The overall goal of the nSI division is to perform high-quality scientific research in the field of surface science, and thin film and interface physics. Current topics include photo-chemical phenomena, plasma physics aspects, and short-wavelength, notably XUV, optics. Of special interest are the boundary areas between these fields: the use of XUV optics, for instance, generates also research questions in the field of photo-induced surface chemistry, as in EUV-induced optics contamination. Essential for the research in the department is the industrial or societal relevance of the research: the investigations are usually motivated by the application of the know-how in plasma surface interaction phenomena as e.g. in advanced photo-lithography optics, thermonuclear fusion processes, and the utilization of multilayer reflective optics for advanced radiation sources such as the projected XFEL free electron laser. Hence, valorisation of research results is not an incidental event, but takes place frequently.

Research in the nSI department is mainly enabled by two large research programmes: the FOM-Zeiss Industrial Partnership Programme named ‘eXtreme UV multilayer optics’ or ‘XMO’, and PSI-lab, an integrated laboratory on plasma surface interaction. In addition, a number of related research projects are carried out with themes that connect to the two main programmes. 

The research is carried out in three research groups in the department, with a sub-division that follows the core expertise in the groups
: Surface ion- and photochemistry, (SIPC),
• Physics of thin films and multilayers (TFM), and
• Advanced applications of XUV optics (AXO).

In the next sections, these groups are introduced. The results accumulated during 2008 are described in chapter 3. 



Figure 2.6: Close-up of the XPS, a surface analysis device used to study multilayers produced in the nSI department.