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ODIN (“Optical and Diffraction Imaging with Neutrons”), an imaging instrument and one of the first scientific instruments to be completed at the European Spallation Source (ESS) in Lund, Sweden, is now ready for commissioning with neutron radiation. The instrument was developed in close collaboration between the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI).

The German Research Foundation elected to continue funding the consortium “Data from Photon and Neutron Experiments” (DAPHNE4NFDI) in October 2026. DAPHNE4NFDI is a consortium of 18 organisations, including the three Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ) partners, who are working together to further develop research data management for the user community.

In a joint multi-disciplinary study, MLZ-collaborators have analyzed in real time, how hydrogen enters thin layers of metal. Main author, Dr. Laura Guasco, and her colleague and co-author Dr. Sabine Pütter talk about the importance of their findings.

From language models and autonomous experiments to machine learning: four research projects at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Centre (MLZ) are receiving funding of around 1.4 million euros from the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR).

406 adults and 80 children toured the research neutron source during the campus-wide Open House and “Mouse Day.” In addition, several hundred curious visitors stopped by the booths of the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum and FRM II to learn more about neutron research.

Researchers from the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ewha Womans University, the Institut Laue Langevin and the MLZ report that the modelled storage duration has more than tripled, with liquid hydrogen reaching up to 97% of its theoretical volume capacity.

Dr Theresia Heiden-Hecht and Dr Tobias Neuwirth from the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ) were honoured at the SNIB2026 conference in Hamburg on 10 September 2026 with awards from the Committee Research with Neutrons (KFN).

How can non-destructive testing methods help to use materials more efficiently, increase product longevity, and accelerate the circular economy? At the 10th TUM Expert Forum on 3 September 2026, experts from science and industry discussed non-destructive measurement techniques and their potential for industrial applications.

Neutrons from the MLZ’s MARIA magnetic reflectometer for large incident angles have helped elucidate a mechanism by which plants activate their immune defences. These findings can be used to develop bio-based plant protection products.

The Research Neutron Source Heinz Maier-Leibnitz (FRM II) at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) is welcoming a new Scientific Director. Physicist and TUM alumnus Prof. Andreas Meyer will take over from Prof. Christian Pfleiderer on 1 October 2026. Since 2021, Andreas Meyer has served as the German Associate Director of the Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL) in Grenoble.

Minus 269 degrees Celsius, gradually cooling down giant magnets whilst keeping an eye on everything at once: last summer, Regina Grün and Lukas Vogl from FRM II spent a week gaining new insights into the preparation of sample environments at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) in Switzerland.

How many neutrons can fit on a football pitch? And how can a train float upside down? During their visit to the FRM II, the children from the Nachbarschaftshilfe Garching had loads of questions – and at the end, they even got a portion of homemade chocolate ice cream.

For the first time, a research team has used neutrons to track the breakdown of PET plastic by bacterial enzymes at the nanometre scale. The study could lead to faster and more efficient recycling.

From 6 to 9 July 2026, 48 researchers and industry experts gathered at Schloss Fürstenried in Munich for the MLZ conference ‘Neutrons for Future Health’. The conference featured presentations on bio-inspired materials for medical and industrial applications, as well as cancer therapies and drug development.

Together with VARTA AG and BASF, international researchers including the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum have tracked what happens to lithium inside large, industry-relevant battery cells as they age. Their findings help to explain why silicon-containing batteries gradually lose capacity.

Around 80 specialists from the fields of neutron and food research gathered in Garching during the week of 15–18 June for the eighth edition of the ‘Neutrons & Food’ conference. The focus was on fostering dialogue between the two disciplines, as the organisers from the Forschungszentrum Jülich emphasise.

Materials for future fusion power plants are to be developed at the Garching research campus. As part of a new program of the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR), several research groups from the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Research Neutron Source (FRM II) at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (IPP) are pooling their expertise.

