AG Palakkal - Complex Thin Film Systems / Advanced Epitaxy
We focus on synthesizing functional materials for data and energy applications by taking magnetism as the core topic and catalysis, ferroelectrics, and photovoltaics as the subtopics of research. Our primary expertise is fabricating thin films using methods such as hybrid molecular beam epitaxy-pulsed laser deposition (MBE-PLD) and ion-beam sputtering. We are preparing materials aiming at functional properties and correlating their structure to the functionalities.We work with oxides, oxynitrides, and telluride systems. We will update many more stories of our research activity here (AdvancedEpitaxy)in the future.
Hybrid molecular beam epitaxy-pulsed laser deposition (MBE-PLD)
The main technique we use to produce thin films is a custom-made hybrid pulsed laser deposition (PLD).
A radio-frequency (RF) microplasma source (for gases like N2, H2) and molecular beam sources (for elements like Te, Se, S, Zn) attached to the PLD make it a hybrid MBE-PLD setup.
This hybrid PLD allows us to grow materials that are feasible by PLD and MBE with both cation- and anion-engineering possibilities. Three dedicated UHV chambers are used to deposit various materials to avoid cross-contamination.
We perform detailed structural characterization of the thin-film surface, interface, and bulk using techniques such as atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray reflectivity (XRR), rocking curve analysis, reciprocal space mapping (RSM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), etc.
Advanced characterizations: Magnetometry (SQUID magnetometers), DC transport, magnetoresistance, Hall effect (Physical Property Measurement System), optical properties (Spectroscopic ellipsometry), electrocatalytic oxygen evolution/reduction reactions (ER/ORR) (using RRDE).
ACTIVE RESEARCH TOPICS
A. Magnetic materials for electro/photocatalysis. e.g. La2NiMn(ON)6 and 3d transition-metal (TM) doped ZnO
B. Ferroelectric, photovoltaic, optoelectronic, photocatalytic materials with tuneable metastability, e.g., SrNb(ON)3
C. Magnetic materials for non-volatile memory and electrocatalysis. e.g. van der Waals Cr(1+ 𝛿)Te2and High-Entropy Tellurides.
Possible Materials Systems That We Can Grow In Our Thin Film Lab:
- Metals and intermetallics
- Oxides
- Nitrides
- Oxynitrides
- Chalcogenides (At the moment only Tellurides)
- Layer-by-layer growth of any of these materials and their interfacing<(/punkt>
- Free-standing thin films by using a sacrificial layer
If you are interested in collaboration or wish to know more, please get in contact with Jasnamol Palakkal (jpalakkal@uni-goettingen.de) directly.
OPEN POSITIONS
Prospective Ph.D. and postdoc candidates:
- Please read How to become a Ph.D. student? (Link Ph.D. student)
- We promptly advertise open positions at the University and various common job portals. Stay tuned.
- If you are interested in applying for a specific fellowship/funding program, please write to us directly with a brief note on ‘Why do you like to join us?’. We are happy to host excellent candidates. Please attach your short CV with a list of international publications. We write back if found suitable.
- Various funding options are listed here (Link funding options)
- Various research options in Germany can be found here (Link research options)
- Options for research stays, including short-term, are available with programs like DAAD (LINK).
Master and Bachelor students:
We are using state-of-the-art, advanced thin film fabrication techniques that are also being used in many semiconductor industries. If you like to gain hands-on experience in such techniques, please read the following.
- Many projects are available for Bachelor’s and Master’s theses. Example for internal students (Link later)
- After completing your thesis, you can continue with us for Internships.
- Student Assistant: We require student assistants (HiWi) every month on various short research/non-research assignments. An example can be found here (Link Student Assistant). Only UGOE students apply.
SPECIAL REGULAR COURSES ON THIN-FILMS
- We are offering a new course, ‘Thin Films - Science and Industrial Demand’, every winter semester.
- Modul B.Phy.5702: Dünne Schichten (English: Thin Films), 3 C, 2 SWS
- Recommended semester: Bachelor: 6 and Master: 1 - 4
- Language of the course: English
- We offer ‘Advanced Lab Course’ ("Master-Forschungspraktikum") on thin film fabrication and characterization (Link Lab Course) (https://s.gwdg.de/cHiOtD)
Contact:
Jun.-Prof. Dr. Jasnamol P. Palakkal
Group leader | Complex Thin Film Systems / Advanced Epitaxy
Institute of Materials Physics, Faculty of Physics
University of Göttingen, Germany
Friedrich-Hund-Platz 1, D-37077 Göttingen
Office: D.02.120
Phone: +49 551 39- 29642
Email: jpalakkal @uni-goettingen.de
ORCID: 0000-0002-7183-2627
Publikationen 1234
TEST
[Open Access]
Jooss, C., …, Meyer T., et al., 2025. Advanced Energy Materials, 2404280.
TEST
[Open Access]
Jooss, C., …, Meyer T., et al., 2025. Advanced Energy Materials, 2404280.
