The overall competence of this research department lies in the microstructure analysis and the exploration of the structure-property-relationship. Here the term microstructure in the broadest sense includes all kinds of defects, i.e. deviations from the regular structure, their geometry and physical configuration – regardless of length scales.

The probe volume detecting these features must therefore range from the macroscopic scale to the single atom level. Consequently, advanced X-ray and electron diffraction techniques, scanning and transmission electron microscopy imaging and spectroscopy as well as scanning tunneling microscopy are applied with high spatial resolution and high sensitivity to analyze quantitatively the structural, electronic and chemical properties of the wide range of material systems grown at PDI or by external collaborators.