Professor Wu Jeongweon, the World’s Renowned Expert in Quantum Metamaterials Research
Jeong-Weon Wu
Department of Physics
Leading future energy technologies through quantum metamaterials research
Professor Wu of Physics Department breaks a glass ceiling in natural sciences and engineering with outstanding female science talents of Ewha
The research team of Professor Wu Jeongweon proposes the world’s first method for actively controlling charge transfer phenomenon occurring in the molecular layer stacked on the metamaterial through his study of “Development of Technology to Improve Photoelectric Device’s Power Efficiency Using Metamaterials.” It is a source technology that controls not only solar cells, also organic devices applied to Internet of Things (IOT) sensors, displays, and flexible energy devices. It has great significance in that it blazes the way for controlling charge transfer without using the existing detailed and complicated technology by applying metamaterials to improve low efficiency and short lifespan, which have been obstacles to commercialization of the current organic solar cells.
Prof. Wu was honored with the Ewha Academic Achievement Awards at the 134th anniversary commemoration ceremony on May 29. The awards are given to faculty members once in their lifetime for their contributions to the development of study and the school with outstanding research achievements. Prof. Wu who has served this school since 1992 is the world’s leading authority of quantum metamaterials. He has excellent research performances such as publishing more than 100 SCI papers in the optical cutting-edge field, and contributes to foster women resources working in the field of natural sciences and engineering. He has also made a contribution to expanding exchanges and promoting cooperation between Ewha and several French educational and research institutions as a director of CNRS-Ewha Research Center. He was named as an outstanding research performance faculty in 2009, an outstanding teaching award in 2010, and an outstanding research funding faculty from 2010 to 2016. He was also chosen as the scientist of the month in 2006 and was awarded with the Order of Academic Palms in 2015.
Research on metamaterials that boost energy production efficiency
Prof. Wu’s representative achievement is a technique that increases the efficiency of electricity production using metamaterials. He developed the world’s first technology to enhance the power production efficiency of organic photoelectric devices using metamaterials that are smaller than the wavelengths of light. This technology is used to overcome the limitations of materials and processes in the fields of next-generation solar cells, displays, and semiconductor transistors. It can also promote the efficiency of photoelectric devices (elements change light to electric signals) including solar cells using artificial substances by about three times, and it is expected to hasten commercialization of organic solar cells. Easy manufacture, a variety of materials, and low price are the distinctions of organic solar cells, compared to the first- and second- generation solar cells (silicon and thin film, respectively). The organic solar cells can rapidly improve power generation efficiency and can be developed into flexible devices, but their low efficiency and short lifespan were hindrances. Applying metamaterials to organic solar cells has many advantages because it allows solar cell’s efficiency and lifespan to rise by controlling electron transfer phenomenon without using the current complicated techniques, makes their production easier, and provides cost-effective performances. This study is a fundamental research that enables business implications by grafting onto various industries, and has attracted great deal of attention from numerous companies which design organic solar devices.
The potentials of female science students breaking the glass ceilings in natural sciences and engineering
Besides his excellent research achievements, Prof. Wu is widely recognized for his effort to make a voice to foster female researchers in natural sciences and engineering. He teaches his students with confidence in the possibilities of female science talents. This is what he had to say. “Margaret Wertheim said in her book Pythagoras’ Trousers, questioning why Pythagoras is a man. She claims that the image of a priest-like scientist should be overcome. As British philosopher Karl Popper said, diversity is essential to pioneer future in the ‘open society’, and women can demonstrate their ability in the field of basic studies as much as men and render great services to the development of science. We must first eliminate the social bias that science is the domain of men so as to break the glass ceiling in natural sciences and engineering. While working with graduate students in the Department of Physics, I was amazed by how boundless potentials the students have. I think it is the first step to break the ceiling for students to believe that they can show their talent fair and square with pride and confidence in the fields of natural sciences and engineering as much as other fields, and to be encouraged to do so.”
Prof. Wu has produced twelve doctors during his tenure at Ewha. Graduate students in the degree program are bound to make oral presentations at international conferences. He confesses he feels most rewarding when he sees his students handsomely present their research results which they worked on all night. One of his students is Professor Kim Ji-seon of Imperial College London who completed a master’s degree at Ewah and received a doctorate under the supervision of Prof. Sir Richard Friend. She was a student who made Prof. Friend change his perspective on Korea. He showed his pride in Ewha students saying, “I am proud that Prof. Kim is working as a full-time professor at one of the world’s most prestigious universities in natural sciences and engineering, despite being a foreign woman in a conservative country like the U.K.
Korea’s first joint research with CNRS, the French national center for science research, begins at Ewha
Prof. Wu has made great efforts to promote exchange and cooperation with French educational and research institutes as a director of CNRS-Ewha Research Center. CNRS is a national research institute in France, a scientifically advanced country that has produced eminent scientists in basic science fields including physics, chemistry, and biology since 18th century. It is a large research institute that conducts research on basic studies with more than 20,000 researchers, running research facilities all over France. CNRS has continuously conducted international joint research with the U.S., European countries, and Japan. It has been carrying out long-term international joint research with Korea for the first time through CNRS-Ewha Research Center.