The Aßmann group develops cross-scale spectroscopy methods for the investigation of material dynamics - from picoseconds to long-term, from atomic to micrometric. Customized ultrafast and nonlinear laser spectroscopy is used to investigate quantum optical issues in semiconductors and tribological surfaces in situ and operando.
Key technologies
Streak camera spectroscopy and femtosecond laser systems, homodyne detection with real-time phase space measurement, Raman imaging, Brillouin interferometry, as well as tip-enhanced emission and spatial beam shaping are used.
Applications
The research enables analysis and optimization of semiconductor lasers and photonic components, wear prevention and lubricant analysis, material diagnostics for tribological components, coatings and biomedical implants as well as real-time monitoring of physical-chemical material properties.
Access the website via the following link: AG Aßmann
The research group "Biophysical Chemistry" of Thorben Cordes specializes in the development and application of novel optical spectroscopy and imaging techniques that enable the spatial and temporal characterization of biomolecule structure and function, as well as biochemical processes. To achieve this, the group combines optical methods with fluorescent probes and biosensors. Current projects focus on understanding the molecular mechanisms of membrane transport and the development of fluorescent probes, novel biophysical assays, and instrumentation.
Key technologies:
- (Time-resolved) optical spectroscopy and microscopy
- Single-molecule detection
- Fluorescence spectroscopy
- Super-resolution microscopy
Access the website via the following link: Biophysical Chemistry
Memberships at DAEDALUS:
The Chair of Materials Test Engineering (WPT) forms the foundation for the development, design, and manufacture of reliable high-performance products across all research and industrial sectors. Successful material selection, quality control, component monitoring, and failure analysis rely on precise determination of chemical composition, microstructure and defect structures, as well as material properties and damage evolution, complemented by powerful modeling and simulation methods. In addition to material qualification and manufacturing optimization, the identification and separation of deformation and damage mechanisms play a central role, as does the assessment of structural integrity and lifetime prediction.
Spectroscopy plays a central role in materials testing and analysis. It offers a powerful means of determining chemical composition, identifying defects, monitoring material changes, and characterizing the structure of materials. The versatility and precision of spectroscopic techniques make them an indispensable tool in materials science, quality assurance, and research - particularly in the development of new materials and in ensuring their performance under real-world operating conditions.
Key technologies:
- Optical Emission Spectroscopy (OES)
- Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX)
- X-ray Diffraction (XRD)
- Infrared Spectroscopy (IR)
- Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy (KPFM)
Access the website via the following link: WPT
The aim of the research activities at the Chair of Plastics Technology (LKT) is the development of improved plastics and innovative processing methods. The Chair of Plastics Technology is equipped with a broad range of facilities for processing and characterizing plastics. The temperature dependence of mechanical and rheological material parameters, highly relevant to plastics processing, forms a central focus of this research. Alongside experimental investigations (including mechanical testing, rotational and capillary rheometry, and a tribological test rig) and the application of plastics processing methods (including extrusion, injection molding, and additive manufacturing), modeling and simulation represent further aspects of the research activities at the LKT.
In polymer analysis and plastics testing, spectroscopic methods are used extensively to analyze material behavior. FTIR spectroscopy is employed to investigate the chemical structure of polymers. Dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA), also known as mechanical spectroscopy, provides insight into the frequency- and temperature-dependent behavior of plastics. In particular, DMTA data can yield information about relaxation processes in polymer materials.
Key technologies:
Mechanical spectroscopy (dynamic mechanical thermal analysis, DMTA)
Calculation of relaxation time spectra based on DMTA data
Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR spectroscopy)
Access the website via the following link: LKT
Memberships at DAEDALUS:
The Clever Lab uses computational methods, synthetic chemistry and a variety of analytical methods to design, prepare and examine bioinspired supramolecular assemblies by stepwise increasing their structural and functional complexity. Natural low-symmetry nano-confinements (as found in enzyme pockets) and multi-chromophore arrangements (as in photosynthetic organisms) are mimicked by metal-mediated multicomponent – yet non-statistical – self-assembly strategies. By combining different chemical functionalities, modular libraries of nanostructures with emergent properties such as multitopic guest binding, circular polarized luminescence and intra-assembly vectorial exciton or charge transfer are accessed. Unraveling fundamental molecular dynamics and light-triggered processes relies heavily on a variety of optical spectroscopy methods at different time scales. Learned principles generate application potential for sustainable catalytic transformations, light-harvesting materials, medical diagnostics and the chemical augmentation of biological systems.
