Prof. Liu

Qihang Liu

Professor,

Department of Physics, 

Shenzhen Institute for Quantum Science and Technology, 

Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China, 518055

Email: liuqh@sustech.edu.cn

Research Positions

• 2024 – Present: Professor, Department of Physics, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China

• 2018 – 2023: Associate Professor, Department of Physics, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China

• 2013 – 2018: Research Associate, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO (Cooperation advisor: Prof. Alex Zunger)

• 2012 – 2013: Postdoctoral fellow, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL (Cooperation advisor: Prof. Arthur J. Freeman)

 

Educational Background

• 2007 – 2012: Ph. D. in Condensed Matter Physics, State Key Laboratory of Mesoscopic Physics and Department of Physics, Peking University, Beijing, China

• 2003 – 2007: Bachelor of Science, Department of Physics, Peking University, Beijing, China

 

Research Interests and Achievements

Qihang Liu is engaged in computational condensed matter physics, with a recent focus on new theories and effects of symmetry in quantum materials in the fields of spintronics and topological physics. The main achievements include:

(1) expanding the symmetry description of magnetic ordered materials—spin group theory, including the classification and representation theory of spin point groups and spin space groups;

(2) predicting a series of novel phenomena induced by magnetic order, and discovering unconventional magnets with spin splitting in collaboration with experimentalists, leading to an emerging research direction of “unconventional magnetism”;

(3)proposing the concept of “hidden spin polarization” in non-magnetic systems, and further predicting the generalized hidden polarization effect in magnetic materials for future antiferromagnetic spintronics;

(4) predicting the intrinsic magnetic topological family of Mn-Bi-Te with a superlattice structure, and proposing observable experimental phenomena for topological magnetoelectric coupling as well as low-field quantum anomalous Hall effect.

Prof. Liu has published 100 SCI papers (11 highly cited) with over 10000 citations (according to Google Scholar) and an H-index of 49. Since joining SUSTech in April 2018, he has published as a corresponding author 3 Nature, 1 Nat. Phys., 5 Nat. Commun., 16 PRL/X, 3 Natl. Sci. Rev., etc.

 

Selected Publications

1. Y. Zhu, M. Gu, Y. Liu, X. Chen, Y. Li, S. Du*, Q. Liu*, Sliding ferroelectric control of unconventional magnetism in stacked bilayers, Phys. Rev. Lett. 135, 056801 (2025)

2. H. Zhu†, J. Li†, X. Chen, Y. Yu, Q. Liu*, Magnetic geometry induced quantum geometry and nonlinear transports, Nat. Commun. 16, 4882 (2025)

3. M. Gu, Y. Liu, H. Zhu, K. Yananose, X. Chen, Y. Hu, A. Stroppa*, Q. Liu*, Ferroelectric switchable altermagnetism, Phys. Rev. Lett. 134, 106802 (2025)

4. X. Chen, Y. Liu, P. Liu, Y. Yu, J. Ren, J. Li, A. Zhang, Q. Liu*, Unconventional magnons in collinear magnets dictated by spin space groups, Nature. 640, 349 (2025)

5. Q. Liu*, X. Dai, S. Blügel, Different facets of unconventional magnetism, Nat. Phys. 21, 329 (2025)

6. Y. Cai†, J. Zhang†, H. Zha†, F. Zhang, Y. Wang, W. Chen, Z. Hao, L. Deng, W. Liu, H. Rong, Z. Jiang, Y. Yang, Q. Jiang, Z. Liu, M. Ye, E. D. L. Rienks, Y. Huang, S. Guo, J. Lin, L. Wang*, Q. Liu*, S. Qiao*, C. Chen*, Highly Spin-Polarized Dangling Bond Surface States in Rare-Earth Pnictide Tellurides, Adv. Mater. 37, 2411733 (2024)

7. X. Chen†, J. Ren†, Y. Zhu†, Y. Yu†, A. Zhang, P. Liu, J. Li, Y. Liu, C. Li and Q. Liu*, Enumeration and representation theory of spin space groups, Phys. Rev. X. 14, 031038 (2024)

