Maximilian Oezkent, a doctoral student at the IKZ, had the opportunity to conduct research at the Polytechnique Montréal as part of a sponsored stay. This stay was made possible by a grant from the European COST Action OPERA (CA-20116) as part of the Short-Term Scientific Missions (STSM) program. During his stay, he analyzed ultra-pure, isotope-enriched 76Ge/28Si76Ge heterostructures with atomic precision, a topic of great importance for the further development of quantum technologies. At the university, Maximilian Oezkent gained hands-on experience at a state-of-the-art atom probe microscope (Cameca INVIZO 6000). Quantum grade 76Ge/28Si76Ge thin-film heterostructures, which were grown at the IKZ using molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), were studied by applying atom probe tomography (APT). Using this high-resolution method, he was able to map the structures and interfaces of the materials in 3D at atomic scale, which provided crucial insights into their quality and impurity content, parameters that are of great importance for the realization of quantum devices.
The stay at Prof. Oussama Moutanabbir’s group at the Polytechnique Montréal enabled Mr. Oezkent to gain valuable new insights that will be included in an upcoming publication. This international collaboration underlines the importance of exchange and cooperation for the advancement of research in the field of SiGe quantum materials.
Christian Rhode, a doctoral student at the IKZ as well, was given the opportunity to conduct research work as a visiting scientist in the group of Prof. Dr. Thorsten M. Gesing at the University of Bremen last year. The focus of his research was on analyzing the crystal structure of Mg- and Zr-substituted SrGa12O19 and Sr(Ga,Al)12O19 crystals. These materials are of particular interest as they can be used as substrates for the epitaxial growth of BaFe12O19 thin films. The change in the lattice parameter associated with the chemical alteration of the solid solution allows for targeted strain engineering at the interface between the substrate and the grown thin film. This enables precise control of the ferroelectric moment of the hexaferrite.
Through the single-crystal X-ray diffraction experiments, Mr. Rhode was able to gain valuable information about the positions of the substituents Al, Mg and Zr in the crystal structure. The results contribute to a better understanding of the structural properties of the grown materials and thus make a decisive contribution to understanding the material system at a structural level. In addition to the immediate scientific interest, the insights gained are extremely relevant when evaluating the success of the growing process and also provide a starting point for further efforts to chemically alter the material. The latter in particular aims at elucidating possibilities for the adjustment of a target lattice parameter by chemical means. In addition, Christian Rhode expanded his knowledge of single-crystal diffraction and was able to make significant progress in his doctoral thesis. The research stay was made possible by the financial support of the MAPEX Core Facility.
The research stays of Maximilian Oezkent and Christian Rhode show how important national and international cooperation is for scientific development and exchange. By working closely with renowned research institutions in Canada and Germany, both doctoral students were able to significantly advance their research projects and acquire valuable methodological and theoretical knowledge that is of central importance for their dissertations and the further development of their specialist areas. This experience is not only of great importance for the careers of the doctoral students, but also contributes to the international networking of the IKZ.
Contact
Leibniz-Institut für Kristallzüchtung (IKZ)
https://www.ikz-berlin.de
Maximilian Oezkent
Phone:: +49 (0) 30 / 246-499-307
Email: maximilian.oezkentikz-berlin.de
Christian Rhode
Phone:: +49 (0) 30 / 246-499-419
Email: christian.rhode@ikz-berlin.de
Prof. Dr. Matthias Bickermann
Phone:: +49 (0) 30 / 246-499-102
Email: matthias.bickermannikz-berlin.de
