Zheng-Tian Lu

ztlu@ustc.edu.cn

Research Interests

Test fundamental symmetries of space and time, between matter and anti-matter, and search for new physics beyond the Standard Model

Develop novel methods for ultrasensitive trace isotope analysis, and apply these methods in earth and environmental sciences

Study exotic nuclei, atoms and molecules with precision measurements

Degrees attained

Ph.D.1994University of California at Berkeley

M.S.1991The University of Chicago

B.S.1987University of Science and Technology of China

Employment history

2019 – PresentDeanSchool of the Gifted Young, University of Science and Technology of China

2015 – PresentProfessorUniversity of Science and Technology of China

2007 – 2015Senior PhysicistArgonne National Laboratory

2004 – 2015Professor (part-time)The University of Chicago

2000 – 2007PhysicistArgonne National Laboratory

1997 – 2000Assistant PhysicistArgonne National Laboratory

1994 – 1997Research AssociateJILA, University of Colorado

Awards and Honors

2024     Outstanding Ph.D. Advisor of the Chinese Academy of Sciences

2022     University Distinguished Professor, University of Science and Technology of China

2020     Yan Ji Ci Professor of Physics, School of Physics, University of Science and Technology of China

2014     Distinguished Lecturer, University of Science and Technology of China

2009     Francis M. Pipkin Award, American Physical Society

2006     Fellow, American Physical Society

2000     U.S. Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers

2000     U.S. DOE Office of Science Early Career Scientist and Engineer Award

Recent Professional Service and Association

2015-2027     Member, International Advisory Board, The Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics

2017-2021     Member, Advisory Committee, National Institute of Metrology, China

2013-2016     Vice Chair – Chair Elect – Chair, Topical Group of Precision Measurement and Fundamental Constants, American Physical Society

2013-2016     Vice Chair – Chair Elect – Chair, Topical Group of Precision Measurement and Fundamental Constants, American Physical Society

2014-2016     Member, Program committee, Division of Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics, American Physical Society

2014                Member, NSAC Subcommittee on Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay

2014 March   Member, NSF program review panel

2011-2013     Member, U.S. Nuclear Science Advisory Committee (NSAC)

2012 June     Organizer, The First International Workshop on Tracer Applications of Noble Gas Radionuclides (TANGR 2012), Argonne National Laboratory

2011 Nov       Co-convenor (on EDM), Fundamental Physics at the Intensity Frontier Workshop, Washington DC

2011-2013     Member, ORNL/LANL Neutron EDM Technical Review Committee

2011                Member, NSAC Subcommittee on Neutron Physics

2009 Aug       Co-organizer / Scientific Secretary, The 6th Joint Meeting of Chinese Physicists Worldwide, Lanzhou, China

2007-2009     Member and Councilor-at-large, Overseas Chinese Physics Association

Selected Publications

Detection of atmospheric 42Ar at the 10-21 level by atom counting

Z.-F. Wan, J.-W. Liang, Z. H. Jia, W. Jiang, Z.-T. Lu, L. T. Sun, G. M. YangOn line, Nature Physics (2026)

A radiometric timescale challenges the chronology of the iconic 1992 Guliya ice core

S. Hou, T. M. Jenk, W. Jiang, W. Zhang, H. Hu, X. Feng, H. Li, S.-Y. Wu, H. Pang, J. Yu, R. Huang, Z.-T. Lu, G.-M. Yang, M. Bender, M. SchwikowskiScience Advances 11, eadx8837 (2025)

Observation of the electric Breit-Rabi effect

S.-Z. Wang, S.-B. Wang, Z.-J. Tao, T. Xia, Z.-T. LuPNAS 122, e2423902122 (2025)

81Kr dating of 1kg Antarctic ice

F. Ritterbusch, J. S. Wang, X. Feng, S. Shackleton, M. Bender, E. Brook, J. Higgins, Z.-H. Jia, W. Jiang, Z.-T. Lu, J. P. Severinghaus, L.-T. Sun, G.-M. Yang and L. ZhaoNature Communications 16, 4394 (2025)

Minute-scale Schrödinger-cat state of spin-5/2 atoms

Y. A. Yang, W.-T. Luo, J.-L. Zhang, S.-Z. Wang, Chang-Ling Zou, T. Xia and Z.-T. LuNature Photonics 19, 89-94 (2025)

Search for spin-dependent gravitational interactions at the Earth range

S.-B. Zhang, Z.-L. Ba, D.-H. Ning, N.-F. Zhai, Z.-T. Lu, and D. ShengPhysical Review Letters 130, 201401 (2023)

Atom-Trap Trace Analysis of 41Ca/Ca down to the 10-17 level

T.-Y. Xia, W.-W. Sun, S. Ebser, W. Jiang, G.-M. Yang, H.-M. Zhu, Yun-Chong Fu, F. Huang, G.-D. Ming, T. Xia, and Z.-T. LuNature Physics 19, 904-908 (2023)

