Fraunhofer Institute for Physical Measurement Techniques IPMAwards
ETS Life’s Work Award for Dr Harald Böttner
Harald Böttner, former head of department at the Fraunhofer Institute for Physical Measurement Techniques IPM, was awarded the European Thermoelectric Society’s (ETS) award of honor for his long-standing research activities in the field of thermoelectrics and his commitment to the ETS. The award ceremony took place on the occasion of the ETS annual conference in Padua in September.
Böttner, a graduated chemist, headed the »Thermoelectric Systems« business division at Fraunhofer IPM until his retirement in 2012. All told, he was dedicated to research in the area of thermoelectric energy converters for more than 30 years. Thermoelectric energy converters convert a heat flow directly into electrical energy, which is why they play a decisive role for waste heat recovery, so-called »energy harvesting«. The research focus of Böttner’s thermoelectric team was on optimizing thermoelectric materials and on assembly and joining techniques for thermoelectric modules. In close cooperation with Infineon Technologies AG, Böttner’s team devised a batch production process for miniature thermos generators, Peltier coolers and thermoelectric sensors based on a thin-film MEMS platform technology.
Harald Böttner is co-founder of the German Thermoelectric Society DTG and of the European Thermoelectric Society ETS. For many years, he has been board member of both organizations and of the International Thermoelectric Society ITS.