A South American research team has, for the first time, examined a 230-million-year-old mammalian ancestor in high resolution using neutrons at the FRM II. This has given the paleontologists an insight into brain development and a possible explanation as to why their lineage did not survive the mass extinction at the end of the Triassic period.

Researchers at FRM II have used neutrons to identify a previously unknown species of lizard that appears to have been widespread. The fossil, which is around ten million years old, shows that there were significantly more species at that time than previously thought.

Decades after Robert Oppenheimer first suggested using neutrons to analyse archaeological artefacts, an international conference in Munich organised by the MLZ demonstrates how this non-destructive technique illuminates our understanding of global cultural heritage.

Nuclear energy is set to make crewed space stations on the Moon a reality soon – what sounds like a distant future is currently being researched at FRM II. Aerospace engineer Julius Mercz is developing a reactor concept for the Moon as part of his doctoral thesis, a project that is also funded by the European Space Agency (ESA). We spoke with him about the background of the project.

Lea Westphal of the Technical University of Munich (TUM) is the lead author of a new study that provides the most detailed, temperature-dependent picture of ethylene carbonate (EC) to date. EC is a solvent used in the electrolytes of lithium-ion batteries.

In ‘defect engineering’, defects are purposely created in the atomic lattice to change material properties. An interdisciplinary research team led by Dr Yu-Te Chan and Dr Cristina Grosu from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has detected crystal defects at the FRM II’s NEPOMUC positron source that make batteries more efficient.

Christian Moser, environmental policy spokesperson for the CSU regional group in the Bundestag and Member of Parliament for the Freising constituency, has now visited FRM II. During the tour, Christian Moser said he was “very impressed by the portfolio and potential” of the research neutron source.

Excessive stress in a material can lead to fatigue, often rendering it unusable. To prevent this, researchers have investigated a particularly promising composite at MLZ’s Material Science Lab.

Measuring, experimenting and discovering for themselves: on Girls’ Day, 14 girls looked into the reactor vessel at the Research Neutron Source Heinz Maier-Leibnitz (FRM II), tested the glove box in the chemistry lab, measured natural radiation and were given a “formula” for a career in science.

At the Spring Meeting of the German Physical Society (DPG) in Dresden, directors of German and French neutron facilities, including Christian Pfleiderer and Stephan Förster from the MLZ, made it clear that there is a wealth of opportunities in neutron science for young re-searchers.

Three scientists from the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum have been elected to the Committee for Neutron Research (KFN). Dr Michael Schulz, Prof. Dr Christian Reiter, and Dr Andreas Houben received the most votes for the neutron research committee.

In a live stream and in person at the Deutsches Museum as part of the ‘Science for Everyone’ series, Dr Christian Stieghorst demonstrated how neutrons are used for elemental analysis at the FRM II. Under the title ‘(No) Alchemy with Neutrons – On the Traces of the Elements’ he inspired around 180 members of the audience with his insights into neutron research.

A material that repairs itself after tearing – sounds like science fiction, but it is already being used in the form of hydrogels for wound healing and in agriculture. Researchers at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ) have used neutrons to investigate how these self-healing polymers are structured and how they behave.

From defect analysis in semiconductors with positrons to cancer therapy with neutrons: ten research projects at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ) are receiving funding of around 7.6 million euros from the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR).

Nanoparticles have become an integral part of our everyday lives: they are found in medicines, catalysts, paints, and high-tech materials. Traditionally, solvents have been treated as a uniform background. A new study shows that solvents play a far more active role at the nanoscale than predicted.

The food industry is increasingly focusing on sustainable products. Proteins from green biomass are a promising option, as a research team involving the MLZ has discovered. These can be used, for example, as stabilisers in emulsions, such as in plant-based alternatives to yogurt, milk, ice cream, or cheese.

In the future, liquid molten salts could contribute to more efficient, climate-friendly energy generation. At FRM II, PhD student Liliana Quintero Zambrano is researching the use of liquid salt as a cooling and heat transfer medium in new reactor designs. The project is funded by TÜV NORD.

