Study

The research activities of the workgroup are a part of the main research of the department  "Nonlinear Physics". There is the possibility of making a doctor thesis.

Possible themes

• Pattern formation in gas discharge systems
• Numerical simulation of nonlinear partial differential equations for the description of transport phenomena in semiconductor gas discharge systems
• Analytical investigations on nonlinear partial differential equations for the description of transport phenomena in semiconductor gas discharge systems

The work is executed in national and international cooperation with the following places of research and industry:

• A. F. Ioffe Physical Technical Institute St. Petersburg, Russia
• Université Paul Sabatier CPAT, Toulouse, France
• Siemens AG, München
• Cornell University, Ithaca, USA

And what can you lern?

Experimental Methods:

• work with high voltages
• image prozessing: work with different cameras: normal CCD-cameras with videofrequency, intensivated highspeed-CCD-kameras, and ultrafast streak-cameras with a demand interval in the region of nanoseconds
• spectroscopic research: measuring of the emissions properties of the discharge systems with respect to the parameters
• computerised instrumentation: use of analog and digital technics for data aquisition, computerized control and analysis with self-made programs
• vacuum und cryo technics: planning and realisation of low temperature vacuum systems and the technology involved
• optics und laser technics: realisation of optical setups, e.g. with birefrigend cristalls for the optical measuring of surface charges
• material preparation: processing of materials and surfaces, e.g. doping and coating of semiconductors
• stochastical analysis methods: application of advanced analysis methods for experimental results

Theretical Methods:

• modelling: development of different model equations which describe the running processes, e.g. of drift diffusion equations describing the microskopic prozesses in the plasma
• analytical work: analytical treatment of nonlinear partiel differential equations
• numerical implementation: solving numerically the model equations using adaptiv finite differenzes, finite elements and multigrid methods on parallel computers, e.g. the Linux cluster of the ZIV or in the "Höchstleistungsrechenzentrum" in Stuttgart
• computer algebra: using different computer algebra systems for mode stability analysis
• bifurcation analysis: investigation of transitions between qualitative different phenomena, locating of scaling laws
• reduction of complexity: simplification of the description of complex phenomena using special projection techniques, group theoretical considerations and more
• develpement of new analysis methods: examples are the stochastic data analysis (based on stochastic differential equations), principal component analysis and more