Key technologies:
- Circularly Polarized Luminescence (JSCO CPL-300, www.jascoeurope.com/cpl-300-model/)
- Circular Dichroism Spectroscopy (with temperature controlled cuvette holder)
- UV-Vis Absorption Spectroscopy (with temperature controlled cuvette holder)
- Fluorescence Spectroscopy (with integrating sphere)
- Spectro-Electrochemistry (different cell and electrode types)
- Irradiation Equipment for Photochemistry (Hg, Xe and LED light sources)
Access the website via the following link: CleverLab
Coherent non-linear optical spectroscopy enables the study of the coherent properties of charge carrier and spin states in solids on very short femtosecond time scales. This includes, for example, the quantum mechanical evolution of optically excited electron states, as well as their decoherence and relaxation processes. A central focus is the interaction between fundamental quasiparticles such as excitons, phonons, magnons, and plasmons, which govern many optical and electronic properties of solid-state systems.
One major advantage of non-linear coherent spectroscopy is its ability to overcome inhomogeneous broadening of optical transitions caused by disorder in solids. Techniques such as transient four-wave mixing, particularly in the form of photon echoes, enable the resolution of energy structures down to the level of individual optical excitations.
Key technologies
- Two- and three-pulse transient four-wave mixing with heterodyne detection: High-sensitivity technique (down to a few photons per pulse) enabling phase-resolved measurements and true temporal resolution of the signal.
- Ultrafast time resolution and high magnetic fields: Temporal resolution down to ~100 fs combined with magnetic fields up to 10 T.
- Polarization-resolved excitation and detection: Enables selective addressing of quantum states and detailed analysis of symmetry properties.
- Time-resolved photoluminescence using a streak camera: Direct measurement of carrier dynamics and recombination processes with high temporal resolution.
Key applications
This research provides a foundation for the development of novel materials and the exploration of emerging physical phenomena relevant to spintronics and quantum information technologies. In particular, it enables advances in photon-echo-based quantum memories and other coherent light–matter interface concepts.
Access the website via the following link: Coherent Non-Linear Optical Spectroscopy
Memberships at DAEDALUS:
The Henke Group develops and investigates functional metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and related inorganic-organic hybrid materials. The group focuses on responsive and flexible MOFs, porous liquids, MOF glasses, and new amorphous and crystalline framework materials. Its aim is to understand the structure, dynamics, and function of these materials across multiple length scales, and to control them through chemical composition, network architecture, guest molecules, temperature, pressure, and mechanical stress.
A key focus is on structure-property relationships in dynamic, disordered, and switchable framework materials. To this end, the Henke Group combines materials-chemical synthesis with diffraction, scattering, spectroscopic, and sorption methods. Of particular interest are phase transitions, breathing processes, glass formation, local coordination environments, structural dynamics, and transport-relevant porosity.
Key technologies
- Powder and single-crystal X-ray diffraction, including in situ and operando PXRD
- Synchrotron-based diffraction and scattering methods, in particular high-pressure, temperature-dependent, and gas-dosing experiments
- X-ray total scattering and pair distribution function analysis to investigate local order in disordered framework materials and glasses
- MIR, FIR, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy to analyse local coordination, ligand exchange, network modification, and host-guest interactions
- Gas and vapour sorption, dynamic sorption, and temperature- and pressure-dependent adsorption measurements
- Thermal analysis and calorimetry to investigate phase transitions, guest binding, and glass formation
Access the website via the following link: Henke Group
Memberships at DAEDALUS:
The Institute of Machining Technology (ISF), headed by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Prof. h.c. Dirk Biermann, has been engaged for more than 50 years in both research and teaching on all relevant machining processes as well as on the information-technology environment of machining. Since 2023, the institute’s leadership has been further strengthened by an additional professorship held by apl. Prof. PD Dr.-Ing. Dipl.-Inform. Andreas Zabel.
