Biography:Bruno Ehrler
Bruno Ehrler | |
|---|---|
| Alma mater |
|
| Known for | Perovskite semiconductors; hybrid solar cells; neuromorphic perovskite devices |
| Awards |
|
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Photovoltaics; Materials science; Optoelectronics |
| Institutions | |
| Thesis | (2012) |
| Doctoral advisor | Neil Greenham |
Bruno Ehrler is a physicist and materials scientist whose research centers on perovskite semiconductors, hybrid solar cells, and neuromorphic devices.[1] He leads the Hybrid Solar Cells group at AMOLF and has been appointed as the next director of the instittue effective 1 January 2026.[2] Since 2020 he has been an honorary professor at the University of Groningen.[1][3]
Education and career
Ehrler studied physics at RWTH Aachen University and Queen Mary University of London, receiving an MSci in 2009.[1] He completed a PhD in Physics at the University of Cambridge in 2012 under Neil Greenham on hybrid solar cells that combine organic semiconductors with inorganic quantum dots.[1]
After his doctorate, Ehrler joined the Cambridge Optoelectronics Group as a postdoctoral researcher with Richard Friend, working on quantum dots, doped metal oxides, and singlet fission photovoltaics.[1] He was Trevelyan Research Fellow at Selwyn College, Cambridge from 2013 to 2014.[1]
In 2014 he moved to AMOLF as Group Leader of the Hybrid Solar Cells group.[1] He became head of the LMPV – Sustainable Energy Materials Department in 2024,[1] and in August 2025 was named the next director of AMOLF, to take office on 1 January 2026.[2][4]
Research
Ehrler's research focuses on the physics and chemistry of perovskite semiconductors. He has worked on how ionic migration affects device stability and efficiency, and developing spectroscopic and simulation tools.[5] His group found that mechanical strain can control ion mobility, opening new ways for improving perovskite solar cell performance.[5] In addition to photovoltaics, Ehrler's group has worked on the use of perovskites in neuromorphic computing, creating artificial synapses and neurons with very low energy consumption.[5][6]
Policy roles
Ehrler is active in Dutch and European research policy, serving as Vice-Chair of the Netherlands Energy Research Alliance (NERA) and Program Director of SolarLab.[2][1] He was part of founding the national research programs SolarNL and MaterialenNL.[5]
Awards and honours
- 2025 – KNCV Gold Medal (Royal Netherlands Chemical Society)[5]
- 2025 – ACS Energy Letters Lectureship Award[1]
- 2023 – Elected to the Young Academy of Europe in 2023.[1]
- 2020 – ERC Starting Grant for work on artificial synapses from halide perovskites[1]
External links
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 "Bruno Ehrler". https://amolf.nl/people/bruno-ehrler.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Bruno Ehrler appointed new director of AMOLF". 15 August 2025. https://www.nwo-i.nl/en/news/2025/08/15/bruno-ehrler-appointed-new-director-of-amolf/.
- ↑ "B. (Bruno) Ehrler, Prof". 25 June 2022. https://www.rug.nl/staff/b.ehrler/?lang=en.
- ↑ "Bruno Ehrler appointed new director of AMOLF". 14 August 2025. https://amolf.nl/news/bruno-ehrler-appointed-new-director-of-amolf.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 "Bruno Ehrler awarded the KNCV Gold Medal 2025". 2025. https://www.kncv.nl/bruno-ehrler.
- ↑ Polman, Albert; Knight, Mark; Garnett, Erik C.; Ehrler, Bruno; Sinke, Wim C. (2016). "Photovoltaic materials: Present efficiencies and future challenges". Science 352 (6283). doi:10.1126/science.aad4424. PMID 27081076.
