The optical and spin-dependent transport properties of any solid or hybrid interface system are intrinisically linked to the structural order of the material. It is therefore of importance to devise new approaches to control and design the structural order on the atomic scale. In our research, we investigate the structure formation and structural phase transitions of inorganic and organic materials on metallic surfaces and determine how they depend on the various interactions within these low dimensional materials. In particular, we focus on

• Metal-organic hybrid structures
• Molecular (coordination) networks on noble and magnetic metal surfaces
• Surface alloys formed between heavy metals/rare earth materials and noble metal surfaces
• 2D Graphene-like honeycomb materials on magnetic and spin-textured surfaces

For our investigations, we employ laboratory based surface science techniques such as low energy electron diffraction and scanning tunnelling spectroscopy, as well as the synchrotron based normal-incidence X-ray standing waves technique. In combination, these methods allow us to fully characterize the lateral and vertical order of low dimensional material systems on surfaces.