Before coming to the UK, I worked in science for 10 years. As an experimental physicist, one usually specialises in a particular method-of-measurement and applies it in different areas of research. My method-of-choice was scanning-tunnelling-microscopy, with which one can resolve and manipulate surfaces down to the atomic level. The latter is used at some point by every Ph.D. student in the field to write their initials with atoms (see on the left ;) ).

Besides designing and building microscopes, I studied superconductors, topological insulators, graphene and magnetic structures in low dimensions, often in differing combinations. All my research concerned the foundations for future computers and quantum computers.

Below you can find photos from my Ph.D. and PostDoc time. Scanning-tunnelling-microscopes are hardly bigger than a clenched fist and can function in air and at ambient temperature. But they are usually run in a vacuum and at temperatures close to absolute zero: at -273.15°C. Only at these conditions samples and effects can be studied as clean as possible and free of disturbances.

More details concerning my scientific work you can find at ResearchGate.