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Bo Hou

Dr Bo Hou

(he/him)

Users
Available for postgraduate supervision

Teams and roles for Bo Hou

Overview

I am a Reader at the School of Physics and Astronomy, Cardiff University. My research interests include quantum dot synthesis, quantum dot optoelectronics (PV, LED, Photodetector, Display and Image sensor), electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic charge transfer analysis. I am part of the Management Board of the EPSRC CDT in Compound Semiconductor Manufacturing, Cardiff University Materials Research Network as well as the recently established Cardiff University Net Zero Innovation Institute

Publication

2025

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2009

Articles

Conferences

Research

My research group covers multiple disciplines of research on Quantum Materials including material synthesis (Colloidal and thin-film), microstructure analysis (TEM), charge dynamics and interface simulation, energy conversion and storage (quantum dot solar cells, supercapacitors and lithium batteries), optoelectronics applications (LED, Photodetector and Image sensor). My research group has a strong collaboration with several leading UK and international institutions including, in particular, the University of Cambridge, the University of Oxford, the University of Bristol, Queen Mary University of London, Imperial College London, Swansea University, Emory University, Sungkyunkwan University, Dongguk University, Donghua University, Zhejiang University, Peking University, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Henan university of technology, Beijing Institute of Technology, Lanzhou University, Soochow University and Henan University. The work of my research group has been published in leading international journals such as ACS Nano, Advanced Materials, ACS Energy Letters, Angewandte Chemie International Edition, Advanced Energy Materials, Advanced Functional Materials, Nano Letters and Nano Energy.

For the full publication list, please refer to My personal website.

Current Research Grants
  • Strategic International Partnership Collaborative Seed Fund - Cardiff and Wyoming: Direct Imaging Ion Transport in QD Thin Films for Neuromorphic Computing Using Cross-Sectional Scanning Tunneling Microscopy, 2025-2026
  • EPSRC-CSA Catapult RIR 12221019-1 Solution-ProcEssed Compound semiconducToRs for high power capAcitors (SPECTRA), 2023-2026
  • Leverhulme Trust: "Two-dimensional expressive quantum light languages for robotic communication", 2023-2025
  • Welsh Government: "Compound Semiconductors for Hydrogen Generation and Integration’ (CS4Hydrogen) facility - a cutting-edge ceramic deposition, characterisation and hydrogen/methane generation systems", 2022-2023
  • BBSRC BB/X004449/1: "Development of a nanoscale, near-infrared spectroscopy imaging tool for in situ, rapid and label-free analysis of single extracellular vesicles", 2022-2024
  • Royal Society RGS\R1\221009: "Laser ablation synthesis colloidal quaternary metal oxide compound semiconductor nanocrystals for inkjet-printed neuromorphic computing", 2022-2023
  • Royal Society IEC\NSFC\211201:"New Material Platforms for Selective Adsorption and Enrichment of Heavy Metal Ions in Semiconductor Wastewater", 2022-2025
  • EPSRC New Investigator Award EP/V039717/1: "Soft colloidal quantum Wells IMage Sensing (SWIMS)", 2022-2025
  • EPSRC EP/V05399X/1: "Photo induced Force Microscopy (PiFM): Nanoscale Topography and Vibrational Spectroscopy", 2022-2024
  • Royal Society of Chemistry E21-9668828170: "CsSnGeI3 Perovskite Quantum Dot for Carbon Dioxide Photoreduction", 2021-2022
  • Cardiff University start grant 2020-2023

Teaching

  • Year 1 tutor (2020-present)
  • Module Organiser PX2150/PX2133 intermediate practice physics​ (2023-present)
  • 3rd-year project supervision (2020-present)
  • 4th-year project supervision (MPhys, 2020-present)
  • MSc project supervision (2020-present)
  • CDT Lead Mentor (2020-present)
  • Module Organiser PX3243 "Laser Physics and Non-linear Optics" (2020-2024)

Biography

Bo Hou received his PhD degree from the University of Bristol (2010–2014) and worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Oxford (2014–2018, Wolfson College) and a Senior Research Associate in the Department of Engineering at the University of Cambridge (2018-2020, St Edmund's College).

Honours and awards

IOP Semiconductor Physics Group SIOE Merit awards for oral presentations (2021)

"2020 Emerging Investigators", Royal Society of Chemistry (2020)

‘Built-in Quantum Dot Infrared Wireless Charging’, Second Prize, THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY CSSAUK HIGH-LEVEL ENTREPRENEURSHIP CHALLENGE, London (2018)

‘Understanding charge transport dynamics in solution-processed quantum dot solar cells’,15th International Symposium on Novel and Nano Materials, First Prize, Portugal. (2018)

Outstanding contribution award in reviewing for Journal of Alloys and Compounds, Elsevier (2018)

Outstanding contribution award in reviewing for Applied Surface Science, Elsevier (2018)

EPSRC "SuperGen" fully funded doctoral studentship (2010)

Professional memberships

2018-Present, Fellow of the Royal Microscopical Society (FRMS)

2020-Present, Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)

2011-Present, Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)