Within the field of machining, the processes of turning, drilling, deep-hole drilling, milling, grinding, honing, and blasting are investigated scientifically at ISF and are carried out in the high-speed cutting (HSC) and high-performance cutting (HPC) ranges, while being continuously further developed and refined within current research projects. In addition, micromachining (in drilling, deep-hole drilling, and milling) as well as dry machining and minimum quantity lubrication are key areas of work at ISF. The implementation of virtual machining processes based on various modeling concepts, including the use of AI methods, is also a focus of the institute’s research activities and is represented in particular by Prof. Zabel.
Access the website via the following link: ISF
Memberships at DAEDALUS:
The Institute of Materials Engineering (LWT) is dedicated to the development and investigation of innovative materials concepts for production engineering. The aim of its research activities is to specifically enhance the performance, reliability and service life of highly stressed components, as well as to sustainably improve the cost-effectiveness of industrial manufacturing processes.
The research focuses on PVD thin-film technology and thermal spraying processes for the functionalization of technical surfaces, as well as on joining and powder-metallurgical manufacturing processes for producing high-performance materials systems and components. These competencies are complemented by comprehensive non-destructive and destructive materials testing methods, which enable a systematic analysis of process–structure–property relationships. The insights obtained serve the targeted optimization of materials, coatings and manufacturing processes.
The Institute of Materials Engineering carries out both fundamental and application-oriented research projects in close collaboration with industrial partners. The central focus lies on transferring scientific findings into industrial applications, in order to provide innovative materials solutions for current and future challenges in production engineering.
Modern spectroscopic analysis methods play a central role in materials characterization. They enable a detailed investigation of the chemical and structural properties of materials and provide essential information for understanding structure–property relationships. The resulting insights form the basis for the knowledge-based development of tailored materials systems and the targeted optimization of manufacturing and coating processes for demanding technical applications.
Spectroscopic analysis methods available at the LWT:
- Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX)
- Wavelength Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (WDX)
- Soft X-ray Emission Spectroscopy (SXES)
- Glow Discharge Optical Emission Spectroscopy (GDOES)
- X-ray Diffraction (XRD)
The website can be reached via the following link: LWT
Memberships at DAEDALUS:
In the Kreidt Lab, we synthesize materials and molecules that harness the unique properties of lanthanoid ions for improved or novel applications, particularly in the biomedical context. We are especially interested in their photophysical properties and in how these can be optimized and dynamically controlled, for example by using photoswitches. Beyond their highly characteristic emission spectra with narrow bands and long luminescence lifetimes (reaching into the millisecond range), lanthanoid ions are also distinguished by their particular suitability for circularly polarized luminescence (CPL).
Key technologies:
- Photoluminescence spectroscopy, visible range up to about 850 nm, at 0 °C to 80 °C and at 77 K, with an integrated module for absorption spectroscopy
- Luminescence lifetime determination
- Time-resolved UV/Vis absorption spectroscopy
- CPL spectroscopy, visible and NIR range, at 0 °C to 80 °C and at 77 K
- CD spectroscopy, visible and NIR range, at 0 °C to 80 °C; at room temperature also as mCD with a static field (1.5 T)
- LED light sources
Access the website via the following link: Kreidt Lab
Memberships at DAEDALUS:
AG Yakovlev focuses on the experimental investigation of spin-dependent phenomena and exciton physics in solids, in particular in semiconductors and semiconductor nanostructures based on common III-V and II-VI materials. Current research focuses on lead halide perovskite semiconductors, which are promising for applications in photovoltaics and optoelectronics.
Key technologies
Optical and magneto-optical techniques employing cryogenic temperatures (1.6–300 K), strong magnetic fields of up to 17 Tesla, and polarized light in the spectral range from 350 to 1100 nm. These techniques enable both continuous-wave excitation and time-resolved experiments with temporal resolutions ranging from 1 ps to several seconds. Nonlinear multiphoton spectroscopy (generation of optical harmonics) is also available in the spectral range from 0.3 to 2.5 µm.
