Harald Brune

Harald Brune is a Full Professor at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL) and a Hans Fischer Senior Fellow at the Technical University of Munich’s Institute for Advanced Study (TUM-IAS). His research focuses on atomic-scale engineering of nanostructures and interfaces, particularly in quantum magnetism, catalysis, and low-dimensional materials.

• Education: Diploma in Physics (LMU Munich, 1989), PhD in Physical Chemistry (Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, 1992).
• Affiliations: Hosted by TUM’s Professors Johannes Barth and Karsten Reuter, leading the Focus Group on Metal-Organic Superlattices of Quantum Magnets.

Research Interests: Brune’s work explores nanostructure creation via self-assembly and soft-landing techniques, with applications in quantum magnetism, heterogeneous catalysis, and ultra-high-density data storage. His studies utilize advanced microscopy and spectroscopy methods to analyze magnetic, electronic, and catalytic properties at atomic precision.

Publications Overview: Recent work emphasizes single-atom magnets, graphene-based systems, and magnetic anisotropy control. Key contributions include manipulating Fe atoms on MgO for extreme anisotropy and creating ordered superlattices of magnetic atoms on graphene.

• Awards: Fellow of the American Physical Society (2011), Latsis Prize (1996).

Labs & Collaboration: Collaborates with TUM researchers on projects like magnetic remanence in single atoms and Kondo-effect studies. His work bridges surface science with applied nanotechnology for next-generation materials.