Erik PAM Bakkers

Erik PAM Bakkers is a Professor in the Applied Physics and Science Education department at the Technical University of Eindhoven, where he leads the Advanced Nanomaterials & Devices research group and is affiliated with the Center for Quantum Materials and Technology Eindhoven. He also serves as a part-time professor at Delft Technical University in the Quantum Transport group, maintaining dual academic appointments.

His research spans three primary domains:

• Nanomaterials, with a focus on Majorana particles in collaboration with Delft University, where recent discoveries have opened new frontiers in quantum information processing
• Light emission from silicon through crystal structure engineering, potentially revolutionizing fiber-optic communications
• Nanowire applications in solar cells, achieving significant efficiency gains through flexible designs using III/V semiconductor nanowires embedded in PDMS polymer

Bakkers' publication record reveals a strong trajectory in quantum technologies and nanomaterials science, with emphasis on Majorana fermions, topological superconductivity, and quantum transport phenomena. His work consistently appears in premier journals including Nature, Science, and Nature Nanotechnology, demonstrating exceptional impact across quantum computing and renewable energy fields.

His scientific recognition includes:

• NWO Vici Award (2010) for "Control of nanomaterials"
• ERC Consolidator Grant (HELENA, 2013)
• ERC Advanced Grant (2019) for "New nanomaterial to definitively demonstrate teleportation of Majorana particles"

Professor Bakkers has supervised 77 students throughout his career and currently leads the "Enabling Majorana Braiding" project (2018-2028). His research group, established at Eindhoven in 2017, maintains strategic partnerships with industry leaders including IBM, Microsoft, and Philips, bridging fundamental research with practical applications in quantum computing and sustainable energy technologies.