Research
Our group focuses on the vibrational spectroscopic studies on solid surfaces ranging from well-defined single-crystals to polycrystalline nanoparticles in a wide pressure range from ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) to ambient conditions. The experiments are performed using high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (UHV-FTIRS). Based on the vibrational spectroscopic studies, detailed insight can be obtained into vibrational and electronic properties as well as structure and reactivity of solid surfaces. More recently, we have designed a novel UHV apparatus which allows not only to record high-quality IR data at grazing incidence on well-defined substrates, but makes it also possible to carry out IR experiments in transmission with powder particles. In addition, our research is complemented by other surface science techniques such as thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS), low-energy electron diffraction (LEED) and high-resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HRXPS). The aim of our research is to elucidate the microscopic mechanisms in heterogeneous catalysis and photocatalysis.
Current research activities:
- Vibrational spectroscopy on solid surfaces
- Surface structure and reactivity of pure and doped metal oxides
- Growth and reactivity of supported nanoclusters
- Photoinduced reactions on oxide surface
- Member of the DFG colllaborative research center SFB558 “Metal-Substrate Interactions in Heterogeneous Catalysis”
- Member of the European network for the doctorate in “Physics and Chemistry of Advanced Materials (PCAM)”