Harald Brune

Harald Brune is a Professor at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), affiliated with the School of Basic Sciences and the Institute of Physics. He leads the Surface Nanostructures Laboratory (LNS) and contributes to academic governance through the EPFL Academic Evaluation Committee and the Physics Doctoral Program Committee.

Education:

• PhD in Physical Chemistry from Fritz-Haber Institute, Max Planck Society (1992)
• Master's in Physics from Ludwig Maximilian University Munich (1989)

Research Interests: His work focuses on magnetism and electronic structure of nanostructures and ultra-thin films, with applications in heterogeneous catalysis and quantum platforms. Techniques include scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and epitaxial growth.

Recent Publications (Trends): His 15 most recent works highlight advances in single-atom magnets, quantum sensing, and catalytic systems inspired by enzyme active sites. Topics span spintronics, quantum computing, and low-temperature catalysis, often involving graphene-based materials and lanthanide atoms.

Scientific Awards:

• Latsis EPFL Prize (1996) for STM studies of atomic processes in thin-film growth.

Teaching & Advising: He has supervised over 20 PhD students and teaches courses in Solid State Physics, Surface Physics, and Experimental Methods at EPFL's doctoral school.