Ultrafast dynamics of elementary processes in solids and at interfaces with specific focus on the interactions between electrons, phonons and spins: This line of research addresses the dynamics of elementary processes on their relevant time scales, employing ultrafast laser spectroscopy (with, typically, femtosecond time resolution). Both existing and newly developed spectroscopic techniques are used to study the electronic structure, excited state dynamics, optically induced phase transitions and low-energy excitations including lattice dynamics and spin dynamics in solids and at interfaces.
Molecular processes at interfaces and in condensed phase systems including gas-solid, liquid-solid as well as electrochemical interfaces and liquids: Here scanning probe micro- scopy – in part combined with optical excitation or light scattering – is used for imaging, manipulation and spectroscopy as well as inducing and probing chemical processes of indivi- dual molecules. Furthermore, nonlinear optical sum-frequency and high field THz spectro- scopy provides insights into the molecular structure at interfaces and into the dynamics of liquids. In particular, with these activities we implement the new direction of the FHI for the evolution of the institute into the next decade towards atomistic studies of processes at complex interfaces (i.e. beyond gas-solid in UHV) including liquid-solid, liquid-gas and electrochemical interfaces.
