Academic Qualification
Ph.D. in Chemistry, Rice University, 2019
M.S. in Chemistry, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 2014
B.S. in Chemistry, Jilin University, China, 2011
Working Experience
Jan. 2024 ~ present, Assistant Professor, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Faculty of Innovation Engineering, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China
Aug. 2019 ~ Dec. 2023, Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
Teaching Area
Semiconductor Device Physics
General physics
Research Area
Single-particle spectroscopy
Plasmonics and Nanophotonics
Nanofabrication and self-assembly
Academic Publication
1. Li, H.; Ye, W.; Zhou, Z.; Wu, H.; Jiao, L.; Jia, M.; Ding, T.; Cai, Y.-Y.; Govorov, A. O.; Zhang, W.; Yang, J.; Lan, X. "Electromagnetic vs Chemical Interfacial Interactions at the Single-Molecule-Confined Sub-nanometer Molecule–Metal Gap: A Solution-Phase Chiroptical Study", Nano Lett. 2026, 26, 5784–5791. Link
2. Wang, Y.; Liang, F.; Yang, J.; Liu, Z.; Hou, Y.; Xia, C.; Cai, Y.-Y.; Zhao, D. "Effect of quantum barrier thickness and last quantum barrier engineering on the performance of GaN-based vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers", Micro Nanostruct. 2026, 214, 208619. Link
3. Jiang, Z.; Zhou, Y.; Zhou, Z.; Li, H.; Yang, Y.; Song, J.; Jia, M.; Hu, H.; Cai, Y.-Y.; Govorov, A.; Zhang, W.; Yang, J.; Lan, X. "Charge transfer at the plasmon-molecule interfaces controls the collective chiroptical responses", Nat. Commun. 2025, 16, 11702. Link
4. Zhao, Y.; Cao, Z.; Wu, G.; Lv, M.-Y.; Lin, M.-Z.; Feng, Y.; Li, C.-H.; Tian, M.; Yang, J.-L.; Cai, Y.-Y.; Wei, Y.-F.; Xu, S.-C.; Wu, H.-C. "Multifunctional WS2-Au Field-Effect Transistors with Asymmetrical Contact for High Self-Driven Photoresponsivity and Ultrasensitive NO2 Sensing", ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2025, 17, 67328-67338. Link
5. Wang, Y.-F.; Qin, C.; Wei, Y.-F.; Zhang, H.; Cai, Y.-Y.; Cai, W.; Xiao, Z.-S. "A 360° Continuous Tuning Voltage-Controlled Phase Shifter for Laser Frequency Locking Systems in Optical Frequency Standards", Photonics 2025, 12, 1161. Link
6. Lou, Z.; Wang, Y.; Kang, B.; Li, R.; Zhang, W.; Wei, Y.; Bu, M.; Cai, Y.-Y. "Theoretical calculation of dynamic polarizability of 4s2 1S0-4s4p 3P0 transition for Ga+ ion", Acta Phys. Sin. 2025, 74, 103202. Link
7. Li, Z.; Liu, S.; Zhan, Q.; Li, J.; Zhang, Z.; Qian, Y.; Cai, Y.-Y.; Mu, X.; Li, L. "Synergistic Enhancement of Plasma-Driven Ammonia Synthesis Using a AuCu3/Cu Composite Catalyst", Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2025, 64, e202424165. Link
8. Wei, Y.-F.; Tang, Z.-M.; Huang, X.-R.; Bu, M.-L.; Xu, X.-Y.; Cai, Y.-Y. "Relativistic many-body calculations of multipole (E1, M1, E2, M2) transition properties in Al II", Chinese Phys. B 2025, in press. Link
9. Cai, Y.-Y.; Gu, Z.; Yang, S.; Murray, C. B.; Kagan, C. R. "Shape effects on the 2D self-assembly of lithographically fabricated nanoparticles", Nanoscale 2025, 17, 23387. Link
