Aerosol- und UmweltphysikPhysics of Physiological Processes

Computational PhysicsComputational Materials Physics

Nuclear PhysicsIsotope Research

Quantum Optics &Quantum Nanophysics &Quantum Information

Physics Education and eLearningBasic Experimental Physics Teaching

Mathematical PhysicsParticle PhysicsGravitational Physics (new Prof.)

Physics of Nanostructured MaterialsElectronic Properties of Materials Physics of Functional MaterialsDynamics of Condensed Systems

150 students starting every year (ca. 50% → „Master“ of physics )

About 1000 students in total

25 Assistents (post doc, tenure track)

79 Lecturers (incl. lecturers, student tutors, …)

34 Ao. Professors

14 Professors65 % hired within the last 4 years+ 3 positions still being filled

We had at least 3 reforms throughout the last decade

Most recent: Bachelor, Master, PhD

All earlier forms of the study program still present as „carry-overs“

Research in Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK)

eLearning: Wiki of the Faculty of Physics (http://www.univie.ac.at/physikwiki/)Pre-service Teacher Training

University Physics Education

In-service Teacher Training

Outreach Activities

Introduction to Physics I to IV and experiments for the Labs to Introduction to Physics I and II.

Introductory physics laboratory courses for students of the bachelor degree programme, teacher training, nutritional science and meteorology

new teaching concepts for higher education

Demonstration experiments for chemists, nutritional scientists and pharmacists.

Electronics lab course

Historical collection of the Faculty of Physics.

Rigorous mathematical methods:

Quantum field theory

Strongly correlated many-body systemso Ultracold Bose gases and Bose-Einstein condensation

Quantum information theory

Computational statistical physics

Erwin Schrödinger International Institute for Mathematical Physics

Black hole theory: the physics of compact objects, and black hole formation.

Cosmological singularities & expansion of the universe. o initial singularity (big bang) -> expansion ever since. o past decade: expansion is accelerating -> "dark energy".

Gravitational waves. o Oscillations of geometry produced by accelerated bodies o New window for the exploration of the universe.

Phenomenology of the Standard Model at low energieso Strong and electroweak interactions of mesons

Neutrino physics: o Models for neutrino masseso Extensions of the Standard Modelo Magnetic moments of neutrinos

Supersymmetric theories: o EU network HEPTOOLS goal: information from the new high energy physics

experiments that are currently being initiated at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC)

Quantum foundations in particle physics:o Bell inequalities and the notion of reality / locality in high energy physics o Relation between CP symmetries & nonlocalityo investigations of decoherence modeso entanglement witnesses and their geometry …

Simulated Higgs decaying into four muons.

Source: CERN document server

Quantum mechanical tools for ab-initio simulations of material properties and processes on the atomic scale

Development of the Vienna Ab-initio Simulation Package (VASP, used by 1200 groups world-wide)

Bridging the gap between Molecular quantum chemistry & Solid-state theory

Examples: o crystalline and quasicrystalline intermetallic compoundso surface science and catalysiso semiconductors and insulatorso magnetism and magnetic nanostructureso minerals (including zeolites, clays, and ceramics)

Modern computer simulation combined with analytical theory Statistical mechanics of equilibrium and non-equilibrium processes.

Research topics of current interest include:liquid state theory soft matternanocrystalschemical reactions in solutionthermal instability and negative heat capacityphase transitionshigh pressure physicsdynamical instability of classical many-body systemstransport processes and systems far from equilibrium quantum mechanical many-body systemshydro- and hemodynamicsrobotics, visualization and modern media physics education

Critical nucleus of a CdSe nanocrystal undergoing the wurtzite to rocksalt transformation. The particular morphology of the nucleus explains the experimental observations

Defect in a 1d water chain inside a carbon nanotube. Such hydrogen bonding defects determine the dielectric properties of nanopore water.

Understanding aerosols: from clusters to climate change

Atmospheric aerosols/ions and cloud formation o Concentration measurementso UV sensor system in the CLOUD measurement chamber

Aerosol nucleation:o Influence of cosmic rayso Influence of temperatureo Nucleation on single organic ion molecules

Methods: o Nano-aerosol filtration and characterizationo Condensation Particle Counter

Conceptual explorations of alternative atmospheres that may be life-supporting in exoplanets.

