University Koblenz-Landau - Institute for Natural Sciences

 

Prof. Dr. Silke Rathgeber


Universität Koblenz-Landau
Institut für Integrierte Naturwissenschaften
Abteilung Physik
Universitätsstraße 1
56070 Koblenz

Phone: +49 (0)261 287 2353
E-FAX: +49 (0)261 287 100 2353
FAX: +49 (0)261 287 2331
E-mail:rathgeber@uni-koblenz.de

Curriculum Vitae
Publications
 Lectures
  • Experimental Physics II: Electrodynamics and Optics

  • Polymer Physics I
    		•  overview      
  • Polymer Physics II
    		•  overview
        I. Introduction script1     I. Polymer Dynamics
        II. Synthesis & Distributions script2     II. Rheology & Viscoelasticity
        III. Chain Models script3     III. Glass Transition & Glassy State
        IV. Polymer Solutions & Mixtures script4     IV. Dielectric Spectroscopy
        V. Scattering Methods script5     V. Networks & Rubber Elasticity

    Symposia
  • “Organic Photovoltaics: from Single Molecules to Devices"

    •     73. Annual meeting of the German Physical Society (Solid State Physics), Dresden, 2009.

  • “Driven Soft Matter: Non-Equilibrium Phenomena in External Fields”

    •     72. Annual meeting of the German Physical Society (Solid State Physics), Berlin, 2008.


    Funding
  • DFG Priority Programme SPP 1355 "Elementary Processes of Organic Photovoltaics"

    •  


        Dynamics of Driven Polymers

    The aim of my research is to better understand the relationship between structural changes and dynamical processes in polymeric systems and the driving forces. Driving forces can be deviations from thermodynamic equilibrium, external stimuli or internal forces. The latter also includes excluded volume interactions which can be tuned by the polymer architecture. I study polymer solutions, solids and melts, in bulk as well as in interface dominated systems such as thin films and droplets. My methodical focus lies on (time- and space-resolved) static and dynamics scattering methods using light, x-rays and neutrons as radiation probe inter alias insitu with rheology. Developments in the area of fluorescence correlation spectroscopy e.g. for micro-rheological measurements offer potential for surface sensitive measurements as well as for biophysical applications. Complimentary experiments with dielectric spectroscopy, rheology and microscopy broaden the accessible time and length scale range.
    		In particular I focus on the following research topics:

  • Non-equilibrium phenomena under shear,
  • Structure formation kinetics in organic photovoltaics,
  • Microrheology with fluorescence correlation spectroscopy.
    •