar for restaurants is not very high, though. And I wish I could have better mobile signal in rural areas, not receive printed letters in German, not hear about the word “fax”, etc., you know.

What is something else that you enjoy outside research?

I organize hikes for the Chinese hiking community in Munich. We run over 50 activities per year and have more than 1500 members. I organize Karaoke parties from time to time. I also do photography as a hobby, mostly landscapes, but also portraits when I have a model, i.e., my fiancée.

Thanks for the interview!

 

Pictures: Wei Liang