Michael Woerner

Dr. Michael Woerner is the Head of Department C3 "Femtosecond Spectroscopy on Solids" and Coordinator of Projects 3.2 and 3.3 at the Max Born Institute in Berlin. His research focuses on ultrafast and nonlinear phenomena in condensed matter, including solids, nanostructures, and transient structural dynamics using THz to hard X-ray techniques. He holds a PhD from TU Munich (1991) and a Habilitation from Humboldt University Berlin (1999). His postdoctoral work spanned TU Munich (1991–1993), the Max Born Institute (1993–1996), and Bell Laboratories (1997).

Research Interests:
Woerner specializes in femtosecond spectroscopy of solids, two-dimensional THz spectroscopy, and X-ray absorption experiments. His work explores nonequilibrium dynamics of excitations (e.g., electrons, spins, phonons) and ultrafast structural changes in materials like InSb and YBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ. Recent highlights include studies on quantum coherence in solids and amplification of high-frequency sound waves.

Publications (select):
His 1990s work includes seminal papers on femtosecond infrared pulse generation, exciton dynamics in quantum wells, and plasma oscillations in semiconductors. Key contributions address coherence properties and ultrafast heating mechanisms in nanoscale materials.