Dr. Schubert takes an electromagnetic perspective
on the vast realm of new materials in the nanotechnology era. “Albeit
a century passed since the electron theory of Paul Drude, understanding the
physics behind optical observations from these new materials is of highest
importance and still most challenging to us,” Dr. Schubert said. The
interrelation between electrical and optical properties of matter has spurred
many researchers to use optical tools for understanding and subsequent tailoring
of materials properties. Brought upon recent progress in fabrication techniques
three-dimensional nanostructures, which may incorporate inorganic and organic
materials with highly anisotropic dielectric, semiconducting, ferroelectric,
and magnetic properties, for example, are now at hand.
The Leipzig group of Dr. Schubert has progressed
an advanced polarization spectroscopy technique: Generalized Ellipsometry.
Part of this development occurred during long-term collaborations between
the University of Leipzig and Professor John Woollam’s group here at
UNL, and which started in 1993 when Dr. Schubert visited Nebraska for the
first time as graduate student. “We envisioned ellipsometry as a tool
for understanding material properties and physics of nanostructure composites
– inaccessible so far to micro- and nanostructure characterization tools.”
The first successful applications of their new technique were chiral liquid
crystals, the working horse of today’s display technology. “With
ellipsometry we can read the kinetics and orientation of the nanometer-sized
molecules, for example, without physically contacting or destroying the sample.”
If brought into magnetic fields free charge carriers within the nanostructures
reveal their mobility and inertial mass parameters by using Far-infrared Magneto-optic
Generalized Ellipsometry, a tool which Dr. Schubert's group had just recently invented.
Presently the group is building a unique Terahertz Ellipsometer at UNL, which
will enable them to investigate charge carriers in their quantum limit. Nanostructures
combining ferroelectric with semiconducting and ferromagnetic properties for
new device applications in data storage and display vision comprise another
research area of his group. “I am very glad about the opportunity to
collaborate with the NCMN researchers and I look forward to very exciting
research work.”
Dr. Schubert has published one textbook, three
book chapters, 130 peer-reviewed journal papers and 170 presentations in international
conferences including 17 invited talks. He serves as topical editor for the
Optical Society of America. He received research fellowships from the German
Merit Foundation, the Swedish Foundation for International Cooperation in
Research and Higher Education, the Université Pierre et Marie Curie
in Paris, and UNL. He is a member of the German Physical Society, the German
University Lecturer Society, and the Materials Research Society. Dr. Schubert
participated in 7 international conference committees, and he is an organizer
of the next International Ellipsometry Conference in Stockholm. He is a founder
and executive board member of the German Ellipsometrie Association. So far,
Dr. Schubert has received research grants from the German National Science
Foundation, Department of Education and Research, and industry, with a total
amount over $1.200,000.
Beginning Spring 2006, Dr. Schubert offers
a new course, Optics in Complex Mediums, which covers the area of Optics and
Electromagnetism related to nanostructure materials and measurement techniques.
(Spring 2006)
