A new home for research into quantum materials

Latest news

Photo Max Planck Institute

The Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter (MPSD) at Science City Hamburg Bahrenfeld has been officially opened.

The MPSD researches the fundamental properties of matter down to the atomic level. Here, new ways have been found to control these properties and even to use strong laser pulses to put materials into new states that do not occur in nature.

On May 13, it officially opened its state-of-the-art new research building in Hamburg. The President of the Max Planck Society, Professor Patrick Cramer, and the Second Mayor of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, Senator for Science Katharina Fegebank, were guests of honor at the opening ceremony. The MPG President ceremoniously handed over the new building to the Institute.

The new building offers optimal conditions for research into quantum materials and enables the advance into new research directions. It houses low-vibration laboratories paired with high air purity for the production of micro- and nanostructures. These samples are used to conduct high-precision experiments at high-power laser sources, extremely strong magnetic fields in the 20 Tesla range or ultra-low temperatures close to absolute zero (-273.15 degrees Celsius).

The expansion of the institute from three to five scientific departments has also been taken into account: there is space for up to 160 scientists in light-flooded offices and common rooms. The already award-winning roof garden in turn offers a stimulating ambience for scientific discussions and meetings or as an oasis of relaxation.

Of the total construction costs of 54 million euros, the City of Hamburg financed 37 million euros, with the Max Planck Society contributing the rest.

"We are extremely grateful to the City of Hamburg and the Max Planck Society for their generous support," said the Managing Director of the MPSD, Professor Ángel Rubio, at the opening ceremony. "This innovative building marks a pivotal moment in our quest to unlock the secrets of quantum materials. Here, within these walls, we will explore the fundamental building blocks of matter, uncover their intricate behaviour and harness their potential to revolutionize technology and materials science."

Hamburg's Senator for Science, Katharina Fegebank, sees the opening as an important step for the city: "The new building for the Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter marks a milestone here at Science City Hamburg Bahrenfeld . In this neighborhood, scientists will find everything they need for their excellent research: optimal laboratory conditions, state-of-the-art technology and a unique infrastructure for collaborations. This mix is the stuff that the future is made of. An important step forward that will make Hamburg even more visible as an international center of knowledge and innovation. I would like to congratulate everyone on the opening and thank all those who have contributed to this great success for our city!"

"Top research needs top framework conditions - and the new building is a truly outstanding achievement," says a delighted Max Planck President Patrick Cramer . "The Institute's outstanding basic research in physics will continue to provide ground-breaking findings in the future, helping to pave the way for future technologies such as superconducting networks, biosensors and high-speed computers in the materials sciences."

For example, the researchers at the MPSD are investigating changes in atoms and electrons that occur in millionths of a billionth of a second - i.e. on the time scale of femtoseconds. Complex theoretical models and simulations underpin their experimental work and provide valuable new insights into the materials that can help shape our future.

The institute is located at the heart of the growing Science City Hamburg Bahrenfeld, which has an outstanding scientific infrastructure and a unique range of high-performance laser and X-ray light sources. On the research campus, scientific collaboration is practiced across disciplines and institute boundaries.

Since its foundation in 2014, the MPSD has shared a cooperation building, the neighboring Center for Free-Electron Laser Science (CFEL), with the Deutsches Elektronensynchrotron (DESY) and the University of Hamburg. Some areas of the institute remain at CFEL, but the new extension building now makes it possible to establish new departments and research groups.

With the MPSD, the MPI for Meteorology and the MPI for Comparative and International Private Law, Hamburg is home to three of the currently 84 institutes of the Max Planck Society (MPG). They conduct world-class basic research in the natural sciences, life sciences, social sciences and humanities.

More news
Skip to content