MPG Group
"De Magnete - Designing Magnetism on the Atomic Scale"

Our group is trying to push functional bulk magnets to their physical limits given by their intrinsic properties. Key is the understanding of the critical magnetization reversal processes on the atomic scale. We tackle this with the most advanced correlated electron microscopies and tomographies combined with sophisticated simulation across the length scales applied to modelsystems made by additive manufacturing.

Hard and soft magnets are everywhere in our modern society, every one of us owns and uses dozens of them in daily life. They are key components in advanced energy conversion and energy recovery systems, electromobility and transport systems, data storage and communication, consumer electronics, MRI and magnetic separation, robotics and automation, electric power transmission and distribution, and possibly also in new magnetic refrigeration technologies. The industrial and societal demands for high-performance magnets are projected to grow strongly, driven by the need to enable the rapid transition to a carbon neutral economy.

Transitional and dynamic processes are relevant for nucleation and propagation during all critical magnetization reversal processes. It is one of the great challenge in magnetism and magnetic materials for advanced characterization and simulation to capture, reproduce and finally predict these phenomena across all spatial and temporal scales. There is the need for overcoming the disconnection of the modelling methodologies and also for validating atomistic and thus highly selective experimental observations on the meso- and macroscales.

The simulation across length scales is caried out in cooperation with the group of Dr. T. Hickel in the department of Prof. Neugebauer.

Key Publications