Henning Sirringhaus facts for kids

Henning Sirringhaus is a leading scientist who studies how tiny electronic parts work. He is a professor at the University of Cambridge in England. He leads a group that researches very small electronics. He also works with light and electronics. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society, which is a big honor for scientists.

His Journey in Science

Henning Sirringhaus studied physics at a university called ETH Zurich in Switzerland. There, he earned his first degree and then a PhD. A PhD is a very advanced degree that shows you are an expert in your field. After that, from 1995 to 1996, he did more research at Princeton University in the United States.

What He Researches

Professor Sirringhaus studies how electricity moves in special materials. These materials are called organic semiconductors. They are like plastics that can conduct electricity. He also looks at how light interacts with these materials. His work helps create new types of electronic devices.

He also researches other new materials. These include "solution-processible inorganic semiconductors." This means they can be made from liquids. One example is "halide perovskites." These materials are important for future electronics. Professor Sirringhaus leads a large team of over 30 researchers. They work together on these exciting projects.

Awards and Honors

Henning Sirringhaus has received many important awards for his work. In 2009, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is one of the highest honors for a scientist in the United Kingdom.

His nomination for this award mentioned his important discoveries:

• He helped create a special way to study tiny electronics. This method is called "ballistic electron emission microscopy."
• He made huge progress in the field of organic semiconductor transistors. These are like tiny switches made from plastic-like materials.
• His work helped turn these materials from interesting ideas into real technology. This technology can be used to make things like flexible screens.
• He found new ways to make these materials. One method uses ink-jet printing, like a regular printer.
• A big achievement was creating a "light-emitting field-effect transistor." This is a device that can both switch electricity and produce light.

These discoveries have helped make electronics smaller and more flexible.