Born 1971.
Matura 1991.
Diploma in Chemistry at the University of Bern 1996, title of diploma thesis: "Synthesis and Optical Spectroscopy of MnO₄^2- doped Crystals".
PhD in Chemistry at the University of Bern 2001; thesis entitled: "Exchance Interactions in Cr³⁺ and Fe³⁺ Dimers and in a [(Cr³⁺)₃Ni²⁺] Tetramer. Optical Spectroscopic, Magnetic, and Inelastic Neutron Scattering Studies."
2001-2004: Postdoc at the Department of Chemistry of the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

My interest lies in the investigation of the physical properties of exchange-coupled transition metal ion systems. Using polarized single-crystal absorption and emission spectroscopy at variable temperatures, magnetic measurements (SQUID), as well as Inelastic Neutron Scattering (INS), exchange splittings of ground and excited states are determined. (Orbital) Exchange parameters are derived, which allows to determine the relevant orbital exchange pathways.

H. U. Güdel, T. Brunold, M. Hazenkamp, M. Herren, U. Oetliker and R. Schenker
Luminescence of Transition Metal Ions in Unusual Oxidation States
Electrochem. Soc. Proceedings (Luminescent Materials VI) 97-29, 225-234 (1998)      Abstract     

Ralph P. Schenker, Thomas C. Brunold and Hans U. Güdel
Synthesis and Optical Spectroscopy of MnO₄^2--Doped Crystals of Cs₂CrO₄, SrCrO₄, CsBr and CsI
Inorg. Chem. 37, 918-927 (1998)      Abstract     

Ralph Schenker, Høgni Weihe and H. U. Güdel
Double exchange in the charge-transfer states of [Cr₂(OH)₃(tmtame)₂]³⁺
Chem. Phys. Lett. 303, 229-234 (1999)      Abstract     

Ralph Schenker, Høgni Weihe and Hans U. Güdel
Exchange Interactions Derived from Electron Transfer Processes in [Cr₂(OH)₃(tmtame)₂](NO₃)₃
Inorg. Chem. 38, 5593-5601 (1999)      Abstract     

Ralph Schenker, Stephan Heer, Hans U. Güdel and Høgni Weihe
Optical Dimer Excitations and Exchange Parameters in (Et₄N)₃Cr₂F₉: First Observation of the ⁴A₂ ²A₁ Transition
Inorg. Chem. 40, 1482-1488 (2001)      Abstract     

Ralph Schenker, Høgni Weihe, Hans U. Güdel and Berthold Kersting
Exchange Pathways in Tris-m-thiolato Bridged [Cr₂L₃](CIO₄)₂CI·H₂O·MeOH (L = 2,6-Bis(aminomethyl)-4-tert-butyl-thiophenolate)
Inorg. Chem. 40, 3355-3362 (2001)      Abstract     

Ralph Schenker, Høgni Weihe and Hans U. Güdel
Ferromagnetic Exchange in the Ground state and ⁴A₁ Exited State of (Et₄N)₃Fe₂F₉. A Magnetic and Optical Spectroscopic Study
Inorg. Chem. 40, 4319-4326 (2001)      Abstract     

Karl W. Krämer, Ralph Schenker, Jürg Hauser, Høgni Weihe, Hans U. Güdel and Hans-Beat Bürgi
Crystal Structures of (Et₄N)₃M₂F₉ (M = V, Cr, Fe) determined by X-Ray Single-Crystal and Powder Diffraction: A New Structure Type for A₃M₂X₉ Compounds
Z. Anorg. Allg. Chem. 627, 2511-2516 (2001)      Abstract     

Ralph Schenker, Myriam Triest, Christian Reber and Hans U. Güdel
Interference Dips in the Single-Crystal Absorption Spectrum of the Tri-m-fluoro-Bis(trifluorochromate(III)) Complex
Inorg. Chem. 40, 5787-5794 (2001)      Abstract           

Ralph Schenker, Michael N. Leuenberger, Grégory Chaboussant, Hans U. Güdel and Daniel Loss
Butterfly hysteresis and slow relaxation of the magnetization in (Et₄N)₃Fe₂F₉: manifestations of a single-molecule magnet
Chem. Phys. Lett. 358, 413-418 (2002)      Abstract     

Ralph Schenker, Høgni Weihe, Hanspeter Andres, Reto Basler, Grégory Chaboussant, Kirsten Michelsen, Michael Aebersold, Herma Büttner and Hans U. Güdel
Competing Interactions in the Tetranuclear Spin Cluster {Ni[(OH)₂Cr(bispictn)]₃}I₅·5H₂O. An Inelastic Neutron Scattering and Magnetic Study
Inorg. Chem. 41, 4266-4274 (2002)      Abstract     

Ralph Schenker, Michael N. Leuenberger, Grégory Chaboussant, Daniel Loss and Hans U. Güdel
Phonon bottleneck effect leads to observation of quantum tunneling of the magnetization and butterfly hysteresis loops in (Et₄N)₃Fe₂F₉
Phys. Rev. B 72, 184403/1-10 (2005)      Abstract     

Visit Ralph Schenkers's Photo Gallery at the University of Bern: https://guedel.dcbp.unibe.ch/membersold/rs/index.htm

Visit the Department of Chemistry at the University of Wisconsin-Madision: http://www.chem.wisc.edu