We warmly congratulates Mr. Martin Dierner on the successful defense of his doctoral thesis on 5. March, entitled “Influence of substrate and alloying on the morphological evolution of solid-state dewetting of thin metal films.” With this achievement, he has been awarded the degree Dr.-Ing.
Martin’s research provides important insights into the fundamental mechanisms governing the thermal stability and morphological evolution of thin metallic films. His work systematically investigates how substrate properties—particularly polarity—and alloying influence solid-state dewetting processes, grain growth, and interface formation. By combining advanced electron microscopy, diffraction techniques, and density functional theory, his studies reveal how subtle interface energetics control microstructure evolution at elevated temperatures.
A central outcome of his work is the demonstrated strong influence of substrate polarity on dewetting kinetics and film stability, where, for example, Au films on differently terminated ZnO surfaces exhibit markedly different thermal stability and microstructural evolution . These findings are highly relevant for the design of functional thin film systems in applications ranging from catalysis to electronic devices.
The PhD research builds on a series of four first-author publications, reflecting both the scientific depth and consistency of his contributions. Beyond his own research, Martin has also been actively involved in supervising several Master’s students, contributing to teaching and mentoring within IMN and supporting the development of the next generation of researchers.
Following his successful defense, Martin will continue at IMN as a postdoctoral researcher and project coordinator of the DFG-funded Graduate School CorMic, where he will contribute to interdisciplinary research and training at the interface of microscopy, materials science, and modeling.
His defense was accompanied by an engaging scientific presentation and a lively discussion, followed by a joyful celebration with colleagues, friends, and family—marking an important milestone in his academic journey.
We warmly congratulate Dr. Dierner on this achievement and look forward to his continued contributions to research and collaboration at IMN.
