Order-disorder phenomena and phase transitions

The physical properties of ferromagnetic alloys and semiconducting oxide layers depend on their structural order and phase stability. The underlying physical principles of phase stabilities and phase transformation processes are explored with high spatial and temporal resolution in dependence on internal parameters like chemical composition and strain state as well as external parameters given by temperature and growth kinetics. The degree of order/disorder and their spatial distribution within thin films are determined quantitatively by in-situ and ex-situ X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy methods.

Our research is currently focused on the following topics:

• Ordering phenomena and phase transitions in metastable Ge-Fe alloys
• Structural phase transition in epitaxial semiconducting oxides
• In-situ x-ray diffraction (PHARAO at BESSYII, HZB) 
• In-situ transmission electron microscopy (Application Laboratory Electron Tomography)