Tobias Kampfrath

Professor Tobias Kampfrath is an experimental physicist at the Department of Physics, Freie Universität Berlin, where he leads the Terahertz Physics of Quantum Materials research group. As a Principal Investigator in the TRR227 Collaborative Research Center on Ultrafast Spin Dynamics, he oversees projects A05, B02, and B05. Kampfrath has been a professor at FU Berlin since 2017, following his position as principal investigator at the Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society.

His research focuses on ultrafast phenomena in quantum materials, particularly the angular momentum of electrons (spin and orbit) and crystal lattice dynamics at femtosecond and terahertz timescales. Kampfrath's group develops novel tools including ultrafast ampere-meters, ohm-meters, and strong terahertz voltage sources using femtosecond optical pulses. They investigate fundamental questions about writing and reading magnetic information at maximum speeds, controlling spin and orbital angular momentum transport through nanostructures, and understanding lattice vibration effects on electron angular momentum.

Analysis of Kampfrath's recent publications reveals a strong emphasis on orbitronics, spintronics, and terahertz technology. His work spans from fundamental investigations of spin and orbital angular momentum transport to practical applications in terahertz photonics. The research shows progression from basic spintronic phenomena to the newer field of orbitronics, with increasing focus on practical device applications and integration.

• Carl Ramsauer Prize (2007)
• Karl Scheel Prize (2014)
• ERC Consolidator Grant (2015)
• ERC Advanced Grant for ORBITERA project (2024)

Kampfrath has successfully mentored several doctoral researchers including Tom S. Seifert (who received the Karl Scheel Prize in 2024) and Oliver Gueckstock (who received the Young Scientist Award of the German Terahertz Center). His research has been supported by significant grants including the recent €2.5 million ERC Advanced Grant for five years of funding. The researcher co-founded the startup TeraSpinTec GmbH, which has developed market-ready products based on ultrafast spin-orbitronic research.

His laboratory focuses on developing methods to observe electron flow and orbital motion on femtosecond timescales, with applications in terahertz photonics including novel emitters, detectors, and modulators of broadband terahertz radiation. The group participates in multiple national and international collaborations including the DFG-funded Collaborative Research Center TRR227, SPP INTEREST-THz, and EU-funded projects T-SPINDEX and ORBITERA.