Multifunctional Ferroic Materials

Research Profile

In our group we investigate materials where strong coupling between electrons leads to novel types of ordering of its spins and charges. Our scope is to study the fundamental physics of these materials with an interest in basic research as a founda-tion for promoting their technological relevance. Our experimen-tal core technology is nonlinear optical spectroscopy. In addition, we apply scanning probe microscopy, standard magnetic and dielectric characterization methods. Monte-Carlo simulations help us to understand the physics behind the various ordering processes. Furthermore, we use pulse-laser deposition (PLD) for growing functional multilayer structures with atomic pre-cision. In a recent ERC project the PLD growth and nonlinear optics are merged to in situ probe the emerging ordering of the multilayers during the growth process. Specific material classes of interest are:

• Multiferroics with a coexistence of magnetic and electric order
• Transition-metal-oxides with interface states different from the bulk
• Materials with phase transitions determined by the competition of spins, charges, lattice, and strain
• Metamaterials as artificial two-dimensional crystals with exotic properties