This research cluster aims at theoretical as well as experimental development and exploration of materials with novel physical characteristics, applying these fundamental properties in engineering artificial, mostly nanoscale, device structures relevant for future use in, particularly, the field of information and communication technology.

The four main groups in this cluster encompass a wide spectrum of research on III/V semiconductors, magnetic/metallic and oxidic (layered) materials, polymers and hybrid systems as well as on single organic molecules and layered structures made from these. In each program a chain-of-knowledge approach is pursued, in order to control the complete technological sequence from growth, manipulation and modification and on to device implementation.

• The program on magnetic nano-engineering is devoted to spintronics, i.e. the spin-dependent transport properties and dynamics of magnetic nanosystems.
• The program on photonics and semiconductor nanophysics focuses on the study of optical and electrical phenomena in nanostructures of epitaxial III/V semiconductors.
• The program on molecular materials focuses on physical molecular engineering and on organic molecular physics.
• The program on polymer physics concentrates on the molecular structure and microscopic self-organization in relation to functional and other properties, e.g. in prototype polymer-leds and self-organized microstructured optical films.