News Archive
DFG funds research project into the material behaviour of piezoceramics under high-power ultrasound
HU researchers provide mathematical calculation and optimisation methods for model development:
The DFG is funding the second phase of the research project NEPTUN II. The aim is to develop realistic models for technical applications that can mathematically predict the behaviour of piezoceramics. Piezoelectric…
C₁ sells first technology licence for a biomethanol plant
Strategic partnership launched with leading Indian engineering company Thermax:
C₁ Green Chemicals AG today announced a strategic agreement with India-based Thermax, a trusted partner in energy transition and a leading energy and environment solutions provider, to jointly develop a pre-commercial…
First-of-a-kind green methanol plant from C₁ receives €13.3 million in EU funding
METHANOL.ONE project will produce 20 tons of green methanol per day in a commercial setup and avoid 318,000 tons of CO₂-equivalent in its first ten years:
C₁ Green Chemicals AG has been selected by the European Commission for funding from the EU Innovation Fund. C₁ will use the €13.3 million grant to build and operate METHANOL.ONE, the world’s first industrial-scale…
International experts discuss the potential of aluminium nitride at the IKZ
Fellowship Award for Prof. Dr. Andreas Waag:
What prospects does aluminum nitride offer for the power electronics and photonics of the future? The IKZ Symposium on October 14, 2026, in Berlin-Adlershof addressed this question. Under the title “Aluminum Nitride –…
German-French Idefix® rover on its way to Martian moon Phobos
MMX mission to explore the moons of Mars successfully launched:
The exploration of the Martian system is entering a new phase. On 19 October 2026 at 21:41 CEST, the Japanese MMX (Martian Moons eXploration) spacecraft was successfully launched from the Tanegashima Space Center on…
Patterns of polar vortices detected in lead-free superlattices on silicon
HZB team thus expands the possibilities for novel ferroelectric components:
A team at HZB has, for the first time, reported polar vortices in (BaTiO3/SrTiO3)10 superlattices on silicon. These results expand the range of materials and substrates on which polar topological textures can occur…
New PFHxA limits: BAM reference material enables reliable measurements
The certified reference material derived from outdoor textiles assists testing laboratories with their analytical work:
Since October 10, 2026, new restrictions have been in force in the EU to perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), its salts, and related substances in clothing, footwear, and accessories. The Federal Institute for Materials…
Jupiter space probe JUICE snaps flyby photos of Earth and Moon
Final rehearsal for the instruments ahead of their deployment in the Jupiter system:
On 28 September 2026, the European Space Agency's (ESA) JUICE (Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer) space probe completed its second Earth flyby manoeuvre, marking another important step on its journey to the Jupiter system.…
HZB congratulates Peter Hegemann on winning the Nobel Prize
His research groups have been using the Adlershof-based BESSY II X-ray source for their experiments for many years:
The Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) extends its warmest congratulations to Peter Hegemann, Professor of Neuroscience and Experimental Biophysics at Humboldt University in Berlin. Together with Prof. Georg Nagel (Julius…
Steering electrons with extreme ultraviolet light
International team demonstrates quantum coherent control in the extreme ultraviolet:
Scientists from the Max Born Institute Berlin (Germany), the Université catholique de Louvain (Belgium), the University of Uppsala (Sweden), Universität Kassel(Germany), and Elettra Sincrotone Trieste (Italy) have…
HU astroparticle physics group led by Prof. Kowalski made a significant contribution to the Nobel Prize win
Adlershof-based research team has been involved in neutrino research for more than 25 years:
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has awarded the Belgian-American researcher Francis Halzen with the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics for his “pioneering contributions to the IceCube neutrino observatory and the…
New Vice-Presidents at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Professor Dr Ulf Leser and Professor Dr Beate Lütke took up their new posts on 1 October 2026:
Prof. Ulf Leser is responsible for the Research portfolio, whilst Prof. Beate Lütke is responsible for the Teaching and Student Affairs portfolio. The HU Council elected both of them on 28 April 2026. They succeed…
Internationally recognized materials scientist joins BTU and IKZ
Aleksandar Matkovic, expert in complex material structures and ERC Starting Grant recipient, conducts research at the interface of materials and devices:
Internationally recognized materials scientist Prof. Dr. Aleksandar Matkovic will take over as head of the “Nanostructures & Thin Films” department at the Leibniz-Institut für Kristallzüchtung (IKZ) on October 1,…
Far-UVC LEDs transmit data at record speed
Wireless optical communication using UVC light expands the possibilities of radio-frequency technologies:
Researchers at Ferdinand-Braun-Institut (FBH) in Berlin, the Institute of Photonics at University of Strathclyde, and the LiFi Research and Development Centre at University of Cambridge have transmitted data at up to…
Nanosilver as an electrocatalyst for CO₂ reduction
Simultaneous production of formic acid, hydrogen and CO further enhances the cost-effectiveness of electrolysis:
Via electrolysis, CO2 can be reduced to CO, a raw material for further chemical products such as fuels. Within the GreenQuest Project, an internation team led by HZB chemist Prashanth Menezes has now systematically…
Record levels of purity: IKZ silicon for the mirrors of the Einstein Telescope
The institute is contributing to the preparation for the next-generation gravitational-wave detector:
The IKZ is developing the material for one of the most ambitious scientific instruments of the coming decades: high-purity crystalline silicon for the mirrors of the planned Einstein Telescope (ET). Through two…
Applied Photonics Award 2026 for FBH researcher
Marc Christ was honoured for his dissertation on compact atomic quantum sensors:
The Applied Photonics Award recognizes outstanding scientific achievements in applied photonics. In his doctoral thesis, Marc Christ developed a technology platform that makes key components of atomic quantum sensors…
Christian Hackenberger receives the UNIPRENEURS Award for outstanding commitment to entrepreneurship
The HU professor, researcher and entrepreneur has been honoured for his commitment to spin-offs and entrepreneurship:
Every three years, UNIPRENEURS awards Germany’s highest honour for outstanding achievements in promoting entrepreneurship, technology transfer and spin-offs at universities and non-university research institutions.…
Cruise Complete, Mercury Ahead
A new chapter for the MERTIS and BELA scientific instruments onboard the BepiColombo planetary mission:
After an eight-year journey through the inner Solar System, BepiColombo mission is entering a decisive phase on its way to uncovering the mysteries of Mercury, the innermost planet. A joint mission of the European…
Spin waves inside a nano-oscillator imaged for the first time
The scanning transmission X-ray microscope MAXYMUS at BESSY II reveals magnetisation processes in spintronic devices:
For the first time, researchers have directly imaged the magnetisation dynamics inside a spin Hall nano-oscillator — a nanoscale device that converts direct current into tunable microwave signals and is a promising…