10. Kong Y.; Yang C.; Cai, Y.-Y.; Mu X.; Li L. "Photocatalytic Aerobic Conversion of Methane", Photocatal. Res. Potential 2024, 1, 10005. Link
11. Ning, Y; Yang, S.; Yang, D.-B.; Cai, Y.-Y.; Xu, J.; Li, R.; Zhang, Y.; Kagan, C. R.; Saven, J. G.; Murray, C. B. "Dynamic Nanocrystal Superlattices with Thermally Triggerable Lubricating Ligands", J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2024, 146, 3785. Link
12. Cai, Y.-Y.; Fallah, A.; Yang, S.; Choi, Y. C.; Stein, A.; Kikkawa, J. M.; Murray, C. B.; Engheta, N.; Kagan, C. R. "Open- and Close-Packed Oligomers via Template-Directed Assembly of Shape-Engineered, Lithographically-Fabricated Nanoparticles", Adv. Mater. 2023, 35, 2301323. Link
13. McNeill, J. M.; Choi, Y. C.; Cai, Y.-Y.; Guo, J.; Nadal, F.; Kagan, C. R.; Mallouk, T. E. " Three-Dimensionally Complex Phase Behavior and Collective Phenomena in Mixtures of Acoustically Powered Chiral Microspinners", ACS Nano 2023, 17, 7911. Link
14. Yang, S.; LaCour, R. A.; Cai, Y.-Y.; Xu J.; Rosen D. J.; Zhang Y.; Kagan, C. R.; Glotzer S. C.; Murray, C. B. " Self-Assembly of Atomically Aligned Nanoparticle Superlattices from Pt–Fe3O4 Heterodimer Nanoparticles", J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2023, 145, 6280. Link
15. Nguyen, H.; Sharp, D.; Fröch, J.; Cai, Y.-Y.; Wu, S.; Monahan, M.; Munley, C.; Manna, A.; Majumdar, A.; Kagan, C. R.; Cossairt, B. "Deterministic Quantum Light Arrays from Giant Silica-Shelled Quantum Dots", ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2023, 15, 4294. Link
16. Forcherio, G. T.; Ostovar, B.; Boltersdorf, J.; Cai, Y.-Y.; Leff, A. C.; Grew, K. N.; Lundgren, C. A.; Link, S.; Baker, D. R. "Single-Particle Insights into Plasmonic Hot Carrier Separation Augmenting Photoelectrochemical Ethanol Oxidation with Photocatalytically Synthesized Pd–Au Bimetallic Nanorods", ACS Nano 2022, 16, 12377. Link
17. Invited Review: Cai, Y.-Y.†; Choi, Y. C.†; Kagan, C. R. "Chemical and physical properties of photonic noble-metal nanomaterials", Adv. Mater. 2023, 35, 2108104. Link
18. Shiratori, K.; Bishop, L. D. C.; Ostovar, B.; Baiyasi, R.; Cai, Y.-Y.; Rossky, P. J.; Landes, C. F.; Link, S. "Machine-Learned Decision Trees for Predicting Gold Nanorod Sizes from Spectra", J. Phys. Chem. C 2021, 125, 19353–19361. Link
19. Invited Review: Cai, Y.-Y.†; Tauzin, L. J.†; Ostovar, B.; Lee, S. A.; Link, S. "Light emission from plasmonic nanostructures", J. Chem. Phys. 2021, 155, 060901. Link (2021 JCP Editors' Choice)
20. Collins, S. S. E.; Searles, E. K.; Tauzin, L. J.; Lou, M.; Bursi, L.; Liu, Y.; Song, J.; Flatebo, C.; Baiyasi, R.; Cai, Y.-Y.; Foerster, B.; Lian, T.; Nordlander, P.; Link, S.; Landes, C. F. "Plasmon Energy Transfer in Hybrid Nanoantennas", ACS Nano 2021, 15, 9522–9530. Link
News Stories: Rice University, C&EN, Phys.org, ScienceDaily, 7thSpace, EurekAlert!, Nanowerk, ScienMag, Bioengineer.org, Eurasia Review, AZoNano, AZoMaterials
