Udo D. Schwarz

Prof. Schwarz’ research focuses on the local measurement of atomic-scale interactions and properties, including mechanical, electrical, and chemical interactions, to study materials science problems in surface physics and chemistry such as issues related to heterogeneous catalysis, nanotribology (atomic mechanisms of friction), and adhesion. Simiarly, we use nanoindentation and other mechanical and structural testing methods for the characterization of novel materials, in particular metallic alloys.

To facilitate these studies, our group also specializes in the further development of high-resolution scanning probe microscopy-based and nanoindentation-based methods.

• Magister of Arts Privatim (honorary degree, Yale University, 2009)
• Heisenberg Fellowship (German Research Society, 2000)
• Gaede Award (Principal Prize of the German Vacuum Society, 1999)
• German "Habilitation" (University of Hamburg, Germany, 1999)
• Venia Legendi ("Privatdozent") (University of Hamburg, Germany, 1999)

• Xinzhe Wang, Percy Zahl, Hailiang Wang, Eric I. Altman, and Udo D. Schwarz. How precisely can individual molecules be analyzed? A case study on locally quantifying forces and energies using scanning probe microscopy. ACS Nano 18, 4495-4506 (2024).
• Xinzhe Wang, Amit Datye, Shuhan Zhang, John Thornton, Jan Schroers, and Udo D. Schwarz. Dependence of the nanometer-scale structural heterogeneity of a bulk metallic glass on its fictive temperature. Materials Today Nano 22, 100346 (2023).
• Jiaxin Yu, Amit Datye, Zheng Chen, Chao Zhou, Omur E. Dagdeviren, Jan Schroers, and Udo D. Schwarz. Atomic-scale homogeneous plastic flow beyond near-theoretical yield stress in a metallic glass. Communications Materials 2, 22 (2021).
• Amit Datye, Sebastian A. Kube, Devendra Verma, Jan Schroers, and Udo D. Schwarz. Accelerated discovery and mechanical property characterization of amorphous alloys in the Mg-Zn-Ca and the Fe-Mg-Zn systems using high-throughput methods. Journal of Materials Chemistry B 7, 5392-5400 (2019).
• Rui Li, Zheng Chen, Amit Datye, Georg H. Simon, Jittisa Ketkaew, Emily Kinser, Ze Liu, Chao Zhou, Omur E. Dagdeviren, Sungwoo Sohn, Jonathan P. Singer, Chinedum O. Osuji, Jan Schroers, and Udo D. Schwarz. Atomic imprinting into metallic glasses. Communications Physics 1, 75 (2018).
• Eric I. Altman, Mehmet Z. Baykara, and Udo D. Schwarz. Non-contact Atomic Force Microscopy: An Emerging Tool for Fundamental Catalysis Research. Accounts of Chemical Research 48, 2640-2648 (2015).
• Dirk Dietzel, Michael Feldmann, Harald Fuchs, Udo D. Schwarz, and Andre Schirmeisen. Scaling of Structural Lubricity. Physical Review Letters 111, 235502-1 to 235502-5 (2013).
• Mehmet Z. Baykara, Todd C. Schwendemann, Eric I. Altman, and Udo D. Schwarz. Three-dimensional atomic force microscopy – Taking surface imaging to the next level. Advanced Materials 22, 2838-2853 (2010).
• B. J. Albers, T. C. Schwendemann, M. Z. Baykara, N. Pilet, M. Liebmann, E. I. Altman, and U. D. Schwarz. Three-dimensional imaging of short-range chemical forces with picometre resolution. Nature Nanotechnology 4, 307-310 (2009).