AFM-picture of a highly-oriented diamond film surface

The surface of a body represents its interface with the environment. Any reaction/interaction with the environment will, at first, take place here. For this reason, many modifications and functionalizations target the surface of a body. Therefore, the analytical characterization of the surface or an interface between two phases in general (film/substrate, phases in a composite, etc.) is of the uttermost importance.
The questions investigated by the Chair of Surface and Materials Technology span a broad spectra, stretching from a purely topographical surface characterization to a mapping of its elemental composition. Key areas of research are the investigation of nucleation, growth kinetics, the detailed analysis of the interface structure between film and substrate, the internal structure of composites, and failure analysis.

Contact: Thorsten Staedler