21. Ostovar, B.; Cai, Y.-Y.; Tauzin, L. J.; Lee, S. A.; Ahmadivand, A.; Zhang, R.; Nordlander, P.; Link, S. "Increased Intraband Transitions in Smaller Gold Nanorods Enhance Light Emission", ACS Nano 2020, 14, 15757–15765. Link
22. Cai, Y.-Y.; Collins, S. S. E.; Gallagher, M. J.; Bhattacharjee, U.; Zhang, R.; Him, C. T.; Ahmadivand, A.; Ostovar, B.; Al-Zubeidi, A.; Wang J.; Nordlander, P.; Landes, C. F.; Link, S. "Single-Particle Emission Spectroscopy Resolves d-Hole Relaxation in Copper Nanocubes", ACS Energy Lett. 2019, 4, 2458-2465. Link
23. Flatebo, C.; Collins, S. S. E.; Hoener, B. S.; Cai, Y.-Y.; Link, S.; Landes, C. F. "Electrodissolution Inhibition of Gold Nanorods with Oxoanions", J. Phys. Chem. C 2019, 123, 13983–13992. Link
24. Cai, Y.-Y.; Sung, E.; Zhang, R.; Tauzin, L. J.; Liu, J.; Ostovar, B.; Zhang, Y.; Chang, W.-S.; Nordlander, P.; Link, S. "Anti-Stokes Emission from Hot Carriers in Gold Nanorods", Nano Lett. 2019, 19, 1067-1073. Link
News Stories: Rice University, NSF News, Phys.org, ScienceDaily, Wiley Analytical Science, SpaceDaily, EurekAlert!, Nanowerk, Futurity, R&D World
25. Tauzin, L. J.; Cai, Y.-Y.; Smith, K. W.; Hosseini Jebeli, S. A.; Bhattacharjee, U.; Chang, W.-S.; Link, S. "Exploring the Relationship between Plasmon Damping and Luminescence in Lithographically Prepared Gold Nanorods", ACS Photonics 2018, 5, 3541-3549. Link
26. Yi, C.; Su, M.-N.; Dongare, P. D.; Chakraborty, D.; Cai, Y.-Y.; Marolf, D. M.; Kress, R. N.; Ostovar, B.; Tauzin, L. J.; Wen, F.; Chang, W.-S.; Jones, M. R.; Sader, J. E.; Halas, N. J.; Link, S. "Polycrystallinity of Lithographically Fabricated Plasmonic Nanostructures Dominates Their Acoustic Vibrational Damping". Nano Lett. 2018, 18, 3494-3501. Link
27. Kirchner, S. R.; Smith, K. W.; Hoener, B. S.; Collins, S. S. E.; Wang, W.; Cai, Y.-Y.; Kinnear, C.; Zhang, H.; Chang, W.-S.; Mulvaney, P.; Landes, C. F.; Link, S. "Snapshot Hyperspectral Imaging (SHI) for Revealing Irreversible and Heterogeneous Plasmonic Processes", J. Phys. Chem. C 2018, 122, 6865-6875. Link
News Stories: Rice University, Phys.org, Nanowerk
28. Cai, Y.-Y.; Liu, J. G.; Tauzin, L. J.; Huang, D.; Sung, E.; Zhang, H.; Joplin, A.; Chang, W.-S.; Nordlander, P.; Link, S. "Photoluminescence of Gold Nanorods: Purcell Effect Enhanced Emission from Hot Carriers", ACS Nano, 2018, 12, 976-985. Link
29. Hoener, B. S.; Zhang, H.; Heiderscheit, T. S.; Kirchner, S. R.; De Silva Indrasekara, A. S.; Baiyasi, R.; Cai, Y.-Y.; Nordlander, P.; Link, S.; Landes, C. F.; Chang, W.-S. "Spectral Response of Plasmonic Gold Nanoparticles to Capacitive Charging: Morphology Effects", J. Phys. Chem. Lett., 2017, 8, 2681-2688. Link
30. De Silva Indrasekara, A. S.; Shuang, B.; Hollenhorst, F.; Hoener, B. S.; Hoggard, A.; Chen, S.; Villarreal, E.; Cai, Y.-Y.; Kisley, L.; Derry, P. J.; Chang, W.-S.; Zubarev, E. R.; Ringe, E.; Link, S.; Landes, C. F. "Optimization of Spectral and Spatial Conditions to Improve Super-Resolution Imaging of Plasmonic Nanoparticles", J. Phys. Chem. Lett., 2017, 8, 299-306. Link
