Masters' and Bachelors' projects

We are currently looking for new Bachelor and Masterstudent to join the activities of our group for 2024. For further information inquire with Christoph Kastl. A list of Bachelors' and Masters' project supervised in the past can be found below.

2023 & 2024
Nanostructured superlattices in topological insulators
Nonlinear anomalous thermal transport in layered van der Waals materials

2022
Quantum Hall effect in three dimensions
Probing Berry curvature by nonlinear thermal transport

2021
Integration of 2D material based quantum emitters into photonic circuits
Fabrication and optoelectronic characterization of HfTe₅-based circuits

2020
Local charge and heat transport in semimetal WTe₂ revealed by photocurrent and Kerr spectroscopy
Revealing domain disorder in semimetal MoTe₂

2019
Fabrication and Optoelectronic Characterization of Topological van der Waals Heterostructures
Optospintronic Investigation of Topological Insulator Nanowires Patterned by Helium Ion Lithography

Lecture on Topological Electronics and Materials

The application of topology to the classification of solid-state materials revolutionized condensed matter physics in recent years and lead to the discovery of novel topological quantum materials and phases. The fundamental importance of topology in condensed matter physics was recognized by the Nobel Prize in 2016. Nowadays, topology is applied to all fields of physics ranging from cold atoms, classical mechanics, photonics, condensed matter to quantum information processing.

Topologically non-trivial band structures give rise to material properties that are insensitive against external perturbations, which renders topological and quantum materials a promising and robust platform for novel spin-electronic circuits and quantum information processing. This lecture introduces the basic concepts of topology in solid-state physics. Then, different topological phases, such topological insulators or topological Weyl semimetals, and their characteristic quantum electronic properties, such as the spin Hall effect or the anomalous quantum Hall effect, are discussed. A particular focus is placed on experimental techniques, including angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy to resolve surface states or transport spectroscopy to detect the conductance associated with topological surface and edge states.

The lecture is given in English and it is accompanied by a weekly tutorial. The tutorial consists of a mix of problem solving, programming exercises in Python, and introduction to experimental methods.

SS 2024: Lecture on Topological Electronics and Materials
SS 2023: Lecture on Topological Electronics and Materials
SS 2022: Lecture on Topological Electronics and Materials
SS 2021: Lecture on Topological Electronics and Materials
SS 2020: Lecture on Topological Electronics and Materials
SS 2019: Lecture on Topological Electronics and Materials

Seminar on 2D Topological Materials

Two-dimensional van der Waals materials are currently one of the most active research areas in condensed matter physics. The interplay of extreme quantum confinement down to the atomic level, large spin-orbit coupling and reduced dimensionality gives ries to a plethora of exotic solid state phenomena to be explored. In the seminar, students will prepare and discuss the most recent topics in the field of 2D materials with a focus on optical and electronic properties. Possible topics include strongly bounds excitons in 2D materials and their heterostructures, superconductivity in twisted graphene, spin and charge transport 2D materials with strong spin-orbit coupling, or topological phases.

WS 2020/21: Seminar on 2D Materials
WS 2019/20: Seminar on 2D Materials