AWARDEE OF PHYSICS PRIZE

XU XURONG

Abstract

Xu Xurong, physicist, lived in Linyi, Shandong before 1937, was born in Ji'nan, Shandong Province on April 23, 1922. He received his B.S. in 1945 from Physics Department, Southwest Associated University. Then he joined in Peking University as a teacher. In 1951, he was selected by Chinese Academy of Science to study in P.N.Lebedev Physical Institute, Russia. After he received his candidate of Mathematics and Physics degree in 1955, he returned China to devote himself in developing the luminescence research field of China. He built the first laboratory of luminescence of China. In 1965 he moved to Changchun Institute of Physics to transform it into one of the luminescence. In 1980 Prof.Xu organized the Chinese Society of Luminescence and served as the chairman until 1988. He founded Material Physics Institute in Tianjin Institute of Technology in 1987. Now, he is serving as the director of Institute of Optoelectronic Technology, Northern Jiaotong University, Which is founded in 1996 under his direction. He is also serving as the member of International Organizing Committee of Luminescence, member of Program Committee of Information Display Society in Asia, editor in chief of Chinese Journal of Luminescence, 1st director of the key laboratory of excited state Physics, the Academic Committee of National key Laboratory of Infrared Physics, the key Laboratory of Ion Beam, etc.
The research interests of Prof.Xu focused in many fields of luminescence. In 1950's, the theory of recombination luminescent process is great divergence among experts in this field. By using of the method of thermoluminescence, Prof.Xu measured the ratio of cross-sections between recombination and capture. This result resolved this contradiction completely. Furthermore, he measured the change of decay curves as the energy of electrons increased and found that the above ratio could change by several hundreds times. This result proved that the argument about the electron in conduction band is undistinguishable, which is proposed by Prof.N.F.Mott, a Noble Prize winner, is mot reasonable. In research about electroluminescence, Prof.Xu proved the modulating effect of electric field on recombination process of luminescent centers and the electron multiplication process in phosphors layers. He also investigated the energy transfer between centers in electroluminescence.
Based on the studies abort mechanism of electroluminescence, Prof.Xu proposed a new scheme of electroluminescent displays, layered optimization scheme. In this scheme, the preheating, acceleration of electrons and the impact excitation occur in different layers. So the parameters of each layer could be optimized for special target. The advantage of this scheme has been proved theoretically and experimentally. Although some of the materials which could not emit light in the conventional structure may could emit light in this new scheme. Now, this scheme has been regarded as the third generation electroluminescent scheme and will be adopted.
Prof.Xu also involved in other fields such as energy transfer, time-resolved spectroscopy and nonlinear effects. He investigated also the applications of luminescence in many fields, such as agriculture, medicine and military.
Prof.Xu was elected to be a member of the Chinese Academy of Science in 1980.