Institut für Materialphysik

Complex Thin Film Systems / Advanced Epitaxy

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The main goal of our group is to fabricate thin films of Magnetic, Optoelectronic, and Catalyst materials using methods like hybrid molecular beam epitaxy-pulsed laser deposition (MBE-PLD) and metal-organic aerosol deposition. We are interested in the synthesis of any functional materials and their basic materials science. Regarding the application, currently, we are involved in magnetism, optoelectronics, and catalysis.

We will update many more stories of our research activity here AdvancedEpitaxy in the future.

We are preparing materials aiming at functional properties and correlating their structure to the functionalities.

The main technique that we use to produce thin films is a hybrid pulsed laser deposition (PLD). A radio frequency (RF) microplasma source (for gases like N2) and molecular beam sources (presently for chalcogens) attached to the PLD make it a hybrid MBE-PLD setup. An in-situ ellipsometer makes the monitoring of thin film growth possible. This hybrid PLD will let us grow any materials that are feasible by PLD and MBE. Three dedicated UHV chambers in our lab avoid the deposition of various types of materials without causing cross-contamination.

We make detailed structural characterization of the thin film surface, interface and bulk by using various techniques like x-ray diffraction (XRD), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), etc.

We perform spectroscopic ellipsometry, electrocatalytic measurements, magnetic characterization, and magnetotransport measurements on thin films to investigate their optoelectronic, magnetic, and energy conversion functionalities.

Possible Materials Systems That We Can Grow In Our Thin Film Lab:

  • Metals and intermetallics
  • Oxides
  • Nitrides
  • Oxynitrides
  • Chalcogenides (At the moment only Tellurides)
  • Layer-by-layer growth of any of these materials and their interfacing
  • Free-standing thin films by using a sacrificial layer

If you are interested in collaboration or wish to know more, please get in contact with Jasna directly.

RESEARCH TOPICS
Magnetism

  • Perovskite oxides with modified B-site for ferromagnetism and A-site for ferroelectricity
  • Metal/metal oxide interface study (e.g.: Co/Co-oxide) for exchange bias systems
  • Epitaxial relationship of chalcogenides (2D materials) on their magnetism and perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (e.g.: CrTe2)

Correlated Optic/Photonic Materials

  • Defect and stoichiometry engineering to obtain conducting, visible light transparent oxides and plasmonic crystals
  • Modifying transparent conductors into multiferroics by anion substitution
  • Band gap engineering in transparent conductors for using in solar cells

Superconductivity

  • Nb-based superconducting materials
  • Influence of interfacing superconducting Nb with plasmonic SrNbO3

Photo/electrochemical activities

  • Perovskite oxides and oxynitrides for oxygen evolution and reduction reactions
  • Relationship between magnetic phases and the electrochemical activities
  • Photocatalytic and plasmonic materials


OPEN POSITIONS

Prospective Ph.D. and postdoc candidates:

  • Please read How to become a Ph.D. student?
  • We subsequently advertise open positions for Ph.D. and postdoc at University and various common job portals. Stay tuned.
  • If you are interested in applying for a specific fellowship/funding program, please write to us directly with a brief note on ‘Why do you like to join us?’. We are happy to host excellent candidates. Please attach your short CV with a list of international publications.
  • Various funding options are listed here LINK
  • Various research options in Germany can be found here LINK
  • If you like short-term research stay to get international exposure using programs like DAAD, please let us know.

Master and Bachelor students:
We are using state-of-the-art advanced thin film technology devices that are also being used in many semiconductor industries. If you like to gain hands-on experience in such techniques, please read the following.

  • Many projects are available for Bachelor’s and Master’s thesis.
  • After completing your thesis, you can continue with us for Internships.
  • Student Assistant: We require student assistants (HiWi) every month on various short research/non-research assignments.

      • An example can be found in here LINK. There is no deadline. Please write any time for HiWi jobs and we can make arrangements.

      COURSES

      • We are offering a new course, ‘Thin Films - Science and Industrial Demand’ every winter semester.
        Modul B.Phy.5702: Dünne Schichten (English: Thin layers), 3 C, 2 SWS
        Recommended semester: Bachelor: 6 and Master: 1 - 4.
        Language of the course: English
      • We offer Advanced Lab Course ("Master-Forschungspraktikum") on thin film fabrication and characterization here LINK



      Contact: Jun. Prof. Dr. Jasnamol Palakkal

      Jun. Prof. Dr. Jasnamol P. Palakkal
      Complex Thin Film Systems / Advanced Epitaxy
      Institute of Materials Physics
      Georg-August-University of Göttingen
      Friedrich-Hund-Platz 1
      37077 Göttingen
      Germany
      Office: D.02.120
      Tel.: +49 551 39-29642