31. Yorulmaz, M.; Nizzero, S.; Hoggard, A.; Wang, L.-Y.; Cai, Y.-Y.; Su, M.-N.; Chang, W.-S.; Link, S. "Single-Particle Absorption Spectroscopy by Photothermal Contrast", Nano Lett., 2015, 15, 3041-3047. Link
32. Guo, L.-T.; Cai, Y.-Y.; Ge, J.-M.; Zhang, Y.-N.; Gong, L.-H.; Li, X.-H.; Wang, K.-X.; Ren, Q.-Z.; Su, J.; Chen, J.-S. "Multifunctional Au-Co@CN Nanocatalyst for Highly Efficient Hydrolysis of Ammonia Borane", ACS Catal., 2015, 5, 388-392. Link
33. Zhang, Y.-N.; Li, X.-H.; Cai, Y.-Y.; Gong, L.-H.; Wang, K.-X.; Chen, J.-S. "Bio-Inspired Noble-Metal-Free Reduction of Nitroarenes over NiS2+x/g-C3N4", RSC Adv., 2014, 4, 60873-60877. Link
34. Li, X.-H.; Cai, Y.-Y.; Gong, L.-H.; Fu, W.; Wang, K.-X.; Bao, H.-L.; Wei, X.; Chen, J.-S. "Photochemically Engineering the Metal-Semiconductor Interface for Room-Temperature Transfer Hydrogenation of Nitroarenes with Formic Acid", Chem. Eur. J., 2014, 20, 16732-16737. Link
35. Gong, L.-H.; Cai, Y.-Y.; Li, X.-H.; Zhang, Y.-N.; Su, J.; Chen, J.-S. "Room-Temperature Transfer Hydrogenation and Fast Separation of Unsaturated Compounds over Heterogeneous Catalysts in an Aqueous Solution of Formic Acid", Green Chem., 2014, 16, 3746-3751. Link
36. Ye, T.-N.; Xu, M.; Fu, W.; Cai, Y.-Y.; Wei, X.; Wang, K.-X.; Zhao, Y.-N.; Li, X.-H.; Chen, J.-S. "The Crystallinity Effect of Mesocrystalline BaZrO3 Hollow Nanospheres on Charge Separation for Photocatalysis", Chem. Commun., 2014, 50, 3021-3023. Link
37. Cai, Y.-Y.; Li, X.-H.; Zhang, Y.-N.; Wei, X.; Wang, K.-X.; Chen, J.-S. "Highly Efficient Dehydrogenation of Formic Acid over a Palladium-Nanoparticle-Based Mott–Schottky Photocatalyst", Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2013, 52, 11822-11825. Link
38. Fu, W.; Li, X.-H.; Bao, H.-L.; Wang, K.-X.; Wei, X.; Cai, Y.-Y.; Chen, J.-S. "Synergistic Effect of Bronsted Acid and Platinum on Purification of Automobile Exhaust Gases", Sci. Rep., 2013, 3, 2349. Link
39. Li, L.; Cai, Y.-Y.; Li, G.-D.; Mu, X.-Y.; Wang, K.-X.; Chen, J.-S. "Synergistic Effect on the Photoactivation of the Methane C-H Bond over Ga3+-Modified ETS-10", Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2012, 51, 4702-4706. Link
Research Grants
2025 Study on Single-Particle Photoluminescence and Hot Carrier Mechanisms in Non-Traditional Plasmonic Nanostructures (NSFC)
2025 Nanoimprint fabrication of optical metasurfaces and their applications in
structural color manipulation and display technology (FDCT)
2024 Tunable Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Substrates Based on Multicomponent and Functional Nanoparticles: Mechanism and Applications in Molecular Detection (FDCT)
Patents
Chinese Patent CN103641673B, Method of Catalytic Reduction of Olefins over Mesoporous Carbon Nitride Supported Metal Nanoparticles. Li, X.-H.; Gong, L.-H.; Cai, Y.-Y.; Chen, J.-S. Grant Sept. 2015
Awards
Margrave Thesis Award, Rice University, 2019
Shanghai Excellent Master Thesis, Shanghai Municipal Education Commission, 2015
Professional Services
Youth Editorial Board Member, InfoMat, since 2024
Professional Society Membership
Member, Chinese Chemical Society
