Research groups

Dr. Sandra Eibenberger-Arias
The research is targeted at spectroscopy and control of cold, gas-phase molecules. We have a specific interest in the spectroscopic investigation and manipulation of chiral molecules. Therefore, we developed a new experimental setup and, since very recently, we have obtained first experimental results. more

Prof. Hans-Joachim Freund, FHI-Director Emeritus
The research centers around creating and studying model systems for heterogeneous catalysts and understanding its geometric and electronic structure, as well as its chemical reactivity at the atomic scale. Starting from single crystal metal surfaces, oxide supports are modelled by creating well-ordered thin oxide films of a large variety of materials on such metal single crystals, thus creating model supports for metal nanoparticles and its interaction with gases and liquids to understand the chemistry of the systems. Through such an approach we increase, in a controlled way, the complexity of the systems, trying to approach a situation, where aspects of real heterogeneous catalysts are being captured and may be analyzed. Parallel to the development of those materials model systems, novel techniques and instruments have been developed to investigate the structural properties of the systems, and recently also its structural dynamics. more

Dr. Jesús Pérez Ríos
In our group, we are interested on the fundamentals of the interaction that holds the atoms within the molecules. In particular, we study theoretical cold and ultracold chemistry, physics beyond the standard model through deviations in the spectra of atoms and molecules and how machine learning techniques can help in complex chemical phenomena. more

Prof. Dr. Matthias Scheffler, FHI-Director emeritus
The NOMAD lab works in the areas of condensed matter theory, materials science, and artificial intelligence. The focus is on density functional theory and many-electron quantum mechanics, as well as the development of multiscale approaches in the context of the "Get Real!" understanding that incorporates environmental factors into ab initio calculations. A major goal is that materials science data must become "Findable and Artificial Intelligence Ready". more

Dr. Bernd Winter
Research in the Winter group focuses on the electronic structure interactions in liquid water and aqueous solutions of common electrolytes, many organic and inorganic solute molecules, including amino acids, DNA, and from (transition) metal nanoparticles dispersed in water. Experimentally, we apply soft X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy from liquid microjets. more

Dr. Sid Wright
We use molecular beams and electric, magnetic and electromagnetic fields to cool a gas of molecules to the quantum regime. This allows us to obtain full control over their internal and external degrees of freedom. At very low temperatures (~ 1 µK) the molecules reveal their quantum nature, start to behave cooperatively and form ordered structures through long-range dipole-dipole interactions. more