SEMINAR 2026
Twisting light with nanomachine
| Speaker | Asst/Prof Haoning Tang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA |
| Date/Time | Wednesday, 8 Jul, 3pm |
| Location | S11-02-07 Conference Room |
| Host | Prof Gong Jiangbin |
Abstract
Optical metamaterials and quantum materials exhibit widely tunable optical properties through various approaches, such as heating, electrostatic gating, and interfacial engineering, including twisting. The ability to tailor interfacial properties in real time represents the next leap in modulating underlying physics and advancing exotic photonic and optoelectronic devices, such as light sources, modulators, and sensors. We demonstrate the first on-chip platform for optical nanostructures and quantum materials with in situ tunable interfacial properties, utilizing a microelectromechanical system. Each of these compact, cost-effective, and versatile devices function as a standalone micromachine, enabling voltage-controlled manipulation, including contact, twisting, and pressure application, with high precision.
Biography
Dr. Haoning Tang is an Assistant Professor at MIT Mechanical Engineering. She is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor in Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences at UC Berkeley. She was a Harvard Quantum Initiative Postdoctoral Fellow at the John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Harvard University. She earned her Ph.D. in Applied Physics from Harvard University and her bachelor’s degree in Electronic and Computer Engineering from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Dr. Tang has received several prestigious awards, including the Rising Star of Light Award, the Harvard Quantum Initiative Fellowship, and the Harvard Hong Kong Jockey Club Fellowship. Her lab conducts interdisciplinary research at the intersection of nanophotonics, optical instrumentation, and device engineering, with a focus on metamaterials, quantum materials, and MEMS-enabled platforms. We develop innovative approaches to in situ tuning of mechanical, electrical, and optical properties of metamaterials and thin films, enabling hyper-reconfigurable light sources, strong light–matter interactions, and meta-optic sensors and modulators.
