Professor Klaus von Klitzing, winner of the 1985 Nobel Prize in Physics and discoverer of the quantum Hall effect, paid a visit to the Steady High Magnetic Field Facility (SHMFF) at High Magnetic Field Laboratory, CAS (CHMFL), where he shared insights with researchers and engineers on frontier scientific challenges enabled by high magnetic fields.

During the visit, von Klitzing delivered a keynote lecture titled My Life with High Magnetic Fields. He looked back on his lifelong experimental research in high magnetic fields, recalling his early scientific beginnings more than 50 years ago under the supervision of Professor Gottfried Landwehr, his long‑term mentor and a pioneer in the high‑magnetic‑field community. Focusing on his landmark discovery of the quantum Hall effect, von Klitzing described how this breakthrough came about. He discussed its far‑reaching impact on condensed‑matter physics, as well as its real‑world uses in precision metrology and the establishment of the quantum Hall resistance standard.

Hosted by researcher Sheng Zhigang, the two‑hour lecture drew an overwhelming turnout. The conference room was fully packed, with numerous young scholars and graduate students sitting on the floor to follow the presentation. Distinguished attendees included academician Chen Xianhui from the University of Science and Technology of China, Liu Jianguo, director of the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, CAS, and Du Haifeng, director of the High Magnetic Field Science Center.

Following the seminar, von Klitzing held in‑depth discussions with in-house scientists at CHMFL. He toured SHMFF’s landmark magnets，including the hybrid magnet generating a world‑record steady magnetic field of 45.22 T, and the 42.02 T water‑cooled magnet, another global benchmark achievement.

After reviewing the facility’s capacity and recent research outputs, the Nobel laureate spoke highly of China’s steady high magnetic field infrastructure. He pointed out that future work should prioritize ultra‑low‑temperature technologies under high magnetic fields to hunt for novel quantum phases of matter. He also highlighted the huge potential of extreme conditions to drive independent creation of new functional materials and accelerate global breakthroughs in quantum‑state research.

As one of the most influential figures in condensed‑matter and quantum physics worldwide, von Klitzing made his groundbreaking quantum‑Hall‑effect discovery back in 1980 under high magnetic field experimental conditions. His work opened brand‑new research directions for two‑dimensional electron systems, topological physics and quantum precision measurement, and laid the foundation for internationally adopted resistance metrology standards.

Prof. Klaus von Klitzing delivers the lecture 'My Life with High Magnetic Fields'

Du Haifeng presents an honorary commemorative plaque to Prof. von Klitzing

Group photo during the facility tour