At a glance

The Institute of Physics is devoted to achieving a deeper understanding of the structure and dynamics of condensed matter.

We are focusing on phenomena such as superconductivity, magnetism, unconventional charge transport/order, and various metal-insulator transitions in systems with strongly correlated electrons – or more generally, strong coupling between the electronic, lattice and spin degrees of freedom. The different groups work together and span the full range of capabilities, starting from the synthesis of novel materials, via a range of experimental methods, through to the realisation of prototype devices with novel behaviour.

These phenomena emerge in systems of different size (from nanoscale to macroscopic) and shape (granular structure, thin films or bulk single crystals), and are studied with regard to their electronic and magnetic properties by a variety of methods: transport, thermodynamics, magnetisation, and spectroscopy (across a wide part of the electromagnetic spectrum and down to nanometer and femtosecond resolution); all at temperatures down to the (sub-) kelvin range.

In order to access the extreme conditions required to observe certain phenomena (e.g. quantum-critical phase transitions, ultrafast non-equilibrium processes), we can employ high electric and magnetic fields (or intense, ultra-short optical pulses) and high pressures, and/or confine the fields in nano-scale devices. Two groups are particularly focused on the terahertz spectral range, which represents the current frontier in high-speed electronics and an emerging spectral window for spectroscopy and sensing.

The Institute of Physics comprises six working groups dealing with current questions of condensed matter physics as in particular:

• Crystal and Materials Laboratory
• Molecular Metals and Magnetic Nanostructures
• Strongly Correlated Electrons and Spins
• Terahertz Photonics
• Thin Films and Nanostructures
• Ultrafast Spectroscopy and Terahertz-Physics

Research Groups

Professors at the Institute of Physics

 Photo (from left to right): V. Krozer, H. Roskos, M. Huth, J. Müller, C. Krellner, M. Lang

The institute comprises the following six working groups, each focusing on particular aspects in solid-state research:

Collaborations

Collaborative Research Centre Transregio 288 (SFB TR 288)

CRC TRR288 Elastic Tuning and Response of Electronic Quantum Phases of Matter

The ELASTO-Q-MAT initiative, embodied by this CRC/TRR 288, has the goal to understand, advance, and exploit new physical phenomena emerging from a particularly strong coupling between a material's elasticity and its electronic quantum phases. To this end, we will study the effects of elastic tuning and elastic response of various types of electronic order in representative classes of quantum materials that share a high sensitivity to intrinsic strain or externally applied stress fields. Read more ...

Collaborative Research Centre Transregio 49 (SFB TR 49)

Condensed Matter Systems with Variable Many-Body Interactions

The SFB/TRR49 studies the collective behaviour of interacting many-body systems on a broad phenomenological context. The topics to work on embrace cooperative phenomena such as the Mott metal-insulator transition, superconducting/superfluid phases with strong interactions or Bose-Einstein condensation under various and sometimes extreme conditions. Our approach is characterized by focussing on the phenomenon: the combination of a wide variety of selected materials – from simple model systems like ultra-cold quantum gases or magnon systems to complex quantum magnets or metal-organic solids – makes it possible to separate generic properties from material-specific phenomena. Common to all systems is a high degree of variability giving rise to a purposeful material design by varying the chemical or physical parameters of the system.

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LOEWE

Sensors towards Terahertz

Sensors are an indispensable part of everyday’s life : In every small technical device many sensors are installed such as location and touch sensors in mobile phones, gas sensors in automobiles and incinerators that detect pollutants or step and pulse sensors in watches.

However, many applications, especially in the fields of environmental sensors and bioanalytics, as well as in Real time Monitoring, require innovative Sensor concepts. The primary objective of the project is therefore to establish an interdisciplinary research focus for new sensor technologies in the terahertz frequency range between 0.1 THz and several 10 THz, based on the interaction of the electromagnetic fields of sensor structures with the investigated materials / substances or biological tissue.

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