Raphael Hoeller , graduated 2020

Continuum Nanomechanics of Suspended Graphene Membranes (Supervisor: C. Hellmich)

Short bio: Raphael Hoeller Raphael earned his BSc and DI (MSc) in Civil Engineering studies from the Vienna University of Technology in 2017. During his studies, Raphael was most interested in structural engineering and continuum mechanics. Therefore he joined TU-D as a PhD student under the supervision of Christian Hellmich andFlorian Libisch.

Summary of the PhD project: We focus on micro- and nanoelectronics on the one hand, and continuum mechanics on the other. Graphene membranes do not only bridge the traditional divide between soft and hard condensed matter physics, but also exhibit physical properties. In this context, the application of advanced continuum mechanics theories to graphene is still in its infancy, as is the exploration of corresponding electro-mechanical couplings.

Thoughts on TU-D: As mentioned in the project description, nanomechanics of the graphene membranes deals not only with mechanics, but also with electro-mechanical couplings. I am a civil engineer, who has been trained with the corresponding mechanical background. Working together with specialists on physics, chemistry and mathematics will improve my knowledge of these disciplines and help me in mastering the challenging complexity of my subject.