8. H. Deng†, T. Yang†, G. Liu†, L. Liu†, L. Zhao†, W. Wang, T. Li, W. Song, T. Neupert, X. Liu, J. Shao, Y. Y. Zhao, N. Xu, H. Deng, L. Huang, Y. Zhao, L. Zhang, J. Mei, L. Wu, J. He, Q. Liu*, C. Liu, J. Yin*, Local excitation of kagome spin ice magnetism seen by scanning tunneling microscopy, Phys. Rev. Lett. 133, 046503 (2024)

9. J. Li, A. Zhang, Y. Liu, Q. Liu*, Group Theory on Quasisymmetry and Protected Near Degeneracy, Phys. Rev. Lett. 133, 026402 (2024)

10. Y.-P. Zhu, X. Chen, X.-R. Liu, P. Liu, H. Zha, C. Hong, J. Li, Z. Jiang, X.-M. Ma, Y.-J. Hao, W. Liu, M. Zeng, J. Ding, S. Mo, Z. Liu, M. Ye, D. Shen, R.-H. He, S. Qiao*, Q. Liu*, C. Liu*, Observation of plaid-like spin splitting in a noncoplanar antiferromagnet, Nature. 626, 523 (2024)

11. Y. Liu, J. Li, Q. Liu*,
Chern-Insulator Phase in Antiferromagnets,
Nano Lett. 23, 8650 (2023)

12. X.-R. Liu, H. Deng, Y. Liu, Z. Yin, C. Chen, Y.-P. Zhu, Y. Yang, Z. Jiang, Z. Liu, M. Ye, D. Shen, J.-X. Yin, K. Wang, Q. Liu*, Y. Zhao*, C. Liu*,
Spectroscopic signature of obstructed surface states in SrIn2P2,
Nat. Commun. 14, 2905 (2023)

13. Y. Wang, X.-M. Ma, Z. Hao, Y. Cai, H. Rong, F. Zhang, W. Chen, C. Zhang, J. Lin, Y. Zhao*, C. Liu*, Q. Liu*, C. Chen*,
On the topological surface states of the intrinsic magnetic topological insulator Mn-Bi-Te family,
Natl. Sci. Rev. 11, nwad066 (2023)

14. T. Feng, P. Wang, Z. Han, L. Zhou, Z. Wang, W. Zhang*, Q Liu*, W Liu*,
A topological transition-induced giant transverse thermoelectric effect in polycrystalline Dirac semimetal Mg3Bi2,
Energy Environ. Sci. 16, 1560-1568 (2023)

15. W. Chen, M. Gu, J. Li, P. Wang, Q. Liu*, Role of Hidden Spin Polarization in Nonreciprocal Transport of Antiferromagnets, Phys. Rev. Lett. 129, 276601 (2022)

16. R. Chen, H.-P. Sun, M. Gu, C.-B. Hua, Q. Liu*, H.-Z. Lu*, X. C. Xie,
Layer Hall effect induced by hidden Berry curvature in antiferromagnetic insulators,
Natl. Sci. Rev. 11, nwac140 (2022)

17. Y. Wan, J. Li, Q. Liu*,
Topological magnetoelectric response in ferromagnetic axion insulators,
Natl. Sci. Rev. 11, nwac138 (2022)

18. P. Liu, J. Li, J. Han, X. Wan*, Q. Liu*, Spin-group symmetry in magnetic materials with negligible spin-orbit coupling, Phys. Rev. X. 12, 021016 (2022)

19. J. Li, Q. Yao, L. Wu, Z. Hu, B. Gao, X. Wan*, Q. Liu*, Designing light-element materials with large effective spin-orbit coupling, Nat. Commun. 13, 919 (2022)

20. T. Feng, P. Wang, Z. Han, L. Zhou, W. Zhang*, Q. Liu*, W. Liu*, Large transverse and longitudinal magneto-thermoelectric effect in polycrystalline nodal-line semimetal Mg3Bi2, Adv. Mater. 2200931 (2022)