[Repository link]
Jha, N., Pariyar, A., Parvini, T.S., Denker, C., Vardhanapu, P.K., Vijaykumar, G., Ahrens, A., Meyer, T., Seibt, M., Atodiresei, N. and Moodera, J.S.; 2023. ACS applied electronic materials, 5(3), pp.1471-1477.
Aktuelle Meldungen
"Nano-Mechanics“
Mechanischer Stress kann große Änderungen in der freie Energie in Materialien verursachen, wodurch sowohl die Gleichgewichtszustände als auch das dynamische Verhalten verändert wird. Insbesondere in nanoskaligen Materialien, wo die Defekte durch Grenzflächen
mehr…
"Multifunctional Oxides"
The great challenge of energy conversion efficiencyThe use of renewable energies by photovoltaics, thermoelectrics or electrochemical energy storage is a success story. However, the efficiencies of current devices are well below the theoretically possible limits. There is still a lot of room for new approaches based on new materials and new mechanisms.
mehr…
"Complex Thin Film Systems / Advanced Epitaxy"
The main goal of our group is to fabricate thin films of Magnetic, Optoelectronic, and Catalyst materials using methods like hybrid molecular beam epitaxy-pulsed laser deposition (MBE-PLD) and metal-organic aerosol deposition. We are interested in the synthesis of any functional materials and their basic materials science.
mehr…Ehemalige Krebs
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Dr. Sarah Hoffmann-Urlaub |
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Prof. Hans-Ulrich Krebs |  |
Dr. Florian Döring |
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Dr. Christian Eberl |  |
Dr. Susanne Schlenkrich |
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Dr. Felix Schlenkrich |  |
Dr. Tobias Liese |
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Dr. Frank Barkusky |  |
Dr. Andreas Meschede |
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Dr. Britta Fuchs |  |
Dr. Johanna Röder |
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Dr. Sebastian Dreyer |  |
Dr. Thorsten Scharf |
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Dr. Erik Süske |  |
Dr. Jörg Faupel |
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Dr. Christian Fuhse |  |
Dr. Martin Weisheit |
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Dr. Kai Sturm |  |
Dr. Sören Kahl |
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Dr. Jens Winkler |  |
Dr. Sebastian Fähler |
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Dr. Michael Störmer |  |
Dr. Frank Mattheis |
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Dr. Sibylle Sievers |  |
Dr. Olaf Bremert |
Jonatan Josenhans, B.Sc.
Tel.: +49 (0)551 39 29642
Tel.: +49 (0)551 39 25002
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Tel.: +49 (0)551 39 26978
Tel.: +49 (0)551 39 26978
Tel.: +49 (0)551 39 26983
Tel.: +49 (0)551 39 26978
Tel.: +49 (0)551 39 226978
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Bachelor Jakob Baumsteiger | |
Bachelor Laura Fütterer |
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Bachelor Zhaodong Wang | |
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Bachelor Rebekka Klemmt | |
Bachelor Jonas Schröder |
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Bachelor Lukas Richert |  |
M. Sc. Yaodong Zhang |
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M.Sci. Arne Dittrich |  |
M.Sci. Bea Jaquet |
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M.Sci. Christina Klamt |  |
M. Sc. Anna Major |
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M.Sci. Sinja Pagel | |
cand.MatWis. Leonie Buntrock |
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M.Sci. Anja Westphal |  |
Dipl. Phys. Benedikt Ernst |
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B. Sci. Stephanie Demuth |  |
B. Sc. Dirk Fetzer |
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B. Sc. Regina Nowak | |
Dipl. Phys. Marco Hamp |
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M. Sc. Shiyao Wang |
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Juni 2014: Cornelia Mewes, Florian Döring, Bea Jaquet, Susanne Schlenkrich mit Henri Schlenkrich, Felix Schlenkrich, Hans-Ulrich Krebs, Christian Eberl, Sinja Pagel, Anna Major
Juni 2014: Felix Schlenkrich, Christian Eberl, Sinja Pagel, Hans-Ulrich Krebs, Bea Jaquet, Florian Döring, Cornelia Mewes, Anna Major (es fehlt Susanne Schlenkrich)
Februar 2013: Felix Schlenkrich, Susanne Schlenkrich mit Henri Schlenkrich, Christian Eberl, Anja Westphal, Florian Döring, Tobias Liese und Hans-Ulrich Krebs
Oktober 2011: Felix Schlenkrich, Christian Eberl, Hans-Ulrich Krebs, Florian Döring (hinten) Tobias Liese, Susanne Schlenkrich, Sarah Hoffmann, Benedikt Ernst (vorn) es fehlt Sara-Lisa Jäckle
Juni 2009: Andreas Meschede, Hans-Ulrich Krebs, Cornelia Mewes (hinten) Tobias Liese, Johanna Röder, Britta Fuchs, Thorsten Scharf (vorn) es fehlen Susanne Seyffarth und Felix Schlenkrich