Dr. Frank Lichtenberg

Field of work and research area

Setting up and operating a laboratory for the synthesis and study of special oxides in the division of Prof. Nicola Spaldin at the Department of Materials of the ETH Zurich. For further information click here (1) and click here (2)

Synthesis of oxides - especially in crystalline form via the melt - and study of their physical and structural properties, especially searching for new superconductors and new materials which are simultaneously (anti)ferroelectric and (anti)ferromagnetic. For further information click here

Teaching during the fall semester: For further information click here (1) and click here (2)

 

Curriculum Vitae

Born 1962 in Bremen, Germany.

1983 – 1989: Study of physics at the University of Heidelberg, Germany.

1989 – 1992: PhD student in the division of Dr. Georg Bednorz at the IBM Zurich Research Laboratory, Switzerland. Field of work: Synthesis of oxides – especially in crystalline form via the melt – and study of their physical and structural properties. Doctorate at the University of Zurich in 1991. Supervisor from the University of Zurich: Prof. Franz Waldner.

1992 – 1997: Research scientist in the nickel metal hydride technology department of Dr. Uwe Koehler at the research center of the battery company VARTA, Germany. Field of work: Hydrogen storage alloys and nickel metal hydride batteries. Two months stay as guest scientist in Tokyo, Japan, at the TOSHIBA Battery Company within a collaboration between VARTA and TOSHIBA.

1997 – 2007: Research scientist in the department of Prof. Jochen Mannhart at the Institute of Physics of the University of Augsburg, Germany. Field of work: Setting up and operating an oxide synthesis laboratory, preparation of oxides – especially in crystalline form via the melt – and study of their physical and structural properties,.

2007 – 2010: Freelance work and autonomous occupation with subjects in the area of physics / science. Creation of the website novam-research.com about entirely novel energy technologies and related topics.

Since 2011: Research scientist in the division of Prof. Nicola Spaldin at the Department of Materials of the ETH Zurich, Switzerland. Field of work: Setting up and operating an oxide synthesis laboratory, preparation of oxides – especially in crystalline form via the melt – and study of their physical and structural properties, and teaching.

Since 2015 a few consulting activities for the research and development company Quantum Power Munich GmbH

 

Publications

Publications and patents  (pdf)  (last update 30 June 2024)

 

Selected publications

 

The following papers in form of a presentation with many pictures and largely with some videos are not published in a journal but with a doi address via the ETH library / ETH Research Collection. 

 

A crystallographic non-centrosymmetric versus centrosymmetric study by electron diffraction on the melt-grown Sr- and O-deficient n = 5 type Carpy-Galy phase Sr17CaBaNb19WO64 of the Schückel-Müller-Buschbaum type which is potentially a polar or ferroelectric quasi-1D metal
Frank Lichtenberg, Ali Baghi Zadeh, Christian Zaubitzer, Luiz Grafulha Morales, and Arkadiy Simonov
Published in June 2024 by the library of the ETH Zurich / ETH Research Collection, 45 slides or pages
Available as pdf.
https://doi.org/10.3929/ethz-b-000680533

 

Melt-grown synthesis of oxide materials by the floating zone method: Presentation of a custom-made data and image recording, processing, and visualization system for a Cyberstar mirror furnace
Frank Lichtenberg, Nicolas Guyon, Ahmed Nouri, Florian Seywert, Murielle Lescure, and Eusebio Barcelo
Published in July 2021 by the library of the ETH Zurich / ETH Research Collection, 114 slides or pages
Available as pdf without running videos or ppsx type PowerPoint Show with 8 embedded videos. 6 videos can be downloaded as separate avi type video files.
https://doi.org/10.3929/ethz-b-000493880

 

Carpy-Galy phases AnBnO3n+2 = ABOx : Overview, properties, special and hypothetical systems, and melt-grown synthesis of A- and O-deficient n = 5 types such as Sr19Nb19WO66 and Sr17Ca2Nb19WO64 and n = 6 type Ln6Ti4Fe2O20 and Ca6Nb5FeO20
Frank Lichtenberg
Published in July 2020 by the library of the ETH Zurich / ETH Research Collection, 477 slides or pages
Available as pdf or ppsx type PowerPoint Show with 17 embedded videos
https://doi.org/10.3929/ethz-b-000424221

 

Synthesis of melt-grown hexagonal YMnO3 , YMn0.95O2.93 , YMnO3+y , and DyMnO3-d and study of their properties by powder x-ray diffraction, piezoresponse force microscopy, a SQUID magnetometer, and thermogravimetry
Frank Lichtenberg, Martin Lilienblum, Bertram Batlogg, Nicola Spaldin, and Manfred Fiebig
Published in 2019 by the library of the ETH Zurich / ETH Research Collection, 68 slides or pages
Available as pdf or ppsx type PowerPoint Show with an embedded video
https://doi.org/10.3929/ethz-b-000357996

