Driven phase transitions at surfaces: initial dynamics and relaxation (C03)

• Subject Area: Experimental Condensed Matter Physics
• Term: since 2016
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 278162697

The project studies the structural dynamics at surfaces and in thin films upon excitation by femtosecond laser pulses. Time-resolved reflection high energy electron diffraction in a pump-probe scheme is employed to follow the vastly different timescales of excitation and recovery for driven phase transitions at surfaces. Exploiting the Debye-Waller effect in diffraction we are able to determine the vibrational amplitude of atomic motion and distinguish non-thermal and thermal regimes in these low dimensional systems.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 1242: Non-equilibrium dynamics of condensed matter in the time domain
• Applicant Institution: Universität Duisburg-Essen
• Project Head: Professor Dr. Michael Horn-von Hoegen