Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology (IFM)

Undergraduate teaching and research in the areas of biology, chemistry, materials, applied physics, theory, modelling and more are conducted at this department.

At the Department of Physics, Chemistry, and Biology (IFM), we base our pursuit of new knowledge and tackling societal challenges on the natural sciences. By combining
Photographer: Thor Balkhed
experimental and theoretical tools, we strive to understand, explain, and improve our world.

We conduct world-leading research in advanced semiconductor technology, organic solar cells and energy materials, biophysics and biochemistry, new multifunctional materials, ecology and ethology, among other fields. Our work spans from fundamental principles and concepts, mathematical models and simulations, to the synthesis and analysis of molecules, particles, organisms, materials, and systems from the nano to the macro scale.

Chunxiong Bao and Feng Gao
Photographer: Thor Balkhed
Our students are primarily enrolled in civil and university engineering programmes, but also in teacher training programmes, technical/natural science foundation year, and various standalone courses. Our three master's programmes, which are entirely taught in English, attract a large proportion of international students.

The department has approximately 400 staff members, including around 60 professors (including guest and adjunct professors) and 150 doctoral students. Teachers, researchers, and doctoral candidates from around the world are drawn to IFM.

News and articles

Read latest news and popular science from the department.

Headshot of  woman.

Ancient lentils shed light over Canary Islands history

The very first genetic study of archaeological lentils show that lentils grown in the Canary Islands have a history that stretches back almost 2,000 years. These lentils may become valuable for plant breeding in the light of ongoing climate change.

Micro motor left turn

New technique can turn a catalytic micro vehicle on or off

Edwin Jager and his team at Linköping University have found a new way of controlling micromotors, making very small vehicles move with bubbles as propulsion.

“Skin in a syringe” a step towards a new way to heal burns

Researchers have created what could be called “skin in a syringe”. The gel containing live cells can be 3D printed into a skin transplant, as shown in a study conducted on mice. This technology may lead to new ways to treat burns and severe wounds.

Upcoming events at the Department of physics, chemistry and biology (IFM)

Research at the Department of physics, chemistry and biology (IFM) 

Hanne Løvlie Photographer: Anna Nilsen
At IFM, research is conducted in collaboration with eminent researchers from all around the world

Prominent research and host for doctoral schools and larger research projects.

At the Department of physics, chemistry, and biology, we conduct innovative research in the areas of biology, chemistry and physics.

IFM also hosts two multi disciplinary research schools, Forum Scientium and Agora Materiae, as well as a number of major research projects and centres such as Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (CeNano), Biosensor and Bioelectronics Centre and Swedish Interdisciplinary Magnetic Resonance Centre (SIMARC) .

Research groups and projects at the Department of physics, chemistry and biology

Semiconductor Device Materials

Our research focuses on the development of novel semiconductor materials for high-frequency and power electronics.

Materials Design

How far can we push the design and tailoring of materials properties for known and future applications? This ultimately depends on the control of the atomic constituents while composing and structuring a material.

Eleonore von Castelmur in the lab.

von Castelmur lab

We want to explore the evolutionary relationship and functional repurposing of human proteins acquired by picornaviruses to develop new antiviral medicine and help gain better understanding of the lifecycle of these biomedically important viruses.

Infrastructure at our disposal

ARTEMI

Large machine (electron microscope Arwen).Photographer: Olov Planthaber
Electron microscope Arwen

Advancements in materials and manufacturing processes are essential drivers of innovation, enabling the development of novel functionalities and enhanced performance that are critical for a sustainable society. The properties of materials are fundamentally determined by their structure, composition, and chemical bonding at the atomic scale. A deep understanding and correlation of these factors form the cornerstone of materials research in both academia and industry.

Electron microscopy plays a vital role in uncovering these structure-property relationships through high-resolution imaging, diffraction, and spectroscopy-reaching down to the sub-atomic level.

ARTEMI, the Swedish national infrastructure for advanced electron microscopy, brings together the leading national nodes in physical sciences: Chalmers University of Technology (CTH), the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Linköping University (LiU - host institution), Lund University (LU), Stockholm University (SU), and Uppsala University (UU). Each node contributes internationally recognized expertise and state-of-the-art instrumentation.

The primary mission of ARTEMI is to provide researchers with access to cutting-edge electron microscopy facilities and specialized knowledge through artemi.se. In addition to offering access, ARTEMI actively develops advanced methodologies in imaging, diffraction, spectroscopy, and in situ / in operando techniques, ensuring that these capabilities are continuously evolving and broadly available to the scientific community. 

National Academic Infrastructure for Super­computing in Sweden

The supercomputer Berzelius photographed with fisheye lens.Photographer: Thor Balkhed
The supercomputer Berzelius.

We use large-scale computational and storage resources provided by the National Academic Infrastructure for Supercomputing in Sweden (NAISS, www.naiss.se) for advanced simulations and data-driven materials research. NAISS operates state-of-the-art high-performance computing systems, enabling electronic structure calculations, molecular dynamics, and multiscale modeling of materials. Our research groups have secured several Large allocations of resources, as well as training and user support, ensuring broad availability of world-class HPC capabilities for materials physics and nanoscience.

MAX IV

Aerial view of MAX IVPhotographer: Perry Nordeng
MAX IV in Lund.

We use large scale infrastructures such as the synchrotron sources MAX IV in Lund and Petra III in Hamburg for advanced material characterization. MAX IV offers several x-ray absorption and photoelectron spectroscopy techniques, enabling studies of, for example, bond characteristics and electronic structure of the materials. Also, techniques such as inelastic x-ray scattering and nanodiffraction can be performed at MAX IV.

LiU is part of CeXS that hosts the Swedish beamline (P21) at Petra III, a high-energy materials science beamline. The beamline has capabilities for total scattering as well as wide and small angle x-ray scattering. At the beamline, there are several sample environments for in situ or in operando studies of materials. Researchers affiliated with a Swedish university also has privileged access to the Swedish beamline and all DESY operated beamlines at Petra III which covers a range of diffraction and spectroscopy techniques. 

Overview

IFM has access to leading research infrastructures, including ARTEMI for advanced electron microscopy, MAX IV for x-ray-based materials characterization, and NAISS for high-performance computing.

These enable world-class research in materials science, nanotechnology, and life sciences. Locally, IFM hosts over 9,200 square meters of laboratory space, including 1,700 square meters of cleanrooms, supporting high-precision and interdisciplinary research.

Education at the Department of physics, chemistry and biology (IFM)

Education and teaching at IFM

Prominent research and undergraduate education at IFM with a comprehensive range of courses in the fields of physics, chemistry and biology.

The research dominates the activities at IFM, but the teaching within undergraduate education is extensive. Each year, IFM offers more than 200 courses within civil and engineering programs, bachelor's and master's programs in physics, chemistry, and biology, teacher training programs, technical and science foundation year, as well as standalone courses.

Study programmes at the Department of physics, chemistry and biology (IFM)

Doctoral studies at the Department of physics, chemistry and biology (IFM)

Graduate schools at the Department of physics, chemistry and biology (IFM)

Contact

Visiting address

Campus Valla, B building and Fysikhuset building

Mail address

Linköping University
IFM
581 83 Linköping

Department management

Directors of studies

Technology manager

Staff

Staff