At the MBI, our research addresses research on dynamic processes on nanometer length scales and femtosecond timescales, governed by fundamental material properties. Access to these ultrafast dynamics is achieved through a broad range of experimental approaches employing short-pulse excitations with light, extreme ultraviolet (XUV), or soft X-rays.

To enhance sensitivity and specificity in these studies, we place strong emphasis on the customized nanoscale structuring of in-house fabricated samples (TOPIC 1: Optical elements for XUV and soft x-rays). This approach allows the integration of advanced spectroscopy, scattering, and imaging techniques for deeper physical insight. Strategies such as incorporating optical near-field structures or back-thinning single crystals for XUV transparency have significantly increased the accessible information content.

A central theme is the investigation of ultrafast magnetization dynamics, in particular laser-driven spin and electron transport. Here, experiment-specific thin films and multilayers play a decisive role. Tailored ferrimagnetic alloys enabling purely optical magnetization switching, or ferromagnetic multilayers optimized via He-ion implantation to nucleate skyrmion ensembles and bags, provide model systems to probe fundamental mechanisms under ultrafast excitation (TOPIC 2: Functional magnetic layer systems). The iterative feedback loop between time-resolved measurements and sample optimization ensures rapid progress and systematic refinement of material properties.

To meet these experimental demands, we operate a fully equipped thin-film laboratory, centered on a modular magnetron sputtering cluster system with custom-built sources and a commercial electron-beam evaporator. Structural sample processing before and after deposition is enabled by UV lithography, reactive ion etching, and precision grinding, which together allow back-thinning of single-crystalline substrates and structuring in the micrometer range. For advanced nanostructuring, focused ion beam (FIB) and electron-beam lithography are carried out in close collaboration with TU Berlin, ensuring reliable access to its FIB infrastructure.

Sample characterization capabilities have also been significantly expanded. The MOKE magnetometer station now supports a broader range of geometries, including magneto-optical and magnetoresistive characterization. Particularly noteworthy is the functionalization of a Bruker MFM with a bipolar in-house developed magnet and fs-laser coupling (Amplitude Satsuma HP). This unique platform enables femtosecond laser excitation within the MFM, allowing local magnetization reversal in ferrimagnets, laser-induced skyrmion nucleation, and spin-orbit torque–driven domain manipulation. Additional infrastructure developments include 2D material transfer techniques and the fabrication of ultrathin filter systems (TOPIC 3: Commercial filter production).

In early 2025, the project was further strengthened by establishing a dedicated focus on femtosecond laser microprocessing (TOPIC 4: FS-laser microprocessing). This facility enables the production and investigation of laser-induced integrated optical waveguides, supported by multiple workstations with complementary laser setups. The laboratory explores unconventional regimes of laser–matter interaction by exploiting few-cycle laser pulses. Applications include direct photoinscription of surface waveguides in dielectric materials such as fused silica, leading to the fabrication of photonic integrated circuits and waveguide chips. Recently, these optical chips were successfully employed to demonstrate integrated surface plasmon resonance (SPR) in refractive index regimes of direct relevance to biosensing.