Applications
This research forms the basis for the development of new materials and the discovery of new phenomena for spintronics and quantum information technology.
Access the website via the following link: AG Yakovlev
Memberships at DAEDALUS:
The THz Spectroscopy Group investigates the dynamics of elementary and hybridized excitations in solids across many scales of spectroscopy — from frequencies of 100 GHz up to the PHz range, from amplitudes corresponding to vacuum fluctuations to atomic-scale fields on the order of V/Å, and from sub-diffraction spatial resolution to the far field. To this end, modern methods of nonlinear optics are employed to tailor ultrashort waveforms, down to the single-cycle limit, in phase and amplitude for the intended application.
Key technologies
The group uses high-power femtosecond lasers, nonlinear parametric optical amplification, nonlinear frequency conversion for the generation of phase-locked waveforms in the THz and mid-infrared range, 2D THz spectroscopy, light-wave acceleration, near-field design using microresonators, ultrastrong light–matter coupling, and supercontinuum white-light spectroscopy.
Applications
The group’s projects yield insights that can be used to develop novel quantum materials relevant for optical and electronic applications. Recent advances include ballistic electron transport in topological systems, with relevance for novel quantum electronics operating at terahertz clock rates, as well as the switching of magnetic information on the picosecond timescale. Also in focus are the development of integrated optical elements and new concepts for ultrashort-pulse lasers in the terahertz spectral range.
Access the website via the following link: THz Spectroscopy Group
Membership at DAEDALUS:
The Ultrafast Acoustics Group studies the fundamental properties and dynamics of condensed-matter systems using ultrafast optical spectroscopy and picosecond acoustics. We generate and detect coherent atomic vibrations — acoustic phonons — and track how they interact with other collective excitations in a wide range of materials.
Key technologies
Our research is centered on ultrafast laser techniques. We use ultrashort laser pulses to generate and detect acoustic wave packets in the time domain. These picosecond acoustic pulses contain frequency components up to several terahertz and wavelengths as short as a few nanometers.
By monitoring the local optical response induced by a propagating acoustic wave packet, we can follow its motion through the material or nanostructure under investigation.
Key applications
The shape, amplitude, and spectral content of an acoustic pulse provide detailed information about material quality, defects, and internal morphology, with nanometer-scale spatial resolution.
Ultrashort acoustic pulses can also generate local strain on the order of 10⁻³, making them a powerful tool for studying and controlling dynamic processes in solids. We use them to manipulate the electronic spectrum, shift optical resonances, and influence magnetic order and electrical conductivity on ultrafast timescales. This also enables us to investigate the coupling of acoustic phonons to other elementary excitations.
Main experimental techniques:
Multicolor pump–probe spectroscopy; transient absorption and transient reflectivity across the UV–NIR spectral range; optical free-induction decay.
Main material systems:
Ferromagnetic, antiferromagnetic, and altermagnetic materials and nanostructures; semiconductor nanostructures; metallic nanolayers and two-dimensional patterned structures; two-dimensional materials and van der Waals heterostructures.
Access the website via the following link: Ultrafast Acoustics Group
Memberships at DAEDALUS:
The Urner Lab develops modular detergents for structural biology and antibiotic research. Through tailored properties, modular detergents enable the structural analysis of membrane proteins and protein–lipid interactions, as well as the modulation of membrane interactions, in order to identify starting points for antibacterial agents.
Key technologies:
- Modular detergents
- Microbiology laboratory (GenTech S1, Biological Agent Class 2)
- Fluorescence spectroscopy in 96-well format
- UV/Vis Nanodrop with cuvette port (Implen)
Applications:
This research provides new tools for structural biology, starting points for antibiotic research, and an understanding of the mechanism of action of antibacterial substances at the level of biological membranes. The Urner Lab collaborates with partner laboratories at TU Dortmund University, the University of Oxford, and Sapienza University of Rome on the optimization of modular detergents for native mass spectrometry and integrative structural biology.
Access the website via the following link: AG Urner
Memberships at DAEDALUS: