Research

Hamburg with its excellent X-ray and electron accelerators and international leading experts offer an ideal environment for groundbreaking research.

At the heart of the cluster’s activities is the exploration of the microscopic origin of emergence in non-equilibrium. Here we set out to comprehensively answer the question, how emergence of functionality relates to the fundamental laws and key defining principles of physics. Emergence occurs on different levels of hierarchy, which are correlated to specific time and length scales.

We have therefore divided our overarching research topic into three research areas, focusing on different levels of hierarchy:

A: Rational design of quantum matter

B: Function and control in molecular matter

C: Functionality in complex heterogenous systems

Common to us all is the use of light: The combination and concentration of researchers applying light to image and control matter at the atomic scale is unique. We use shared methods to analyze the dynamics of systems ranging from solids to small and large scale molecules and nanoparticles. We combine our expertise to address the central goal: To understand and control the emergence of functionality.

If you are interested in joining one of our research groups, please view our job openings.