Photonic integrated circuits (PICs) offer major advantages in speed, bandwidth, and energy efficiency for optical communication. A key challenge remains the integration of efficient photodetectors operating near 1550 nm—within the telecom C band—due to silicon’s low absorption in this wavelength range. Conventional approaches rely on materials like germanium, which complicate fabrication and...
Multiferroic heterostructures offer unique opportunities for room-temperature multifunctional devices by combining ferroelectric and magnetic films through interfaces. In this work, we investigated the growth and structural optimization of such heterostructures using pulsed laser deposition (PLD), focusing on the dependence between deposition conditions, crystallinity, and functional...
Due to its potentially spin-triplet-superconducting ground state, UTe$_2$ has triggered a wave of enthusiasm among condensed-matter researchers since the discovery of superconductivity below $1.6\,$K in this anisotropic heavy-fermion paramagnet. As the quality of single crystals improved, e.g., $T_c$ was pushed to $2.1\,$K, some of the fog about UTe$_2$’s mysterious properties has cleared....
Iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) are extensively used in many different fields ranging from heterogeneous catalysis to biochemistry. Optimizing their performance especially under humid conditions where water interactions significantly influence the functional behavior depends on an understanding of the atomic‐scale dynamics of surface‐bound species. The interface dynamics can be probed by QENS...
Understanding how nanomaterials respond to radiation is essential for their reliable use in high-dose environments. At the nanoscale, size effects play a critical role, fundamentally altering energy dissipation mechanisms and influencing both intrinsic material properties and device performance. To deepen our understanding of ion–matter interactions in confined geometries, systematic studies...
Tuning the electronic properties of materials is typically achieved by altering chemical composition or thermodynamic parameters. An alternative route relies on ultrafast light excitation, which can create transient phases inaccessible with conventional parameters, such as light-induced superconductivity and hidden insulator-to-metal transitions. In this talk, I will show how light-driven...
Nature excellently designs highly efficient, multi-functional (hybride-)materials such as hierarchically capillary systems in respiratory systems or plants. These systems are characterized by large internal surfaces, good mechanical stability and an optimized mass transport. Inspired by natural materials we are aiming to mimic such systems with artificially produced hierarchically porous...
