ABOUT & CV

Physics with
a sense of possibility

Jinfu Chen

I study how quantum systems behave, how to control them, and where their advantages come from.

At Leiden University, I work with Jordi Tura on quantum nonlocality and open many-body dynamics. My research uses symmetry and optimization to develop multipartite Bell tests, and spectral-gap optimization to accelerate thermalization.

My background in finite-time thermodynamics brings a complementary perspective: understanding the energetic cost of control. Thermodynamic geometry can optimize driving protocols, while spectral methods can optimize dissipation. Together, these approaches help explore the performance of quantum many-body heat engines.

A further research direction is to apply methods and optimization tools from stochastic and finite-time thermodynamics to generative AI, with the aim of improving learning and sampling in diffusion models and Transformers.

Jinfu Chen
Postdoctoral researcher
Leiden University

ACADEMIC PATH

Positions and education

2024–present

Postdoctoral researcher

Leiden University

Working with Jordi Tura on quantum nonlocality and open quantum many-body systems.

2021–2024

Postdoctoral researcher

Peking University

Working with H. T. Quan on stochastic thermodynamics, fluctuation theorems, and optimal control.

2016–2021

Ph.D. in Quantum Physics

Beijing Computational Science Research Center

Supervised by C. P. Sun. Research on finite-time quantum thermodynamics and heat engines.

2012–2016

B.S. in Physics & Mathematics

Peking University

Physics degree with a double degree in Mathematics.

TEACHING

Teaching

Teaching assistant for graduate courses at the Beijing Computational Science Research Center.

2019

Group theory

Graduate course
2017

Advanced quantum mechanics

Graduate course