 

Synthesis of melt-grown crystalline Mn4Nb2O9 and Fe4Nb2O9 and study of their properties by thermogravimetry, powder x-ray diffraction, and a SQUID magnetometer
Frank Lichtenberg
Published in 2017 by the library of the ETH Zurich / ETH Research Collection, 109 slides or pages
Available as pdf or ppsx type PowerPoint Show with embedded videos
https://doi.org/10.3929/ethz-b-000220998

 

Presentation about a laboratory for the synthesis and study of (melt-grown) oxides and related topics
Frank Lichtenberg
Published in 2017 by the library of the ETH Zurich / ETH Research Collection, 438 slides or pages
Available as pdf or ppsx type PowerPoint Show with embedded videos
https://doi.org/10.3929/ethz-a-010817148

 

The following papers are about oxides of the type AnBnO3n+2 = ABOx which are called Carpy-Galy phases. They have a layered perovskite-related crystal structure and are interesting for several reasons. For example, they comprise the highest-Tc ferroelectrics such as the n=4 type Sr4Nb4O14 = SrNbO3.5 with Tc = 1615 K and quasi-1D metals such as the n=5 type Sr5Nb5O17 = SrNbO3.4 where the conduction electrons are embedded in a ferroelectric-like environment. Oxides of the type AnBnO3n+2 might have a potential to create superconductors and / or multiferroics.

 

A crystallographic non-centrosymmetric versus centrosymmetric study by electron diffraction on the melt-grown Sr- and O-deficient n = 5 type Carpy-Galy phase Sr17CaBaNb19WO64 of the Schückel-Müller-Buschbaum type which is potentially a polar or ferroelectric quasi-1D metal
Frank Lichtenberg, Ali Baghi Zadeh, Christian Zaubitzer, Luiz Grafulha Morales, and Arkadiy Simonov
Published in June 2024 by the library of the ETH Zurich / ETH Research Collection, 45 slides or pages
Available as pdf.
https://doi.org/10.3929/ethz-b-000680533

 

Two distinct charge density waves in the quasi-one-dimensional metal Sr0.95NbO3.37 revealed by resonant soft X-ray scattering
Angga Dito Fauzi, Caozheng Diao, Thomas J. Whitcher, Frank Lichtenberg, Ping Yang, Mark B. H. Breese, and Andrivo Rusydi
NPG Asia Materials 16 (2024) 27 (1 - 13)

 

Photoinduced metastable dd-exciton-driven metal-insulator transitions in quasi-one-dimensional transition metal oxides
Teguh Citra Asmara, Frank Lichtenberg, Florian Biebl, Tao Zhu, Pranab Kumar Das, Muhammad Avicenna Naradipa, Angga Dito Fauzi, Caozheng Diao, Ping Yang, Philipp Lenzen, Sören Buchenau, Benjamin Grimm-Lebsanft, Dongyang Wan, Paolo E. Trevisanutto, Mark B. H. Breese, T. Venkatesan, Michael Rübhausen, and Andrivo Rusydi
Communications Physics 3 (2020) 206 (1 - 9)

 

Carpy-Galy phases AnBnO3n+2 = ABOx : Overview, properties, special and hypothetical systems, and melt-grown synthesis of A- and O-deficient n = 5 types such as Sr19Nb19WO66 and Sr17Ca2Nb19WO64 and n = 6 type Ln6Ti4Fe2O20 and Ca6Nb5FeO20
Frank Lichtenberg
Published in July 2020 by the library of the ETH Zurich / ETH Research Collection, 477 slides or pages
Available as pdf or ppsx type PowerPoint show with 17 embedded videos
https://doi.org/10.3929/ethz-b-000424221

 

Atomic-Scale Origin of the Quasi-One-Dimensional Metallic Conductivity in Strontium Niobates with Perovskite-Related Layered Structures
Chunlin Chen, Deqiang Yin, Kazutoshi Inoue, Frank Lichtenberg, Xiuliang Ma, Yuichi Ikuhara, and Johannes Georg Bednorz
ASC Nano 11 (2017) 12519 - 12525

 

Patterning Oxide Nanopillars at the Atomic Scale by Phase Transformation
C. Chen, Z. Wang, F. Lichtenberg, Y. Ikuhara, and J. G. Bednorz
Nano Lett. 15 (2015) 6469 - 6474

 

Atomic and electronic structure of the SrNbO3 / SrNbO3.4 interface
C. Chen, S. Lv, Z. Wang, K. Akagi, Y. Ikuhara, F. Lichtenberg, and J. G. Bednorz
Appl. Phys. Lett. 105 (2014) 221602 (1 - 5)

 

