The Institute
The Institute of Materials Physics has been founded as the Institute of Metals Research in 1959 by Prof. Dr. Theodor Heumann. Through the director ship of Prof. Dr. Theodor Heumann (1959 – 1984) and Prof. Dr. Helmut Mehrer (1984 -2005), the Institute was initially focused on the transport of matter in the solid state.
In recent years, work at the Institute of Materials Physics (IMP) has been considerably extended by timely aspects of materials physics related to investigations of nanocrystalline and amorphous materials and to studies of phase formation and interreactions with atomic resolution.
The IMP is an integral part of the thematical focus „Nanophysics“ of the University of Münster. The main direction of research is on functional materials with strong foci on nanocrystalline and amorphous materials and on layered structures. Research and teaching at the IMP is supported by a modern mechanical workshop with well trained personnel and by a competent technical staff who closely interact with the students and scientists working at the IMP.