Photonic Structures · Wave Control · Device Design

Chengle Fan

Undergraduate researcher at SUSTech

I explore how structure shapes light, turning physical insight into photonic design.

My work connects electromagnetic modeling, photonic design, and microwave experiments. I am interested in extending this approach to reconfigurable nanophotonic and integrated devices for optical information processing and sensing.

Explore my research View my CV
chandler.chengle.fan@gmail.com
Portrait of Chengle Fan
Southern University of Science and Technology
Shenzhen, China

About me

Background & interests

I am pursuing a B.Eng. in Optoelectronic Information Science and Engineering at SUSTech, with graduation expected in June 2027. Since February 2025, I have worked in Prof. Zhen Gao’s Artificial Microstructure Physics Research Group.

My main research project brings together full-wave modeling, sample design, experimental characterization, and manuscript preparation for pseudospin-locked chiral edge states. I also contribute to experiments on cavity-controlled photonic systems and am exploring cavity-controlled refraction.

From January 12 to April 27, 2026, I was enrolled as a Visiting Research Student (Non-Graduating) at Nanyang Technological University, working with Prof. Baile Zhang on numerical modeling and optimization of terahertz photonic structures.

Research interests

  • Nanophotonics & integrated photonic devices
  • Optical modes & light–matter interactions
  • Reconfigurable photonic structures
  • Topological & time-varying wave systems

Selected research

All projects

Microwave photonic crystals

Pseudospin-locked chiral edge states

Investigating pseudospin-selective chiral transport and photonic routing through full-wave modeling, sample design, and microwave experiments.

Manuscript in preparation

Microwave metasurfaces

Cavity-tunable Dirac phases & refraction

Studying how the cavity environment shapes photonic modes, with experimental measurements of Dirac phases and ongoing modeling of refraction.

Manuscript in preparation; refraction study ongoing

Time-varying photonics

Photonic time crystals

Connecting Floquet band calculations with time-domain simulations using plane-wave expansion, temporal transfer matrices, and FDTD.

Ongoing research training

Recent updates

All updates
Jun 01, 2026 Awarded the SUSTech Undergraduate Research Training Program grant (CNY 10,000) as project leader for an undergraduate project in topological photonics.
Jan 12, 2026 Started a visiting research stay at NTU Singapore (School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Prof. Baile Zhang’s group), working on terahertz chiral valley edge states in magneto-optic photonic crystals.
Feb 01, 2025 Joined Prof. Zhen Gao’s Artificial Microstructure Physics Research Group at SUSTech as an undergraduate research assistant.

Manuscripts

Manuscript details

2026

  1. Chengle Fan*, Kaizhou Shi*, Xiang Xi†, and Zhen Gao†, “Experimental observation and routing of pseudospin-locked chiral edge states in a gyromagnetic photonic crystal”, Manuscript in preparation.

  2. Shuxin Lin*, Dong Zhao*, Chengle Fan*, Bei Yan, Yan Meng†, Baile Zhang†, and Zhen Gao†, “Cavity-Tunable Dirac Phases in a Microwave Metasurface”, Manuscript in preparation.

  3. Minghui Niu*, Yan Meng*†, Chengle Fan, Xiaoyuan Jiao, Jidong Song, Gina Jinna Chen, Perry Ping Shum, Zhen Gao†, and Mengyao Li†, “Cavity-tunable Orbital Band Inversion and Helical Edge Transport”, Manuscript in preparation.

Get in touch

I am seeking PhD opportunities starting in Fall 2027 in photonics and related areas.

Email me