Acknowledging excellent scientific achievements in photovoltaics, the Technical University Berlin awarded Prof. Dr. rer. nat. habil. Karl W. Böer the honorary degree “Doktor der Naturwissenschaften honoris causa” in September 2012.
One of the fathers of experimental and theoretical semiconductor physics, Professor Böer not only became a pioneer in photovoltaics research and development, but also an early entrepreneur. His work on the structure and optical properties of crystals and, specifically, on CdS thin films and solar cells yielded a number of patents. “Solar One”, the world’s first hybrid solar energy house, made the international headlines as early as 1973.
Born and educated in Berlin, Professor Böer was in charge of the 4th physics institute of Humboldt University Berlin as well as a new department of the Academy of Sciences from 1955. After the Berlin Wall was erected in 1961, he moved to the US on a guest professorship in New York and then to the University of Delaware, where he was active for more than 30 years.
Just before Professor Böer left Berlin, he founded the journal “physica status solidi” (pss) – and celebrated its 50th anniversary last year. From the start, pss was designed for the rapid release of the latest progress in solid state physics research, and additionally became an established medium of scientific exchange between east and west as long as the division persisted. After half a century of development through fundamental technical and organizational changes into one of the largest modern, international solid state physics journals, pss still centers around its founding editor’s mission of high-quality rapid publication today.
More information:
Announcement Technical University Berlin: click here
Past & Present by K. W. Böer on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of pss
‘High-field domains from dc to 60 GHz physica status solidi (b)’
Volume 248, Issue 12, December 2011, Pages: 2775–2785, Karl W. Böer
http://doi.wiley.com/10.1002/pssb.201046605
Recent publication of K. W. Böer in pss (b)
‘Stationary high-field domains as tools to measure field-dependent carrier densities and mobilities in CdS and work functions of blocking contacts’
Volume 249, Issue 8, August 2012, Pages: 1577–1584
http://doi.wiley.com/10.1002/pssb.201147422
Publications of K. W. Böer listed by University of Delaware
www.lib.udel.edu/ud/spec/findaids/boer/