Spontaneous Structural Distortion and Quasi-One-Dimensional Quantum Confinement in a Single-Phase Compound
Z. Wang, L. Gu, M. Saito, S. Tsukimot, M. Tsukada, F. Lichtenberg, Y. Ikuhara, and J. G. Bednorz 
Adv. Mater. 25 (2013) 218–222

 

Anisotropic thermal expansion of Lan(Ti,Fe)nO3n+2 (n = 5 and 6)
A. Wölfel, P. Dorscht, F. Lichtenberg, and S. van Smaalen
Acta Cryst. B 69 (2013) 137–144

 

Two-dimensional magnetic clusters in Lan (Ti1-xFex)n O3n+2 (n=5 with x=0.2 and n=6 with x=0.33)
A. Wölfel, F. Lichtenberg, and S. van Smaalen
Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter 25 (2013) 076003 (1–5)

 

Synthesis, structural, magnetic and transport properties of perovskite-related layered titanates, niobates and tantalates of the type AnBnO3n+2, A’Ak-1BkO3k+1 and AmBm-1O3m
F. Lichtenberg, A. Herrnberger, and K. Wiedenmann
Prog. Solid State Chem. 36 (2008) 253–387

 

Effect of pressure on the polarized infrared optical response of quasi-one-dimensional LaTiO3.41
S. Frank, C. A. Kuntscher, I. Loa, K. Syassen, and F. Lichtenberg
Phys. Rev. B 74 (2006) 054105 (1–8)

 

Crystal Structure of Ca5Nb5O17
J. Guevarra, S. van Smaalen, N. Rotiroti, C. Paulmann, and F. Lichtenberg
J. Solid State Chem. 178 (2005) 2934-2941

 

Electronic and vibrational properties of low-dimensional perovskites Sr1-yLayNbO3.5-x
C. A. Kuntscher, S. Schuppler, P. Haas, B. Gorshunov, M. Dressel, M. Grioni, and F. Lichtenberg
Phys. Rev. B 70 (2004) 245123 (1–10)

 

Crystal structure of LaTiO3.41 under pressure
I. Loa, K. Syassen, X. Wang, F. Lichtenberg, M. Hanfland, and C.A. Kuntscher
Phys. Rev. B 69 (2004) 224105 (1–5)

 

Signatures of polaronic excitations in quasi-one-dimensional LaTiO3.41
C. A. Kuntscher, D. van der Marel, M. Dressel, F. Lichtenberg, and J. Mannhart
Phys. Rev. B 67 (2003) 035105 (1–5)

 

Perovskite-related LaTiO3.41
P. Daniels, F. Lichtenberg, and S. van Smaalen
Acta. Cryst. C 59 (2003) i15-i17

 

Extremly small energy gap in the quasi-one dimensional conducting chain compound SrNbO3.41
C. A. Kuntscher, S. Schuppler, P. Haas, B. Gorshunov, M. Dressel, M. Grioni, F. Lichtenberg, A. Herrnberger, F. Mayr, and J. Mannhart
Phys. Rev. Lett. 89 (2002) 236403 (1–4)

 

Dielectric properties and charge transport in the (Sr,La)NbO3.5-x system
V. Bobnar, P. Lunkenheimer, J. Hemberger, A. Loidl, F. Lichtenberg, and J. Mannhart
Phys. Rev. B 65 (2002) 155115 (1-8)

 

Synthesis of perovskite-related layered AnBnO3n+2 = ABOX type niobates and titanates and study of their structural, electric and magnetic properties
F. Lichtenberg, A. Herrnberger, K. Wiedenmann, and J. Mannhart
Prog. Solid State Chem. 29 (2001) 1–70

 

Electronic structure of layered perovskite-related (Sr,La)NbO3.5-x
C. A. Kuntscher, S. Gerhold, N. Nücker, T. R. Cummins, D.-H. Lu, S. Schuppler, C. S. Gopinath, F. Lichtenberg, J. Mannhart, and K. P. Bohnen
Phys. Rev. B 61 (2000) 1876–1883

 

Centrosymmetric or noncentrosymmetric? Case study, Generalization, and Structural Redetermination of Sr5Nb5O17
S.C. Abrahams, H.W. Schmalle, T. Williams, A. Reller, F. Lichtenberg, D. Widmer, J.G. Bednorz, R. Spreiter, Ch. Bosshard, and P. Gunter
Acta Cryst. B 54 (1998) 399–416

 

Layered perovskitic structures in pure and doped LaTiO3.5-x and SrNbO3.5-x
Tim Williams, Frank Lichtenberg, Daniel Widmer, J. Georg Bednorz, and Armin Reller
J. Solid State Chem. 103 (1993) 375–386

 

Phase diagram of LaTiOx : from 2D layered ferroelectric insulator to 3D weak ferromagnetic insulator
F. Lichtenberg, D. Widmer, J. G. Bednorz, T. Williams, and A. Reller
Z. Phys. B 82 (1991) 211–216

