Physics and Materials

Welcome to the website of the Physics and Materials research group.

In teaching we represent topics from basic physics to structural and functional materials, as well as advanced classes on electromagnetism, actuators and cyber-physical modelling. Part of these courses include hands-on experiences in the physics and materials teaching laboratories. We also offer hands-on experiences with the development of electromechanical components in the actuators R&D laboratory.

Head

Prof. Dr. Herbert Schmidt has been appointed to the Velbert/Heiligenhaus campus as Professor of Physics and Materials since 2011. After studying physics at the University of Wuppertal, he earned his doctorate at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, IL (USA), conducting his research at the Argonne National Laboratory in Argonne, IL (USA). The topic was tunneling spectroscopy of two-band superconductivity in magnesium diboride.

In his industrial career, he was responsible for magnetic materials in the Corporate Research department at Robert Bosch GmbH in Gerlingen-Schillerhöhe (near Stuttgart) from 2003 to 2009. During this time, he worked intensively on smart actuators, especially magnetic shape memory alloys (MSMA). He then moved to Eugen Seitz AG in Wetzikon, ZH (CH), where he gained experience in the customer-specific development of solenoid valves in high-pressure pneumatics, e.g., hydrogen valves for automotive applications, from 2009 to 2011.

Research Associate

Dr. Silvia Hacia graduated in electrical engineering and information technology from Ruhr University Bochum, where she obtained her doctorate in nanoelectronics in 2005.

From 2005 to 2009, she worked in applied research in the field of process and component development at PREMA Semiconductor GmbH in Mainz.

Since 2010, she has been a research associate at Bochum University of Applied Sciences on the Velbert/Heiligenhaus campus.

Monograph

H. Schmidt: "Simulation von Elektromagneten mit FEMM und Modelica", Carl Hanser Verlag München 2019, ISBN 978-3-446-45417-0 / publisher page

Journal Papers, Book and Conference Contributions

H. Schmidt: “Analytical Treatment of Hollow Toroid Flux Tubes”, 16th International Modelica & FMI conference 2025, Linköping Electronic Conference Proceedings 218, 243 (2025) / full text / free preprint / presentation slides
H. Schmidt and S. Hacia: "Influence of Iron Losses on Switching Dynamics of an Electromagnet from Experiment and Simulation", OpenModelica Annual Workshop 2020 / free preprint / presentation slides
H. Schmidt and S. Hacia: "Magnetic Force from Experiment, Equation- and Geometry-based Calculation using the Example of a Switching Magnet", Proc. EOOLT 19, 67 (2019) / full text
E. Pagounis and H. Schmidt: "Progress in Developing Smart Magnetic Materials for Advanced Actuator Solutions", Proc. Actuator 12, 317 (2012)
H. Schmidt: "Magneto-Mechanical Energy Conversion in Magnetic Shape Memory Alloys", J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. 303, 012078 (2011) / full text
H. Schmidt and E. Quandt: "Magnetically Induced Shape-Change in Solids and its Use in Actuators", Proc. Actuator 10, 289 (2010)
E. Quandt and H. Schmidt: "Comparison of Joule Magnetostriction and Magnetic Shape memory Effect", Proc. Actuator 08, 264 (2008)
S. Jansen, M. Kessler, W. Rammaier, H. Schmidt, and B. Sugg: "Modelling, Design and Testing of an MSM Actuator", Proc. Actuator 08, 279 (2008)
H. Schmidt, K.E. Gray, D.G. Hinks, J.F. Zasadzinski, M. Avdeev, J.D. Jorgensen, and J.C. Burley: "Retention of Two-Band Superconductivity in Highly Carbon-Doped MgB₂", Phys. Rev. B 68, 060508(R) (2003) / full text / free preprint
H. Schmidt, J.F. Zasadzinski, K.E. Gray, and D.G. Hinks: "Break-Junction Tunneling on MgB₂", Physica C 385, 221 (2003) / full text / free preprint
H. Schmidt, J.F. Zasadzinski, K.E. Gray, and D.G. Hinks: "Evidence for Two-Band Superconductivity from Break-Juction Tunneling on MgB₂", Phys. Rev. Lett. 88, 127002 (2002) / full text / free preprint
H. Schmidt, J.F. Zasadzinski, K.E. Gray, D.G. Hinks, S.L. Bud'ko, P.C. Canfield, and D.K. Finnemore: "Energy Gap from Point-Contact Tunneling", in: "Studies of High Temperature Superconductors", Editor A.V. Narlikar (Nova Sci. Publ., Inc., New York 2002), Band 38: "Magnesium Diboride", Seite 229ff
H. Schmidt, "Tunneling in MgB₂ - Evidence for Two-Band Superconductivity", APS March Meeting Abstracts, J14.001 (2002) / abstract
H. Schmidt, J.F. Zasadzinski, K.E. Gray, and D.G. Hinks: "Energy Gap from Tunneling and Metallic Contacts onto MgB₂", Phys. Rev. B 63, 220504(R) / full text / free preprint
Ya.G. Ponomarev, N.Z. Timergaleev, K.U. Kim, M.A. Lorenz, G. Müller, H. Piel, H. Schmidt, C. Janowitz, A. Krapf, and R. Manzke: "Dependence of the Gap Parameter on the Number of CuO₂ Layers in a Unit Cell of Optimally Doped BSCCO, TBCCO, HBCCO and HSCCO", Inst. Phys. Conf. Ser. 167, 245 (2000)
Ya.G. Ponomarev, K.U. Kim, M.A. Lorenz, G. Müller, H. Piel, H. Schmidt, A. Krapf, T.E. Os’kina, Yu.D. Tretyakov, and V.F. Kozlovskii: "Superconducting Properties of La-Substituted Bi-2201 Crystals", Inst. Phys. Conf. Ser. 167, 241 (2000)
M.A. Lorenz, M.A. Hein, G. Müller, H. Piel, H. Schmidt, Ya.G. Ponomarev, M.V. Sudakova, S.N. Tchesnokov, E.B. Tsukor, M.E. Shabalin, and B.A. Aminov: "Inelastic Tunneling of Cooper Pairs in c-Direction in BSCCO Single Josephson Junctions and Stacks", Journ. of Low Temp. Phys. 117, 527 (1999) / full text