Rising sea temperatures are causing coral reefs around the world to bleach. For the first time, a research team at the Research Neutron Source Heinz Maier-Leibnitz (FRM II) at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has investigated the biological processes behind coral bleaching directly in living corals. With the help of neutrons, they were able to visualise structural changes during the bleaching process.

Whether used to treat bone fractures, replace teeth or act as pacemakers, metallic implants have become an irreplaceable part of modern medicine. They must remain stable while integrating with surrounding tissue. A new avenue being explored in the field of biological implants is designing titanium-magnesium hybrid implants that combine the advantages of both materials to create superior implants. Titanium is used for its high strength, while the magnesium component dissolves over time and helps stimulate bone growth. Such materials have the potential to revolutionise metallic implants.

An international team including Yishui Zhou, Dr. Yixi Su, and researchers from the Jülich Centre for Neutron Science at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ) has achieved major advances in magnetic materials with strong potential for future electronic and quantum technologies. One study investigates a chiral antiferromagnetic semiconductor, while another examines a family of topological metals with an intricate, woven-like atomic structure.

From day one, Prof. Dr. Stephan Paul, as he says, “took the research reactor to his heart,” sat on the MLZ supervisory board, and helped develop the scientific instruments. Now, the professor of hadron and particle physics with neutrons at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has been awarded the MLZ Prize for Instrumentation and Scientific Use for his many years of commitment.

A research group from Lund has investigated the crystalline proteins of the eye lens at the MLZ. Using neutrons, they showed that macroscopic properties can be predicted surprisingly well using simple mixing rules. The results provide new insights into age-related changes in the lens and open up perspectives for research into diseases such as Alzheimer’s or cataracts.

It is Rudi Vesely’s last day. At least in his job as a gatekeeper at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Research Neutron Source (FRM II). For seven years, he has been handing out keys, opening the barrier, and issuing visitor passes. It’s a job with a lot of responsibility—one that Rudi Vesely has handled with ease after studying construction and pharmacy, working as a TV editor, and writing books.

From 3 December to 4, 2025, the neutron community gathered for the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ) User Meeting. Around 230 participants came together – once again in a year without neutrons from Garching, but with a palpable sense of solidarity and a focus on restarting the research neutron source.

Dendrites are considered the most dangerous destroyers of lithium batteries – tiny metal structures that can cause short circuits. A research team at TUM has now discovered that such structures can form not only at the electrodes but also in polymer-based electrolytes. This new finding is crucial for the stability of future solid-state batteries. MLZ postdoc Gilles Wittmann developed the miniature cell used to examine the battery under real-life operating conditions.

A newly developed prototype at FRM II enables complex microbeam therapy for the first time, allowing it to be performed at a distance of only one and a half meters. Until now, this new form of radiation therapy, which enables better tumor control and fewer side effects than conventional methods, could only be performed using giant particle accelerators and was therefore not a realistic option for clinical use. The line-focus X-ray tube, the world’s first prototype of which was built at FRM II, could bring micro-radiation therapy into clinical application for the first time.

Prof. Dr. Winfried Petry, long-standing Scientific Director of the FRM II and at the MLZ, has been the new spokesperson for the Senior Excellence Faculty of the Technical University of Munich (TUM) since 1 December 2025.

Our greatest Christmas wish is to be able to provide neutrons for research and innovation again as soon as possible.
Despite the current challenging situation for neutron research in Garching, a lot is happening every day at FRM II and MLZ.

An important step has been taken in the conversion of the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Research Neutron Source (FRM II) at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) to low-enriched nuclear fuel: two fuel plates made of a monolithic uranium-molybdenum alloy have been successfully irradiated. This marks the first time a manufacturing process for new fuels with low-enriched uranium has been tested under realistic irradiation conditions.