2021-Present, Member of the Institute of Physics (IOP)

2017-Present, Member of the American Chemical Society (ACS)

2023-Present, Member of EPSRC Peer Review College

2019-2020, Member of Downing College, University of Cambridge

2019-2020, Member of St Edmund's College, the University of Cambridge

2015-2018, Member of Wolfson College, University of Oxford

Academic positions

08.2024  –  now: Reader, School of Physics and Astronomy, Cardiff University

08. 2022 – 08.2024: Senior Lecturer, School of Physics and Astronomy, Cardiff University

02. 2020 – 08. 2022: Lecturer, School of Physics and Astronomy, Cardiff University

09. 2018 – 01.2020: Senior Research Associate, Department of Engineering, St Edmund's College, University of Cambridge

09. 2016 – 09.2018: Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Engineering Science, Wolfson College, University of Oxford

09. 2014 – 09.2016: Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Engineering Science, Wolfson College, University of Oxford

Committees and reviewing

2024-Present, Advisory Board Member, InfoScience (Wiley)

2024-Present, Editorial Board Member, Surface Review and Letters (World Scientific)

2024-Present, Editorial Board Member, Discover Catalysis (Springer Nature)

2023-Present, Editorial Board Member, Nanotechnology (IOP)

2023-Present, Associate Editor, Frontiers in Energy Research

2022-Present, Editorial Board Member, Scientific Reports (Springer Nature)

2021-Present, Editorial Board Member, Catalysis (MDPI)

2021-Present, Associate Editor, Frontiers in Photonics

2021-Present, Expert Review Member for Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellowships

2021-Present, Expert Review Member for Belgium Government Agency (Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship)

2023-Present, Expert Review Member for Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF)

2024-Present, Expert Review Member for French National Research Agency(Agence nationale de la recherche)

2023-2025, Advisory Board Member, InfoMat (Wiley)

2023-2024, Guest Editor, IOP Special Focus (Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter; Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics; Nanotechnology; Materials Research Express; Nano Express)

"Focus on Quantum Dots: A Nobel Feat"

2021-2022, Guest Editor, Nanotechnology (IOP)

"Machine Learning and Deep Learning Assisted Nanoscience and Engineering"

2020-2021, Guest Editor, Catalysis (MDPI)

"Emerging Nanocatalysts for Efficient Oxygen Reduction, Oxygen Evolution and Hydrogen Evolution"

2018-2019, Guest Editor, Israel Journal of Chemistry (Wiley)

"Quantum Dots Photochemistry and Photoelectronics"

2023-Present, Reviewer of Joule (Cell Press) 

2020-Present, Reviewer of Nature Electronics, Nature Communications (Springer Nature)

2014-Present, Reviewer of The Journal of the American Chemical Society, Nano Letters, The Journal of Physical Chemistry C, The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters, ACS Omega, ACS Applied Energy Materials, ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces (ACS);

2014-Present, Reviewer of Nanoscale, Journal of Materials Chemistry C, Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, New Journal of Chemistry, CrystEngComm (RSC);

2014-Present, Reviewer of Angewandte Chemie, Advanced Functional Materials, Advanced Energy Materials and Small (Wiley);

2014-Present, Reviewer of Nano Energy, Carbon, Materials Today Energy, Materials Today Electronics, Journal of Alloys and Compounds, Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, Applied Surface Science, Ceramics International, Thin Solid Films, Journal of Energy Storage, Journal of Electroanalytical Chemistry (Elsevier);

2014-Present, Reviewer of Nano (World Scientific);

2014-Present, Reviewer of Nanomaterials, Catalysis, Molecules, International Journal of Molecular Sciences (MDPI);

Supervisions

I am interested in supervising PhD students in the area of:

  • Quantum material growth (Colloidal and thin-film)
  • Microstructure analysis (TEM, SEM, STEM, FIB)
  • Charge dynamics and interface simulation (DFT and MD)
  • Energy conversion and storage (quantum dot solar cells, supercapacitors, lithium batteries and photoelectrochemistry)
  • Optoelectronics applications (LED, Photodetector, Image sensor, Semiconductor Laser and Optical Communication)

If you are interested in joining my research group as a postdoctoral researcher, postgraduate student or undergraduate intern, please contact me directly at Houb6@cardiff.ac.uk.  My group also supports funding applications for outstanding PhD or postdoctoral candidates. Please also contact me for further details about these opportunities or visit my Group Website.

Current PhD Funding opportunities:

Current postdoctoral funding opportunities:

Current supervision

Past projects

Dr Diyar Mousa Othman 2020-2024, "Integrated Colloidal Quantum Dot Smart Optoelectronic Devices for Internet of Things"

Contact Details

Email HouB6@cardiff.ac.uk
Telephone +44 29225 12035
Campuses Translational Research Hub, Room Room 105, Maindy Road, Cathays, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ
Queen's Buildings - West Building, Room WX1.10, 5 The Parade, Newport Road, Cardiff, CF24 3AA

Specialisms

  • Quantum technologies
  • Light Emitting Diodes (LED)
  • Solar cells
  • Photonic and electro-optical devices, sensors and systems
  • battery