物理学个人陈述二.

　　申请专业：物理学Physics

　　To be the most excellent

　　Two valuable treasures I am favored with are strong perseverance and diligence. They play a significant role in the realization of my goal----to be the most excellent. When I finished four years’ study in the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), I have been awarded the highest honor in the university ----“Guo Moruo Scholarship”，which is only granted to the most excellent students and the most potential researchers. Moreover, my cooperators and I have submitted 5 Papers about my research work to international journals, such as Phys. Rev. B, etc., including one first-author paper.

　　Academic Records

　　My interest in physics was strongly inspired by a face to face communication with the Nobel Prize winner, Mr. Zhengdao Li, when I was in the special training for the Olympic Competition in my middle school years. Driven by the strong interest, I chose physics as my major in USTC. I have dedicated myself to the academic courses and built up a solid foundation in Mathematics, Computer Science, English and Physics. I rank top 3 among 137 students in my class. My overall GPA is 3.80/4.0 and the Major GPA (including subjects of Physics, Math, Computer Science) is 4.0/4.0. Also I got full marks in Variable Calculus and Theoretical Mechanics. My hard work in both academic knowledge and public affairs brought me many other honors besides the “Guo Moruo Scholarship”, such as “Outstanding Student Scholarship (Grade 1)”, “Three-excellent Student in Anhui Province”，“Guanghua Education Scholarship”, etc.

　　I have paid much attention to the formation of many good habits, besides focusing on the enhancement of academic knowledge. I would never let a seemly small problem slip by easily, even with the sacrifice of days’ time spent in searching piles of books or discussing with others. Some difficult questions which are likely to be given up by others are usually put in my mind for further thinking.

　　Research Experience

　　My strong interest in physics and material sciences motivated me to put my theoretical knowledge into practice, when I was in my second year’s study. I joined the Prof. Chen Xianhui’s research group at that time. And I got my initial lab training from then on. I had managed to grasp many experimental skills and learn how to operate the instruments in the lab independently just after half a year or so. The instruments includes 15 T Ultra-high Magnetic Field System, AC Assistance Bridge, MORRIS high oxygen pressure system, M.Baum Glove-Box System and so on. Meanwhile, I got familiar with a lot of usul software such as PCPDFWIN, CELL, PEAKS, FULLPROOF, GSAS, using them to analyze crystal structure from X-Ray diffraction pattern. Moreover, I got in touch with many updated novel ideas from the active weekly seminar program in our group and strongly extended my notions of physics by a series of concepts, charge-ordering, double exchange, pseudogap etc., which initiated my enthusiasm to investigate the profound mystery of nature.

　　I was devoted to the research of Colossal Magnetoresistive (CMR) materials not long bore. I conducted a thorough study on the properties of La1-xCaxMnO3 (x = 0.33, 0.5) thin films which were deposited on different substrates with the cooperation of a graduate student in our group. We have observed some interesting behaviors of the films, including magnetization, transport properties and Raman spectra, etc. About this, I had submitted two papers to Phys. Rev. B as a co-author.

　　Another work I also engaged in was to synthesize series of samples of polycrystal perovskite oxides (La1-xLnx)0.5Sr0.5CoO3 (Ln = Pr, Nd), and study their transport and magnetic properties. By the need of the experiments, I have spent much time in reading numerous relevant updated papers from both international web sites, such as xxx.lanl.gov, and international journals, e.g. Phys. Rev. Lett., Phys. Rev. B etc. I got a clear picture of the mechanism of the Cobalt Oxides, such as hopping conduction of polarons, Co3+-O-Co4+ double exchange etc. Then I used some of these models to explain some interesting phenomena observed on these samples. And one first-author paper was submitted to J. Phys.: Condens. Matter.

　　With extensive interests and enormous hard work, I have carried out my current work in the following three directions: 1. continuing the research work on CMR materials; 2. cooperating with a graduate student in our group aiming at growing NaxCoO2 single crystal, and some high-quality samples have been synthesized; 3. investigating the properties of new materials Sr2CoO2Cl2, BaNi2V2O8 etc.

　　Through my two years’ work in the lab, I realized the importance of active thinking, perseverance and cooperation. I had once tried to synthesize Pb-doped LaMnO3 through conventional method and failed for a great number of times. But I kept on trying new ways and finally got success through a chemical method Sol-Gel. I felt I were the happiest one in the world then. Besides, by cooperating with some groups in universities abroad, e.g. Boston College, UC-Berkeley, Boulder etc., our group has accomplished many works which we could hardly handle independently.

　　Research interests and Future plans

　　I am fortunate to choose Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Physics, especially the Condensed Matter Experimental Physics. I am also deeply interested in other fields: nanoscience, soft matter, mesoscopic physics, low dimensional system, space, biophysics etc.

　　I plan to complete my Ph.D. degree in 4-5 years, after that I will continue my research and devote myself to natural sciences.

　　Why I choose University of Texas at Austin

　　The faculty in University of Texas at Austin is an internationally recognized group of scientists, including world famous leaders in many important areas at the forront of physical research. The teaching and research facilities in your university are among the best in USA. This provides students with opportunities to work in first-class facilities and research centers at Austin. Moreover, your university is committed to fostering an inclusive environment. And I am also strongly attracted by the cooperative atmosphere in your department.

　　With excellent academic knowledge, strong interest in natural sciences as well as outstanding research experience, I am sure to do some better work in your esteemed university and to realize my goals.