The gorgeous light as well as the beautiful melody deeply fascinated me. The electronic building block seemed to have a magic power to me when I was a small child. I remember spending hours poring over the little blueprints that came with my toy and then constructing different circuits. That may have been my first experience of engineering and it has been engraved in my mind ever since. I have always had an interest in the way things work and science has always been one of my favorite subjects. My intense passion for the sciences, particularly physics and mathematics, has increased exponentially as I have advanced in school and I particularly enjoy the challenge of using science and mathematics to solve everyday problems.
I earned a score in the top 1% on the Chinese National University Entrance Examination and began my studies in environmental engineering. Soon, however, I realized that my true calling as an engineer was in the area of optical information science and technology. For me, this area represents a perfect combination of theory in physics and mathematics with the most exciting of practical applications. So, I transferred to this major for the balance of my studies. My grades steadily increased along with my passion for my studies and I finished with a GPA of 3.7
To enhance my research skills and better prepare myself for graduate school, I have been working as a research assistant since last year in the State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies. We are studying minimal spatial scale light fields, their interaction with microstructure as well as their applications for super-resolution imaging. Our research project is part of the China’s State Key Program for Basic Research. We have made particularly exceptional progress in the generation, manipulation, and focusing properties of cylindrical vector beams.We constructed an experimental setup based on the use of the near field scanning optical microscope (NSOM) in order to better study the focusing properties of radically and azimuthally polarized beams under high NA objective lens. We measured the focal spot size using the knife edge method. We were highly successful in our observations of a focal spot of the radically polarized beams, including their spatial size breaks and diffraction resolution limits. We were also able to confirm the donut shape of the electric field of a tightly focused azimuthally polarized beam.
At the same time, we also constructed an experiment setup in the far field. This setup is aimed at generating arbitrary vector beams with a spatial light modulator (SLM). Unfortunately, we have several problems with the setup which limit its value for further research and application. Although we solved some of the problems, the remaining ones, related to the complicated setup design and limitations of experimental conditions, still made the scheme infeasible. Currently, I am independently engaged in the construction of a new experimental setup under the teacher’s guidance. We are hopeful that the new experimental setup will overcome the shortcomings of the previous one.
In addition to my academic studies, I have long been involved in various extracurricular activities. I was one of the First Violins with the Sun Yat-sen University Symphony Orchestra and performed on numerous occasions. I was especially proud that we won the championship during the Students’ Association of SYSU Finals. I was privileged to develop my teamwork and leadership skills in my service as group leader, synthesizing sounds from different directions into a harmoniously whole. I am a kind young man who cares about my society and country. I have participated in China General Social Survey (CGSS), conducting a survey of 100 families about their living conditions. Also, I surveyed the living conditions of the “left-behind” children (children who are left behind in their hometown in rural areas while their parents go to urban areas to work) in my hometown. These experiences have helped me to mature and they have also improved my communication skills and leadership abilities.
I feel confident that I will be able to excel in your program as a result of my coursework at Sun Yat-sen University, my research experience at the State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, and the personal qualities developed through my extracurricular activities. I am most eager to continue my education and improve upon my weaknesses. I long to become highly familiar with the cutting edge of developments in my field, especially optics on nanometer scale, light-matter interaction, and biophotonics. Ideally, I would like to enter into a Master's program that would lead me into Ph. D. studies later on. My long term goal is to do research in academia or industry and to enjoy the stimulation that this career offers.
