Dr. Nils Hertl

Dr. Nils Hertl is a postdoctoral researcher in the Computational Surface Science Group, focusing on understanding the complex dynamics of adsorbed particles on metal surfaces.

Research Focus

Nils’s work centers on disentangling the discombobulated nature of the dynamics of adsorbed particles on metal surfaces. He examines electron-phonon coupling using advanced molecular dynamics simulations, including:

• Molecular dynamics with electronic friction (MDEF)
• Independent electron surface hopping (IESH)
• Surface dynamics and energy dissipation mechanisms

His research contributes to understanding how molecules interact with and move across metal surfaces at the atomic scale, with implications for catalysis, surface chemistry, and materials design.

Background

Nils completed his PhD at the prestigious Max-Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, where he developed expertise in computational methods for studying molecular systems. He has dual master’s degrees in both Chemistry and Material Science from Georg-August Universität Göttingen, giving him a uniquely interdisciplinary perspective on surface science problems.

Publications

For a complete list of publications, visit his Google Scholar profile.