Nonlinearity:Feedback, self-organization, synchronization, chaos

Cellular automata & neural networks

Neurophysics Attempt to describe mental processes by physical methods

The effect of light and sound on heart-rate variability (HRV)

Experimental investigation of electronic properties of novel materials and condensed matter quantum systemsCurrent research topics include:o investigations of the novel superconductorso colossal magnetoresistanceo solar cells

ABB. 1: PRISTINE NANOSTRUKTURES ABB. 2: FUNCTIONALIZED NANOSTRUCTURES

Study materials properties by scattering and simulation

Dynamics (diffusion and phonons) and kinetics of condensed systems, o metallic filmso intermetallic alloyso carbon nanophaseso inorganic-organic hybrid systemso metallic and inorganic clusters and bone tissue

Methods o X-ray, gamma-ray o neutron scatteringo mechanical properties, o scanning electron microscopy, o scanning probe microscopy o Monte Carlo simulations

Scanning electron microscope (SEM)

Bruker AXS Nanostar small angle x-ray machine

Electron Microscopy: microstructures and properties

Nano- and micromaterials: o Synthesiso Mechanical propertieso Thermal propertieso Structural properties

Surface Nanostructures: creation, analysis, and manipulation

Topicso Photonic crystalso Nonlinear opticso Local atomic arrangementso Disordered systemso Structural phase transitions

Elastic difuse neutron scattering in LiO2

In Vienna:o optical holographyo dielectric and acoustic spectroscopyo dynamic mechanical analysiso crystal growtho x-ray topographyo positron annihilation

Holographic images in PMMA

External (ILL,LLB,GKSS)o atomic resolution neutron holographyo inelastic neutron scatteringo x–ray diffractiono cold neutron interferometry

Accelerator Mass Spectrometry in dating applications

ArchaeologyAtmospheric Science Atomic PhysicsPaleoclimatic StudiesUtilizing the 14C bomb peakNuclear astrophysics

Nuclear reactions with light heavy-ions

Neutron induced nuclear reactions

Environmental radioactivity

Fig. 2 Sample and detector setup at the n_TOF facility at CERN

Foundations of Quantum Mechanicso Limits of quantum superpositiono Foundations and applications of quantum entanglemento The meaning of information in quantum physics

Exploration of Quantum Technologies o Quantum cryptographyo Quantum computing & simulationso Quantum enhanced sensing & metrologyo Quantum enhanced lithography

Experimental Quantum Systemso Quantum information with entangled photonso Bose Einstein Condensationo Molecule interferometryo Mechanical oscillators in the quantum limit

Methodso New cooling schemes for atoms, clusters and opto-mechanical systemso New theories for highly correlated quantum systems

Vorabeinführung durch eine 2SWS Vorlesung (= 30h) in o Materiewelleno Auffrischung Atomphysik und Linienbreiteno Laserphysiko Bell-Ungleichungen

Test bestimmt über Zulassung zum Praktikum

Praktikum = 3 Wochen von 9-17h im Labor

Abschließend ein ausführliches Protokoll

Für Interessierte : Möglichkeit auf Praktikum aufbauend Bachelorarbeit zu schreiben

Aufbauo Komplett ca. 30 k€o Rasch aufbaubar, aber

sehr justagekritisch

Ablauf: o Komplett eigenständiger Aufbau sämtlicher optischer Komponenteno Lange Zeit für Justage (ca. 4-5 Tage)o 50% Erfolgsquote bei den Studenten

Lernzielo Physik der Verschränkungo Ein Experiment kann und darf scheitern.

In der Praxis des forschen Physikers ist der Erfolg selten in 5 Tagen garantiert!

Aufbauo Komplexer Forschungsaufbauo Viele Komponenten in

UHV Kammer nicht sichtbaro Wert ca. 500 k€

Ablauf: o Eigenständige Messung eines aufgebauten Experimentso Entsprechend nur 1 Tago 100% Erfolgsquote aber intensive Betreuung wg. enormer Kosten

Lernzielo Physik der molekularen Materiewellen o Begegnung mit einem Experiment, dass es so in der ganzen Welt nur einmal gibt

Source

Mechanicalgrating

Mechanicalgrating

Laser gratingQuadrupole

mass detector(up to 9000 amu)

Aufbauo He Ne Rohr und Netzteilo 2 Spiegelo FP-Etalono Polarisationsoptiko CCDo Evtl. Lock-Elektronik

Ablaufo Komplett eigenständiger Aufbau des Laserso Nachweis der long. und transv. Moden, Polarisation, Power vs. Länge

Lernzielo Hands-On Laserphysik

Aufbauo Dampfzelle + Diodenlaser + etwas Optiko Ca. 15 k€ insgesamt (in einfacher Version)

Ablaufo Komplett eigenständiger optischer Aufbauo Untersuchung der verschiedenen physikalischen

Parameter

Lernzielo Erforschen der Atomzustände mit einfachen spektroskopischen Mitteln

• Basis der Atomuhr• Linienbreiten • Feinstruktur/Hyperfeinstruktur• Sättigungsverbreiterung, Dopplerbreite• Zeeman-Verschiebungen• Optisches Pumpen