21. K. Zhang, S. Zhao, Z. Hao, S. Kumar, E. F. Schwier, Y. Zhang, H. Sun, Y. Wang, Y. Hao, X. Ma, C. Liu, L. Wang, X. Wang, K. Miyamoto, T. Okuda, C. Liu, J. Mei, K. Shimada*, C. Chen*, Q. Liu*, Observation of Spin-Momentum-Layer Locking in a Centrosymmetric Crystal, Phys. Rev. Lett. 127, 126402 (2021)

22. J. Shao, Y. Liu, M. Zeng, J. Li, X. Ma, F. Jin, R. Lu, Y. Sun, M. Gu, W. Wu, L. Wu, C. Liu, Q. Liu*, Y. Zhao*, Pressure-tuned intralayer exchange in superlattice-like MnBi2Te4/(Bi2Te3)n topological insulators, Nano Lett. 21, 5874-5880 (2021)

23. M. Gu, J. Li, H. Sun, Y. Zhao, C. Liu, J. Liu*, Q. Liu*, Spectral signatures of the surface anomalous Hall effect in magnetic axion insulators, Nat. Commun. 12, 3524 (2021)

24. R. Lu, H. Sun, S Kumar, Y. Wang, M. Gu, M. Zeng, Y. Hao, J. Li, J. Shao, X. Ma, Z. Hao, K. Zhang, W. Mansuer, J. Mei, Y. Zhao, C. Liu, K. Deng, W. Huang, B. Shen, K. Shimada, E. F. Schwier*, C. Liu*, Q. Liu*, C. Chen*, Half-Magnetic Topological Insulator with Magnetization-Induced Dirac Gap at a Selected Surface, Phys. Rev. X. 11, 011039 (2021)

25. T. Xin, Y. Li, Y. Fan, X. Zhu, Y. Zhang, X. Nie, J. Li*, Q. Liu*, D. Lu*, Quantum Phases of Three-Dimensional Chiral Topological Insulators on a Spin Quantum Simulator, Phys. Rev. Lett. 125, 090502 (2020)

26. J. Shen, Q. Yao, Q. Zeng, H. Sun, X. Xi, G. Wu, W. Wang, Q. Liu*, E. Liu*, Elevation of Intrinsic Anomalous Hall Conductance in an Electron-Doped Magnetic Weyl Semimetal
Phys. Rev. Lett. 125, 086602 (2020)

27. F. Hou, Q. Yao, C. Zhou, X. Ma, M. Han, Y. Hao, X. Wu, Y. Zhang, H. Sun, C. Liu, Y. Zhao*, Q. Liu*, J. Lin*, Spontaneous Surface Collapse and Reconstruction in Antiferromagnetic Topological Insulator MnBi2Te4, ACS Nano. 14, 11262 (2020)

28. Y. Zhang, P. Liu, H. Sun, S. Zhao, H. Xu, Q. Liu*, Symmetry-Assisted Protection and Compensation of Hidden Spin Polarization in Centrosymmetric Systems, Chin. Phys. Lett. 37, 087105 (Express Letter) (2020)

29. X. Wu, J. Li, X. Ma, Y. Zhang, Y. Liu, C. Zhou, J. Shao, Q. Wang, Y. Hao, Y. Feng, E. F. Schwier, S. Kumar, H. Sun, P. Liu, K. Shimada, K. Miyamoto, T. Okuda, K. Wang, M. Xie, C. Chen, Q. Liu*, C. Liu*, Y. Zhao*, Distinct Topological Surface States on the Two Terminations of MnBi4Te7, Phys. Rev. X. 10, 031013 (2020)

30. C. Hu, K. N. Gordon, P. Liu, J. Liu, X. Zhou, P. Hao, D. Narayan, E. Emmanouilidou, H. Sun, Y. Liu, H. Brawer, A. P. Ramirez, L. Ding, H. Cao, Q. Liu*, D. Dessau*, N. Ni*, A van der Waals antiferromagnetic topological insulator with weak interlayer magnetic coupling, Nat. Commun. 11, 97 (2020)