Patents

H. Schlembach, M. Kessler, B. Sugg, S. Tafel, H. Schmidt: "Vorrichtung zur Erzeugung eines Linearhubes", Offenlegungsschrift DE 10 2006 046 400 A1 2008.04.03
K. Reymann, T. Grund, M. Koyuncu, K. Glien, S.-R. Raisch, H. Schmidt: "Energietransformer mit elektroaktivem Polymer", Offenlegungsschrift DE 10 2009 059 024 A1; EP 2513990 A1; WO 2011 072 768 A1

Dissertation

H. Schmidt: "Tunneling Study of Two-Band Superconductivity in Magnesium Diboride" (2003) / full text

Lehrveranstaltungen

Lehrveranstaltungen im Rahmen der Bachelor-Ausbildung am CVH:

Experimentelle Methoden (im SS; Vorlesung, die Praktika werden von Profs. Ashfaq und Breuer angeboten)
Physik 1 (im SS)
Physik 2 (im WS)
Physik für Informatiker (im SS)
Werkstoffkunde (im SS)
Systemmodellierung (im SS)
Magnetische Linearantriebe (Wahlmodul, im WS).
Projekte im Rahmen des KIS-Studiums: KIS Praxisphase, KIS Projekt, KIS Projekt MI/TI, KIS Projekt MP.
Bachelorarbeit mit Kolloquium.

Lehrveranstaltungen im Rahmen der Master-Ausbildung am CVH:

Elektromagnete (im WS).
Unkonventionelle Aktoren (Wahlmodul, im WS).
Masterarbeit mit Kolloquium.

Unterrichtsmaterialien

Für die Mehrzahl der Veranstaltungen existieren ausformulierte Skripten des Dozenten. Für die Veranstaltungen “Physik 1”, “Physik für Informatiker”, “Werkstoffkunde", “Experimentelle Methoden”, “Elektromagnete” und “Unkonventionelle Aktoren” stehen diese Skripten zur normalen Ausleihe in der Fachbibliothek am CVH bereit. Darüber hinaus stehen folgende Dokumente elektronisch bereit:

Für einzelne Veranstaltungen liegen Lehrvideos vor. Sie finden diese auf dem Youtube-Kanal der Professur.

Klausurbedingungen

Es werden schriftliche Prüfungen in acht Fächern angeboten. Die jeweils gültigen Klausurbedingungen können Sie hier einsehen. Für "Physik 1" und "Physik 2" gelten Regeln, die die Verwendung bestimmter selbst geschriebener Formelzettel erlauben. Für "Werkstoffkunde", "Magnetische Linearantriebe", “Systemmodellierung”, "Elektromagnete" und "Unkonventionelle Aktoren" gelten Regeln, die die Verwendung von Formelzetten nicht erlauben. Für "Experimentelle Methoden" sind ebenfalls keine selbst geschriebenen Formelzettel erlaubt, die Klausur enthält aber einige wesentliche Formeln in tabellarischer Übersicht.

We continuously offer a variety of topics on design and testing of actuators in connection with projects and theses. Please do contact us for more information.