Our team

• Diploma in Physics (1990), Ruhr-Universität Bochum
• PhD-Thesis in Physics (1994), Ruhr-Universität Bochum

Career

• Research Assistant, Physics, Bochum (1990-1994)
• Hochschulassistent, Materials Science, Bergische Universität Wuppertal (1994-1998)
• Group leader, Max-Planck-Institut für Metallforschung (1998-2000
• Humboldt-Fellow, University of Houston (2000-2002)
• Assistant Professor for Physics, University of Houston (2002-2008)
• Professor for Materials Science, Technische Universität Darmstadt (2008-present)

Research Interests

• Structure, defects, strain and phase transitions in thin films
• Synchrotron x-ray and neutron scattering methods for thin films
• Micro- and nano-diffraction
• Magnetic properties of thin films and surfaces
• Epitaxial growth of thin films

Selected Publications

1. Abeykoon, AMM; Castro-Colin, M; Anokhina, EV; Iliev, MN; Donner, W; Jacobson, AJ; Moss, SC; Synchrotron x-ray and optical studies of the structure of HgSe semiconductor nanoclusters confined in zeolite L and zeolite Y;PHYSICAL REVIEW B, 77 (7): Art. No. 075333 FEB 2008.
2. Bhargava, M; Donner, W; Srivastava, AK; Wolfe, JC; Bragg diffraction, synchrotron x-ray reflectance, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies of low temperature plasma oxidation of native SiO2 on silicon on insulator;JOURNAL OF VACUUM SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY B, 26 (1): 305-309 JAN 2008.
3. Yuan, Z; Liu, J; Chen, CL; Wang, CH; Luo, XG; Chen, XH; Kim, GT; Huang, DX; Wang, SS; Jacobson, AJ; Donner, W; Epitaxial behavior and transport properties of PrBaCo2O5 thin films on (001) SrTiO3;APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS, 90 (21): Art. No. 212111 MAY 21 2007.
4. Amir, FZ; Cottier, RJ; Golding, TD; Donner, W; Anibou, N; Stokes, DW; X-ray diffraction analysis of an osmium silicide epilayer grown on Si(100) by molecular beam epitaxy;JOURNAL OF CRYSTAL GROWTH, 294 (2): 174-178 SEP 4 2006.
5. Kim, G; Wang, S; Jacobson, AJ; Yuan, Z; Donner, W; Chen, CL; Reimus, L; Brodersen, P; Mims, CA; Oxygen exchange kinetics of epitaxial PrBaCo2O5+delta thin films;APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS, 88 (2): Art. No. 024103 JAN 9 2006.
6. Castro-Colin, M; Donner, W; Moss, SC; Islam, Z; Sinha, SK; Nemanich, R; Metzger, HT; Bosecke, P; Shulli, T; Synchrotron x-ray studies of vitreous SiO2 over Si(001). I. Anisotropic glass contribution;PHYSICAL REVIEW B, 71 (4): Art. No. 045310 JAN 2005.
7. Castro-Colin, M; Donner, W; Moss, SC; Islam, Z; Sinha, SK; Nemanich, R; Synchrotron x-ray studies of vitreous SiO2 over Si(001). II. Crystalline contribution;PHYSICAL REVIEW B, 71 (4): Art. No. 045311 JAN 2005.
8. Barabash, RI; Donner, W; Dosch, H; X-ray scattering from misfit dislocations in heteroepitaxial films: The case of Nb(110) on Al2O3;APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS, 78 (4): 443-445 JAN 22 2001.
9. Nickel, B; Ruhm, A; Donner, W; Major, J; Dosch, H; Schreyer, A; Zabel, H; Humblot, H; Spin-resolved off-specular neutron scattering maps from magnetic multilayers using a polarized He-3 gas spin filter;REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS, 72 (1): 163-172 Part 1 JAN 2001.
10. Vartanyants, I; Ern, C; Donner, W; Dosch, H; Caliebe, W; Strain profiles in epitaxial films from x-ray Bragg diffraction phases;APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS, 77 (24): 3929-3931 DEC 11 2000.
11. Ern, C; Donner, W; Dosch, H; Adams, B; Nowikow, D; Temperature-dependent interfacial stiffness of the disorder layer in a thin Cu3Au alloy film;PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS, 85 (9): 1926-1929 AUG 28 2000.
12. Nickel, B; Donner, W; Dosch, H; Detlefs, C; Grübel, G; Critical adsorption and dimensional crossover in epitaxial FeCo films;PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS, 85 (1): 134-137 JUL 3 2000.
13. Donner, W; Dosch, H; Ulrich, S; Ehrhardt, H; Abernathy, D; Strain relaxation of boron nitride thin films on silicon;APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS, 73 (6): 777-779 AUG 10 1998.
14. Günther, R; Donner, W; Toperverg, BP; Dosch, H; Birefringent Bragg diffraction of evanescent neutron states in magnetic films;PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS, 81 (1): 116-119 JUL 6 1998.
15. Krimmel, S; Donner, W; Nickel, B; Dosch, H; Sutter, C; Grübel, G; Surface segregation-induced critical phenomena at FeCo(001) surfaces;PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS, 78 (20): 3880-3883 MAY 19 1997.
16. Ern, C; Donner, W; Ruhm, A; Dosch, H; Toperverg, BP; Johnson, RL; Surface density oscillations in disordered binary alloys: X-ray reflectivity study of Cu3Au(001);APPLIED PHYSICS A-MATERIALS SCIENCE & PROCESSING, 64 (4): 383-390 APR 1997.

Grants and Honours

• Feodor-Lynen Fellow of the Alexander-von-Humboldt Foundation, 2000

Teaching and Theses Supervision

• Scattering and diffraction (X-ray and neutron)
• Statistical Physics
• Introductory Physics
• PhD-thesis guidance in Physics for 10 students between 1997-2007;