 

The following publications and patents are about Sr2RuO4 which has likewise a layered perovskite-related crystal structure. The preparation of Sr2RuO4 in crystalline form and subsequent temperature-dependent resistivity measurements did reveal that Sr2RuO4 displays along its layers a metallic resistivity behavior. In crystalline form Sr2RuO4 was the first metallic substrate for the epitaxial growth of thin films of high-Tc superconductors like YBa2Cu3O7-x. Some years later the still existing availability of Sr2RuO4 in crystalline form did contribute to the discovery that Sr2RuO4 itself is also a superconductor. Despite of its low Tc of about 1 K it gained considerable attention because of its unconventional superconducting properties. Even after 25 years research the superconductivity in Sr2RuO4 comprises many open questions and is still an active field of research as indicated, for example, by a Sr2RuO4 workshop "25 years of a puzzling superconductor" which took place in May 2019 at the ETH Zurich.

 

The story of Sr2RuO4
F. Lichtenberg
Prog. Solid State Chem. 30 (2002) 103–131

 

Spin-triplet superconductivity in Sr2RuO4 probed by Andreev reflection
F. Laube, G. Goll, H. v. Löhneysen, M. Fogelström, and F. Lichtenberg
Phys. Rev. Lett. 84 (2000) 1595-1598

 

Fermi surface and extended van Hove singularity in the non-cuprate superconductor Sr2RuO4
D.H. Lu, M. Schmidt, T.R. Cummins, S. Schuppler, F. Lichtenberg, and J.G. Bednorz
Phys. Rev. Lett. 76 (1996) 4845-4848

 

Superconductivity in a layered perovskite without copper
Y. Maeno, H. Hashimoto, K. Yoshida, S. Nishizaki, T. Fujita, J. G. Bednorz, and F. Lichtenberg
Nature 372 (1994) 532–534

 

Refinement of the structure of Sr2RuO4 with 100 and 295 K x-ray data
L. Walz and F. Lichtenberg
Acta Cryst. C 49 (1993) 1268-1270

 

Method for manufacturing high Tc superconducting circuit elements with metallic substrate
Frank Lichtenberg, Jochen Mannhart, and Darrell Schlom
United States Patent 5310706 (1994)

 

Superconducting circuit elements with metallic substrate and method for manufacturing the same
Frank Lichtenberg, Jochen Mannhart, and Darrell Schlom
United States Patent 5266558 (1993)

 

Sr2RuO4: A metallic substrate for the epitaxial growth of YBa2Cu3O7-x
F. Lichtenberg, A. Catana, J. Mannhart, and D. G. Schlom
Appl. Phys. Lett. 60 (1992) 1138-1140

 

New layered perovskites in the Sr-Ru-O system: A transmission electron microscope study
Tim Williams, Frank Lichtenberg, Armin Reller, and Georg Bednorz
Mat. Res. Bull. 26 (1991) 763-770

 

The following papers and patents are about hydrogen storage alloys and nickel hydroxide electrodes for rechargeable nickel-metal-hydride batteries.

 

Alkaline metal oxide / metal hydride battery
Frank Lichtenberg, Uwe Köhler, Klaus Kleinsorgen, Andreas Fölzer, and Alexander Bouvier
United States Patent 5738953 (1998)

 

Alloys for use as active material for the negative electrode of an alkaline, rechargeable nickel-metal hydride battery, and process for its production
Frank Lichtenberg
United States Patent 5738958 (1998) 

 

Relationship between composition, volume expansion and cyclic stability of AB5 type metalhydride electrodes
A. Züttel, D. Chartouni, K. Gross, P. Spatz, M. Bächler, F. Lichtenberg, A. Fölzer, and N.J.E. Adkins
J. Alloys Comp. 253-254 (1997) 626-628

 

Development of AB5 type hydrogen storage alloys with low Co content for rechargeable Ni / MH batteries with respect to electric vehicle applications
F. Lichtenberg, U. Köhler, A. Fölzer, N.J.E. Adkins, and A. Züttel
J. Alloys Comp. 253-254 (1997) 570-573

 

Ni / Metal hydride accumulator
Frank Lichtenberg, Klaus Kleinsorgen, and Günter Hofmann
United States Patent 5500309 (1996)

 

Properties of Zr(V0.25Ni0.75)2 metal hydride as active electrode material
Andreas Züttel, Felix Meli, Daniel Chartouni, Louis Schlapbach, Frank Lichtenberg, and Bernd Friedrich
J. Alloys Comp. 239 (1996) 175-182

 

Stability enhancement of the CoOOH conductive network of nickel hydroxide electrodes
F. Lichtenberg and K. Kleinsorgen
J. Power Sources 62 (1996) 207-211