I develop model systems based on well defined single-crystal surfaces for understanding the electron dynamics in dye-sensitized photoelectrodes. Special focus lies on understanding the charge transfer through thin alumina films.

Cui C, Heggen M, Zabka W-D, Cui W, Osterwalder J, Probst B, Alberto R (2017).  Atomically Dispersed Hybrid Nickel-Iridium Sites for Photoelectrocatalysis. Nat Commun, 8: 1341.

Graf M, Mette G, Leuenberger D, Gurdal Y, Iannuzzi M, Zabka W-D, Schnidrig S,  Probst B, Hutter J, Alberto R, Osterwalder J (2017). The impact of metalation on adsorption geometry, electronic level alignment and UV-stability of organic macrocycles on TiO2(110). Nanoscale, 9: 8756-8763.

Leuenberger D, Zabka W-D, Shah O-F R, Schnidrig S, Probst B, Alberto R, Osterwalder J (2017). Atomically Resolved Band Bending Effects in a P-n Heterojunction of Cu2O and a Cobalt Macrocycle. Nano Lett, 17(11): 6620–6625.

Zabka W-D, Leuenberger D, Mette G, Osterwalder J (2017). From Two- to Three-Dimensional Alumina: Interface Templated Films and Formation of the γ−Al2O3(111) Nuclei. Phys Rev B, 96(15): 155420.