Departments of the Institute of Ion Beam Physics and Materials Research

The department „Ion Beam Center“ focuses on the modification and analysis of solid surfaces by the use of ion beams in a wide energy range from few eV to 60 MeV. Besides broad beam irradiation, local modification of surfaces are also studied by focus and highly charged ions. For a comprehensive characterization of materials, electron microscopy (TEM, SEM, cross-beam system) and X-ray-based analysis techniques are used for structural analysis in addition to ion beam analysis.
The Ion Beam Cen­ter (IBC) is furthermore a user facility for ion beam techniques providing ion beams for research and development to national and international partners. Ion beam services to industry are provided in close collaboration with the HZDR Innovation GmbH.

The department focuses on the creation, characterization and modeling of nanostructures and nanostructured matter. Electron lithographic top-down methodes, ion-beam-assisted processes, and nanometrology techniques are applied and developed. Modeling by multi-scale methods from density-functional theory up to continuum-mechanics approaches gives insight in the interactions on the nanoscale.

The department Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) and Isotope Research conducts interdisciplinary research in a broad application spectrum ranging from nuclear astrophysics to environment and biomedical applications utilizing natural and anthropogenic fingerprints of rare isotropes and trace elements. In addition, the technological advancement of AMS to new isotopes is pursued.

The Spectroscopy Department deals with the optical investigation of novel materials in the visible, infrared and terahertz range for the investigation of charge carrier dynamics on a femtosecond or picosecond timescale. Specifically, the materials studied are low-dimensional semiconductor structures: quantum wells, heterostructures, superlattices, quantum dots and wires, graphene and other two-dimensional semiconductors (transition metal dichalcogenide monolayers), and topological insulators.

The department of magnetism concentrates on research in nanomagnetism and magnonics, spin(orbi)tronics, interface magnetism, intelligent materials and magnetic functional materials. In the mentioned areas basic as well as application oriented research is targeted.

This department focuses on the synthesis and modification of semiconductor materials using ion implantation, flash lamp annealing and pulsed laser melting for microelectronics, optoelectronics and quantum ­techno­logies.