An architect of nano power plants: SNSF portrait of Mickaël Perrin
Prof. Mickaël Perrin, group leader at Empa and assistant professor of quantum electronics, uses graphene ribbons to build nanoscale power plants that convert waste heat from electrical devices into electricity. He and his research are featured in a portrait by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF).
When Mickaël Perrin started out on his scientific career 12 years ago, he had no way of knowing he was conducting research in an area that would be attracting wide public interest only a few years later: quantum electronics. “At the time, physicists were just starting to talk about the potential of quantum technologies and quantum computers,” he recalls. “Today there are dozens of start-ups in this area, and governments and companies are investing billions in developing the technology further. We are now seeing the first applications in computer science, cryptography, communications and sensors.” Perrin’s research is opening up another field of application: electricity production using quantum effects with almost zero energy loss. To achieve this, the 36-year-old scientist combines two usually separate disciplines of physics: thermodynamics and quantum mechanics.
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In the past year, the quality of Perrin’s research and its potential for future applications has brought him two awards: He received not only one of the ERC Starting Grants that are so highly sought-after by young researchers, but also an Eccellenza Professorial Fellowship of the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF).