The creation of novel materials with targeted functionalities is the ultimate goal in several scientific and technological fields, ranging from chemistry and pharmaco-chemistry to molecular electronics and renewable energies. Molecular modelling and simulation are vital components of the scientific investigation of materials, as well as essential tools to engineer novel materials with improved performances. Future advances in this field should systematically address the challenge of bridging the gap between simulations and experiments. To this end, a unifying theme of this research is the development of a modelling framework for the investigation of materials. Through the creative synthesis of traditional all-atom simulations, electronic structure methods, and rare events techniques, we apply a multiscale approach to the study of materials and nanostructures.
Four departments: Biomaterials, Colloid Chemistry, Interfaces as well as Theory and Bio-Systems. Current research topics are polymeric films, membranes, micro- capsules, organic and inorganic nano- structures, biomineralization, nanoreactors or molecular motors.
Experimental and theoretical research carried out at the Max Planck Institute of Microstructure Physics is primarily focussed on solid state phenomena that are determined by small dimensions and surfaces and interfaces. The investigations concentrate on establishing relations between the magnetic, electronic, optical, and mechanical properties of solids and their microstructure. Thin films and surfaces are investigated as well as nanocrystalline materials, phase boundaries and defects in bulk crystals.
Namlab, a joint venture of Qimonda Dresden GmbH and the Technical University of Dresden provides industry oriented materials science and research concentrating on new and promising nano-electronic materials for semiconductor applications of tomorrow.
The CNI is a center of excellence for nanoelectronics at the Research Center Jülich and provides an excellent basis for future developments of nanoelectronics and IT. To identify technology drivers the research areas cover quantum-electronic, magneto-electronic, ferro-electric and molecular nanostructures as well as Terahertz-electronics and bio-signal processing.