Frank Ernst
Professor, Materials Science and Engineering
Studies and engineers microstructures, interfaces and surfaces of metallic materials by novel methods of processing and microcharacterization
Education
Dr .rer .nat .habil (Habilitation*),
Materials Science,
Universität Stuttgart (University of Stuttgart),
1997
Dr. rer. nat. (Ph. D.),
Physical Metallurgy,
Georgia Augusta, University of Göttingen,
1987
Dipl.-Phys. (Masters),
Physics,
Georgia Augusta, University of Göttingen,
1984
Awards and Recognitions
2017, John S. Diekhoff Award for Distinguished Graduate Teaching, CWRU
Research Interests
Microstructure and microcharacterization of materials. Surface engineering of structural alloys. Metal platings. Defects in crystalline materials. Interface- and stress-related phenomena.<br>Semiconductor heterostructures and nanostructures. Metal–ceramic interfaces. Photovoltaic absorber materials. Dielectric thin films. Methodology of microcharacterization. Transmission electron microscopy: conventional-, high-resolution-, analytical-, and energy-filtering TEM.<br>Novel approaches to surface engineering of structural alloys, specifically by concentrated interstitial solute infused form a gas phase. Prof Ernst and his research group are currently exploring applications in the area of biomedical devices. The group is also performing research on a variety of plated metal systems to understand how properties are related to that microstructure and fabrication conditions. A number of projects are underway on the methodology of specific for acquiring of composition--depth- and hardness--depth profiles.
Teaching Interests
Materials science, solid-state physics, methodology and practical application of advanced methods for microcharacterization of materials.