31. Y. Hao, P. Liu, Y. Feng, X. Ma, E. F. Schwier, M. Arita, S. Kumar, C. Hu, R. Lu, M. Zeng, Y. Wang, Z. Hao, H. Sun, K. Zhang, J. Mei, N. Ni, L. Wu, K. Shimada, C. Chen*, Q. Liu*, C. Liu*, Gapless surface Dirac cone in antiferromagnetic topological insulator MnBi2Te4, Phys. Rev. X. 9, 041038 (2019)

32. H. Sun, B. Xia, Z. Chen, Y. Zhang, P. Liu, Q. Yao, H. Tang, Y. Zhao, H. Xu, Q. Liu*, Rational design principles of quantum anomalous Hall effect from superlatticelike magnetic topological insulators,
Phys. Rev. Lett. 123, 096401 (2019)

33. Z. Wang*, T. Zhou, T. Jiang, H. Sun, Y. Zang, Y. Gong, J. Zhang, M. Tong, X. Xie, Q. Liu*, C. Chen*, K. He, Q. Xue,
Dimensional crossover and topological nature of the thin films of a three-dimensional topological insulator by band gap engineering,
Nano Lett. 19, 4627 (2019)

34. Q. Liu*, G. Dalpian and A. Zunger*, Anti-doping in Insulators and Semiconductors having Intermediate Bands with Trapped Carriers, Phys. Rev. Lett. 122, 106403 (2019)

35. L. Yuan†, Q. Liu†, X. Zhang, J.-W. Luo*, S. Li, and A. Zunger*, Uncovering and tailoring hidden Rashba spin-orbit splitting in centrosymmetric crystals, Nat. Commun. 10, 906 (2019)

36. Q. Liu*, Q. Yao, Z. Kelly, C. Pasco, T. McQueen, S. Lany and A. Zunger*, Electron Doping of Proposed Kagome Quantum Spin Liquid Produces Localized States in the Band Gap, Phys. Rev. Lett. 121, 186402 (2018)

37. X. Zhang†*, Q. Liu†, Q. Xu†, X. Dai and A. Zunger*, Topological insulators vs. topological Dirac semimetals in honeycomb compounds, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 140, 13687 (2018)

38. Q. Liu* and A. Zunger, Predicted Realization of Cubic Dirac Fermion in Quasi-One-Dimensional Transition-Metal Monochalcogenides, Phys. Rev. X. 7, 021019 (2017)

39. X. Zhang*, L. B. Abdalla, Q. Liu* and A. Zunger*, Enabling electronic motif for topological insulation in ABO3 perovskites and its structural stability, Adv. Func. Mater. 27, 1701266 (2017)

40. Q. Liu*, X. Zhang and A. Zunger*. Transforming common III-V and II-VI semiconductor compounds into topological heterostructures: The case of CdTe/InSb superlattices, Adv. Func. Mater. 26, 3259 (2016)

41. Q. Liu*, X. Zhang and A. Zunger*, Intrinsic circular polarization in centrosymmetric stacks of transition-metal dichalcogenides, Phys. Rev. Lett. 114, 087402 (2015)

42. Q. Liu*, X. Zhang, L. B. Abdalla, A. Fazzio and A. Zunger*, Switching a Normal Insulator into a Topological Insulator via Electric Field with Application to Phosphorene, Nano Lett. 15, 1222 (2015)

43. X. Zhang†, Q. Liu†, J.-W. Luo*, A. J. Freeman, A. Zunger*, Hidden spin polarization in inversion-symmetric bulk crystals, Nat. Phys. 10, 387 (2014)

44. Q. Liu*, Y. Guo, A. J. Freeman, Tunable Rashba Effect in Two-dimensional LaOBiS2 Films: Ultra-thin Candidates for Spin Field Effect Transistors, Nano Lett. 13, 5264 (2013)

† Co-first author

* Corresponding author.