Physicist Xue Qikun from Tsinghua University has become the first Chinese scientist to receive the United States' most prestigious physics award since its inception 70 years ago. Xue, along with Harvard University's Ashvin Vishwanath, was jointly awarded the American Physical Society's 2024 Oliver E. Buckley Condensed Matter Physics Prize.

Xue's groundbreaking work focuses on the development of next-generation, low-energy consumption electronics through the synthesis of topological insulators. These materials, which exist in a recently discovered state of quantum matter, possess the unique property of conducting electricity on their surface without heat loss while insulating their interior, making them ideal for efficient electronics.

The award recognizes Xue's and Vishwanath's "groundbreaking theoretical and experimental studies on the collective electronic properties of materials that reflect topological aspects of their band structure," according to the society. The Oliver E. Buckley prize, endowed by AT&T Bell Laboratories in 1952, is considered the highest honor in condensed matter physics.

Xue, a world-leading researcher on topological insulators for over a decade, has received numerous awards for his contributions to the field, including the Future Science Prize for Physical Science in 2016 and the Fritz London Memorial Prize in 2020. He has been an elected member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences since 2005 and joined Tsinghua University the same year.

In 2013, Xue's team at Tsinghua University made a groundbreaking experimental observation of topological insulation, surpassing competitors in Japan, Germany, and the US. Chen-Ning Yang, Nobel laureate in Physics, hailed the achievement as "the first Nobel Prize-level physics experiment conducted in a Chinese lab."

The findings published by Xue's team in Science magazine demonstrated that topological insulators can operate without the need for an external magnetic field, which further enhances their potential for future applications.

Xue's scientific journey began with humble beginnings, as he faced initial challenges during his graduate studies. After failing the graduate program entrance exam twice, he was eventually admitted to the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Physics. Xue later pursued his doctoral training at Tohoku University in Japan, where he dedicated long hours to his research while also learning the Japanese language.

Prior to his tenure at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xue served as a visiting assistant professor at North Carolina State University in the United States.

In an interview with state broadcaster CCTV in 2018, Xue expressed his commitment to nurturing competitive talent in China and leveraging science to strengthen the country.

Xue's recognition with the Buckley Prize is a testament to the growing importance of international collaboration in scientific research, particularly as calls for strengthening ties between US and Chinese researchers continue to grow.

As the first Chinese citizen to receive this prestigious physics award, Xue Qikun's groundbreaking work on topological insulators has solidified his reputation as a leader in the field and propelled China's presence on the global scientific stage.