Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt

The realization and dissemination of the International Units (SI) represents one of the major tasks of PTB. Considerable progress has been achieved by using macroscopic quantum effects that were discovered in solid state physics.

Two outstanding examples are the Josephson effect for the realization of the SI voltage and the quantum Hall effect for the electrical resistance. Further quantum effects, e.g., the tunneling of single charges are presently investigated for a possible realization and definition of the current unit or the capacitance. The understanding of the respective microscopic physical mechanisms is essential for metrological applications. Hence, some selected physical problems related to the above mentioned quantum effects are investigated theoretically in PSt 5. In particular

• electrical transport in disordered systems with reduced dimensions
• electronic properties of mesoscopic systems (transport in quasi-ballistic nano-wires)
• critical behaviour and dynamic in systems with fractal properties.

List of publications

Senior Scientist
Dr. Ludwig Schweitzer
Tel.: 0531-592-8124
E-Mail:ludwig.schweitzer@ptb.de
 
 
Address
Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt
Fachbereich PSt 5
Bundesallee 100
D-38116 Braunschweig