Advanced measurements techniques have been developed which are of high sensitivity and allow characterizing materials properties (i.e., structural, magnetic, electronic properties) of bulk materials, individual thin films, thin-film heterostructures and buried intermediate layers. Partly, the techniques provide unprecedented sensitivity and resolution. Sample parameters need to be detailed to specify the application of one of the following techniques:

• Torque magnetometry
Performed in a rotatable field up to 4.5 Tesla at temperatures between about 250 mK and 250 K. The sensitivity is about <= 10-14 J/T at 1 T and thereby four orders of magnitude higher compared to magnetization measurement systems. The technique is powerful to explore the magnetic anisotropies of individual thin films, low-dimensional electron systems covering an area of about 1 mm˛ and bulk materials of small volume over a very broad temperature range.
• Positron annihilation 
  - Spectroscopy of crystalline defects and analysis of the free volume in amorphous materials: Vacancy-like defects, interfaces and nano-clusters can be analyzed near surfaces and in the bulk by using positron beam techniques.
  - Elemental selective surface characterization by positron annihilation induced Auger-electron spectroscopy: This powerful technique provides sensitivity to the topmost atomic layer. 
• Neutron scattering
  - Reflectometry with polarized neutrons to determine the spatially resolved magnetization and atomic profiles in heterostructures over a wide range of magnetic fields and temperature. Determination of surface and interface roughness.
  - Imaging with polarized neutrons to measure non-destructively the magnetization and the Curie temperature with a spatial resolution of approximately 0.1 mm (available in Nov. 2013) in bulk samples.
  - Small-Angle Neutron Scattering to characterize the magnetic and nuclear microstructure in bulk samples.
  - Neutron diffraction to determine the position of the atoms in a crystal and the position of the magnetic moments. 

• Magnetic and nonmagnetic heterostructures
  Growth of magnetic and non-magnetic heterostructures by means of evaporation and DC- and RF-magnetron sputtering. Possibilities for expitaxial growth of layers. Characterization of heterostructures and interfaces with X-ray diffraction and reflectivity measurements. Availability of magnetic force microsocopy. Measurement of magnetic properties using a physical property measurement system from Quantum Design.
• Preparation of Single-Crystal Intermetallic Compounds 
  Preparation of poly- and single-crystalline rods of intermetallic compounds for commercial applications by means of radio-frequency induction heating and optical float-zoning. Typical rod diameters may vary between a few mm up to 25 mm. Characterisation of crystal quality using x-rays and neutron scattering.

• Properties of bulk materials and thin films
  can be tested under extreme conditions (pressures up to 20 GPa, magnetic fields up to 16 T, temperatures down to the mK regime) concerning e.g. electrical conductivity, specific heat, magnetization, ...