A Tibetan ice core covering the past 1,300 years radiometrically dated with 39Ar

F. Ritterbusch, L. Tian, A-M. Tong, J.-Q. Gu, W. Jiang, Z.-T. Lu, L. Shao, M.-X. Tang, G.-M. Yang, M.-J. Zhang, and L. ZhaoProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 119, e2200835119 (2022)

Measurement of the electric dipole moment of 171Yb atoms in an optical trap

T. A. Zheng, Y. A. Yang, S.-Z. Wang, D. Sheng, J. T. Singh, Z.-X. Xiong, T. Xia, and Z.-T. LuPhysical Review Letters 129, 083001 (2022)

Optical Excitation and Trapping of 81Kr

J. S. Wang, F. Ritterbusch, X.-Z. Dong, C. Gao, H. Li, W. Jiang, S.-Y. Liu, Z.-T. Lu, W.-H. Wang, G.-M. Yang, Y.-S. Zhang, and Z.-Y. ZhangPhysical Review Letters 127, 023201 (2021)

Atmospheric 81Kr as an integrator of cosmic ray flux over the hundred-thousand-year time scale

J. C. Zappala, D. Baggenstos, C. Gerber, W. Jiang, B.M. Kennedy, Z.-T. Lu, J. Masarik, P. Mueller, R. Purtschert, A. VisserGeophysical Research Letters 47,e2019GL086381 (2020)

Dual separation of krypton and argon from environmental samples for radioisotope dating

X.-Z. Dong, F. Ritterbusch, Y.-Q. Chu, J.-Q. Gu, S.-M. Hu, W. Jiang, Z.-T. Lu, G.-M. Yang, L. ZhaoAnalytical Chemistry 91,13567 – 13581 (2019)

Radiokrypton unveils dual moisture sources of a deep desert aquifer

R. Yokochi, R. Ram, J. C. Zappala, W. Jiang, E. Adar, R. Bernier, A. Burg, U. Dayan, Z.-T. Lu, P. Mueller, R. Purtschert, Y. YechieliProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 116, 16222-16227 (2019)

First Measurement of the Atomic Electric Dipole Moment of 225Ra

R. H. Parker, M. R. Dietrich, M. R. Kalita, N. D. Lemke, K. G. Bailey, M. Bishof, J. P. Greene, R. J. Holt, W. Korsch, Z.-T. Lu, P. Mueller, T. P. O’Connor, and J. T. SinghPhysical Review Letter 114, 233002 (2015)See Synopsis: Symmetric Radium Atoms

Continental degassing of 4He by surficial discharge of deep groundwater

Aggarwal, Pradeep K., Takuya Matsumoto, Neil C. Sturchio, Hung K. Chang, Didier Gastmans, Luis J. Araguas-Araguas, Wei Jiang et al.Nature Geoscience 8, 35-39, (2015).

Tracer applications of noble gas radionuclides in the geosciences

Z.-T. Lu, P. Schlosser, N.C. Sturchio, W. Smethie Jr. et al.Earth-Science Reviews 138, 196, (2014).

Measurement of the hyperfine quenching rate of the clock transition in 171Yb

Xu, C-Y., J. Singh, J. C. Zappala, K. G. Bailey, M. R. Dietrich, J. P. Greene, W. Jiang et al.Physical Review Letters 113, 033003, (2014).

Radiometric 81Kr dating identifies 120,000 year old ice at Taylor Glacier, Antarctica

Buizert, Christo, Daniel Baggenstos, Wei Jiang, Roland Purtschert, Vasilii V. Petrenko, Zheng-Tian Lu, Peter Müller et al.Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences 111, 6876, (2014).See Commentary: Radiokrypton dating finally takes off

Laser probing of halo nuclei in light atoms

Z.-T. Lu, P. Mueller, G.W.F. Drake, S. Pieper, W. Nortershauser, Z.-C. YanReview of Modern Physics 85, 1383, (2013).

Ar-39 detection at 10-16 isotopic abundance level with atom trap trace analysis

Jiang, W., W. Williams, K. Bailey, A. M. Davis, S-M. Hu, Z-T. Lu, T. P. O’Connor et al.Physical Review Letters 106, 103001, (2011).See Synopsis: Clocking the last century

Nuclear charge radius of 8He

Mueller, P., I. A. Sulai, A. C. C. Villari, J. A. Alcantara-Nunez, R. Alves-Condé, K. Bailey, G. W. F. Drake et al.Physical Review Letters 99, 252501, (2007).

Laser spectroscopic determination of the 6He nuclear charge radius

Laser spectroscopic determination of the 6He nuclear charge radius

Ultrasensitive isotope trace analyses with a magneto-optical trap

Chen, C. Y., Y. M. Li, K. Bailey, T. P. O'connor, L. Young, and Z-T. Lu.Science 286, 1139, (1999).