Richard Friend is a physicist and engineer who has pioneered the understanding of the electronic properties of semiconductors made from organic materials. His work with carbon-based polymers represents the foundation of a new type of electronics, which is now used in a wide range of commercial technologies. His current research interests include the fundamental electronic processes involved in charge photogeneration in molecular semiconductors.
Richard has always taken a keen interest in the commercialisation of his research, and has been involved with numerous businesses designing and manufacturing polymer semiconductors, with applications such as light-emitting diodes, solar cells and thin film transistor circuits. He is the recipient of several awards for science and engineering, and in 2003 received a knighthood for his services to physics.
Professional position
- Cavendish Professor of Physics, Department of Physics, University of Cambridge
Subject groups
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Engineering and Materials Science
Engineering, semiconductors
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Astronomy and Physics
Condensed matter incl softmatter, liquids, nano-materials
Awards
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Rumford Medal
In recognition of his leading research in the development of polymer-based electronics and optoelectronics leading to a very rapid growth of development activities aimed at plastic electronic displays, with advantages of very low cost, flexibility, and the option of curved or flat surfaces.
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Clifford Paterson Medal and Lecture
On 'Plastic fantastic; electronics for the 21st Century. The lecture can be viewed from the Video Library'.
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King Faisal International Prize
In the field of physics.
