If it were easy, someone would have done it already.

Research Interest

My research focuses on the interaction of ions and electrons with solid surfaces. I am particularly interested in inelastic processes, correlated systems, 2D and quantum materials. Together with my team, I develop novel experimental methods in the spectroscopy of scattered particles. My work ranges from basic research to applied research in areas such as nuclear fusion, semiconductor technology and EUV lithography.

  • 2025 - now: Full Professor of Ion Physics, TU Wien
  • 2024 - now: Head of the Research Unit of Atomic and Plasma Physics
  • 2024 Habilitation (venia docendi) in Experimental Physics, TU Wien
  • 2019 FWF START Prize
  • 2017 - now: TU Wien
  • 2014 - 2017: Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (PostDoc)
  • 2010 - 2014: Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf & TU Dresden (PhD Student)
  • 2005 - 2010: Diploma Physics, TU Dresden

  • 2025 - now: Editorial Advisory Board Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms (NIM-B)
  • 2024 - now: Scientific Committee International Conference on Highly Charged Ions (HCI)
  • 2023 - now: Scientific Committee International Conference on Atomic Collisions in Solids (ICACS)
  • 2023 - now: Scientific Committee International Workshop on Inelastic Ion Surface Collisions (IISC)
  • 2020 - now: Scientific Committee Conference on Elementary Processes in Atomic Systems (CEPAS)
  • 2020 - now: Evaluation Panel Physics and Astronomy, H2020 MSCA COFUND Action (SASPRO2)
  • 2020 - now: Member of the Chemical-Physical Societa (CPG)
  • 2018 - now: Member of the Austrian Physical Society (ÖPG)
  • 2005 - now: Member of the German Physical Society (DPG)

  • 4 PhD students
    • Anna Niggas
    • Gabriel Szabo
    • Janine Schwestka (co-supervisor)
    • Sascha Creutzburg
  • 10 Master students
  • >15 Bachelor students

  • >40 Invited Talks
  • >30 Contributions to international meetings, conferences, and workshops

  • Gaede-Prize 2020
  • Max Auwärter Prize 2020
  • START Prize 2019
  • Best Lecture Award 2019
  • IBMM Prize 2018
  • Research Award of the HZDR 2015

  • 2025: IISC, Frankenfels, Austria
  • 2023: Focus Session at the DPG-SKM spring meeting
  • 2023: EPIC-MAN, Ottawa, Canada
  • 2017: IISC SummerSchool, Dresden, Germany
  • 2017: IISC, Dresden, Germany

In total ca. EUR 2.300.000 in third party funds

  • FWF START (time4ions)
  • FWF Standalone and International (DIMAS, CETHIS, CHEXDYN)
  • FWF doc.funds (TUD-X)
  • FFG Sondierung (CatIons)
  • OeAD WTZ (Croatia, Serbia)
  • DFG Standalone (HELEX2D)

Publikationen in der TU Wien Datenbank (unvollständig vor 2018)