About me

April 07, 2025

I am working the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Reserach (MPI-P) in the group of Prof. Dr. Hans-Jürgen Butt. I am focusing on Scanning Probe Microscopy (SPM) methods for characterization of surface and interface properties. I operate and organize the service lab for SPM with different microscopes from all major companies and more than 40 users.

My research concentrates at the investigation of electrical properties of surfaces at the nanometer scale (e.g. Kelvin and Conducting Scanning Probe Microscopy). The latter is important for charge transport in ion-batteries and perovskite solar cells. Based on SPM principles novel instruments are developed for the investigation of solid-liquid interfaces.

For the period from 2010 to 2016, I was elected as scientific representative of the MPI-P for CPT section of the Max Planck Society. From 2015 to 2017, I was acting as a member of the arbitration committee of the CPTS.

I studied physics at the Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg and got my diploma in Physics in 1994 in the field of high Tc-superconductors. The topic was imaging and manipulation using Scanning Probe Microscopy (SPM). After the diploma, I moved to Switzerland for working on my PhD thesis and a short PostDoc in the field of micromechanical sensors in the group of Ch. Gerber and J. Gimzewski at the IBM Zurich Research Laboratory. In 1998, I joined the Analysis Laboratory at the IBM Deutschland Speichersysteme GmbH (Mainz), where I worked on the automation of test systems, in-situ flight height control and the investigation of ion-beam structuring of magnetic materials. Since October 2002, I am working at the MPI for Polymer Research as outlined above.

Third Party Funding

International Research Training Network (IRTG 1404) with University of Mainz and Seoul National University. Ended 2015.
Stiftung Rheinland Pfalz on Split Aptamers. Ended 2016
DAAD project with Yi Zhang, Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, CAS (China) on Electrostatic Interaction between charged graphene sheets. Ended 2017
DFG project on miniaturized thermogravimetry. Ended 2018
DFG project within the SPP 2171 on adaptive wetting. Ended 2022
DFG project within the collaborative reserach center 1194 on wetting. Will end 2025
Transfer Project within the collaborative reserach center 1194 togther with KRÜSS GmbH. Will End 2027
DFG project within the second phase of the SPP 2171 on adaptive wetting. Will end 2027

Teaching

On March 12, 2025 the new MPIP lecture series "Advanced Soft Matter Science" started in the Staudinger lecture hall with a lecture by Rüdiger Berger on scanning force microscopy.

On March 12, 2025 the new MPIP lecture series "Advanced Soft Matter Science" started in the Staudinger lecture hall with a lecture by Rüdiger Berger on scanning force microscopy.

advanced practical course Scanning Force Microscopy for physics students
practical course for biological physical chemistry students on Scanning Force Microscopy.

Performance

A list of my recent publications can be found by clicking on my side Publications. A complete list can be sent on request.

My ORCID ID is orcid.org/0000-0002-4084-0675
My Reseracher ID is: RID: A-5210-2009
My H-index March 2025 was: 50, total number of published articles 202 and they received in 2023 more than 770 citiations.

In case you are interested to join my group, please contact me under berger@mpip-mainz.mpg.de
You can perform your Bachelor, Master and PhD thesis in my group. Your application must include a CV, a specific motivation letter and your university/school certificates.

Contact Rüdiger Berger

Physics of Interfaces
Ackermannweg 10
55128 Mainz
Germany
Tel.: + 49 (0)6131 379114
Fax.: + 49 (0)6131 379100
Room (office): 2.122 -- Room (SPM core facility): 2.502