A seeker of materials

Physicist Roland Resel specializes in producing new crystals. He investigates how molecules crystallize on surfaces of the most varied kinds, from metals and rocks to pharmaceuticals and chocolate. Drawing on his many years of fundamental knowledge, he tracks down new crystal structures that enable the production of materials with special properties. In the case of pharmaceuticals, this relates to their solubility, for chocolate it is the exact melting point, and in electronics, special crystal structures are grown for semiconductors.

The scientist's keen interest in the properties of materials accompanies him everywhere in his life, including his daily commute to work, which takes him through a forest. This is where Roland Resel explores nature's ability to produce crystals, from snow and ice to rock and moss.