Jiang Jianfeng, hailed as a rising star in the semiconductor industry, has returned home to take on the role of associate professor, research group leader, and doctoral supervisor at Peking University. He received his doctoral degree from Peking University in 6/2024.

Last October, while Jiang was still in the United States, Peking University announced recruitment for doctoral students for his group. This group will focus on China's strategic needs, such as high-performance computing and next-generation chips.

Jiang is known for his research on two-dimensional Indium Selenide (InSe) materials. As traditional silicon chips approach their physical limits and struggle to deliver performance at 3nm processes and below, InSe serves as a key tool to overcome the bottleneck of Moore's Law.

Jiang's research demonstrates that atomic-scale thin InSe materials can surpass Intel's 3nm technology in all core metrics, while achieving world-leading energy efficiency.

"Two-dimensional semiconductors are like a flexible jigsaw puzzle", Jiang shared with DeepTech. He affirmed that they not only possess all the functionalities of silicon but also excel in power efficiency, which is key for the future of AI and autonomous vehicles.

Jiang Jianfeng. Photo: SCMP

Last year, Jiang's paper in Science magazine marked a turning point by advancing InSe devices from single-device experiments to wafer-level (semiconductor wafers) with potential for large-scale integration. This breakthrough was significant enough that Intel and the Semiconductor Research Corporation (US) invited him to present directly.

Previously, Jiang's papers in Nature in 2023 and 2025 laid important groundwork by demonstrating for the first time that a single InSe device could operate more efficiently than traditional silicon.

Last week, Jiang and his colleagues published research in the Journal of Semiconductors (a Q1 journal in engineering, materials science, and physics) on a method for transforming 2D device structures surrounded by gate electrodes.

Jiang stated that his return was not impulsive but a natural choice. According to Jiang, the process of industrializing new materials from the lab is expected to take about 10 years, requiring a stable and long-term research team. Peking University, with decades of experience in low-dimensional electronics, provides an ideal environment for him to achieve this.

Jiang's decision was also largely influenced by his mentor, Professor Peng Lianmao, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

"One should take root where the country needs strength and rise when the times demand it," Peng once advised. Jiang also believes that research serving the nation's practical needs carries greater significance than purely academic pursuits.

Experts believe that "stars" like Jiang are helping to realize China's ambition: addressing technological bottlenecks and achieving complete self-sufficiency in the chip industry within the next decade.

Jiang's return follows a wave of Chinese-born professors and researchers returning home. Before Jiang, China welcomed back mathematician Chen Min, statistical scientist Liu Jun, and semiconductor chip star Su Fei.

By Khanh Linh (According to SCMP, Journal of Semiconductors)