The Technical University of Munich (TUM) is committed to nuclear research. On 15 October 2025, Dr. Christian Reiter was appointed to the newly created professorship of Applied Nuclear Technologies at the TUM School of Engineering and Design as part of the Bavarian master plan to promote nuclear fusion and innovative nuclear technologies.

Dr. Ivana Pivarníková from the Advanced Materials group, who completed her PhD at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ), has received the Edward Steers Memorial Award for Best Glow Discharge Paper. The award recognises her rigorous experimental work and method validation that advance battery materials research.

The 14th SasView Contributor Camp brought together students, postdocs, established researchers, and software engineers in Garching for a week-long hackathon designed to advance SasView, the open-source software for analysing small-angle scattering data.

A research team led by Professor Samuel Stranks at the University of Cambridge has observed ultrafast quantum phenomena in a simple, low-cost semiconductor material – a breakthrough that could make future quantum devices faster and more affordable. The necessary X-ray measurements were carried out by scientists from the Forschungszentrum Jülich at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum and at the Technical University of Munich.

The United Nations has declared 2025 the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology, marking 100 years since the birth of quantum mechanics. Fittingly, this October saw Garching become a hub of international exchange on the frontiers of quantum materials, as over 70 researchers from around the world gathered for the first-ever Munich Quantum Matter Days.

The universe consists of significantly more matter than current theories can explain. The use of ultracold neutrons allows fundamental physical questions such as these to be investigated.

A team of scientists based at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ) has taken an important step toward developing safer and more efficient batteries. Their research reveals how sodium ions diffuse and migrate through a promising class of solid materials known as NASICONs. The findings, published in the journal Materials Chemistry A, could support the future development of sodium-based solid-state batteries for applications ranging from electric vehicles to grid-scale energy storage.

MLZ physicist Dr Leonie Heinze has been awarded the Heinrich Büssing Prize by the Braunschweig University Association. The prize, worth €10,000, recognises her outstanding doctoral thesis on frustrated magnetic materials – a topic that is attracting great interest due to the unusual magnetic states that occur in solid-state physics.

Water purification and desalination based on reverse osmosis is widely applied nowadays. The core of the technology is a special membrane. The microscopic pore system of such membranes needs to stay functional over long periods of operation. To analyse the pore structure during operation, neutrons – with their penetration of complex materials – are perfectly suited.

On 6 October 2025, TUM honoured Prof. Dr. Peter Böni with a symposium for his 70th birthday. Former colleagues paid tribute to the physicist, who has shaped neutron research at TUM and FRM II for over two decades. He has also had a lasting influence on young scientists, as was evident from the many personal anecdotes shared during the evening.

Around 1,000 people gathered at the stands in the mechanical engineering department of the Technical University of Munich (TUM) on German Unity Day. In addition to the FRM II research neutron source and the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum, ITM Radiopharma, the Gesellschaft für Nuklear-Service, and the TUM School of Natural Sciences also presented themselves here. Particularly popular were the two experimental lectures in physics and chemistry, each with 400 spectators, and the guided tours of the FRM II research neutron source, which were attended by a total of 246 adults and 88 children.

How can lithium-ion batteries become more efficient? A research team involving Dr Senyshyn from the MLZ has measured a key degradation process in battery cathodes that will enable even more efficient lithium-ion batteries.

How can particularly light yet extremely resilient aluminium components for aerospace be manufactured using industrial 3D printing?

A study using neutrons provides insights into ancient craft techniques: MLZ researchers have analysed Celtic iron tools and gold artefacts from the Bronze Age to obtain information on their processing. Their results have now been published in a special issue of a renowned scientific journal.

The Federal Office for the Safety of Nuclear Waste Management (BASE) has granted approval for the transport of spent fuel elements from the Research Neutron Source Heinz Maier-Leibnitz (FRM II) of the Technical University of Munich (TUM) to the interim storage facility in Ahaus.

The Federal Office for the Safety of Nuclear Waste Management (BASE) has granted BGZ permission to store up to 21 CASTOR casks with fuel elements from the research reactor FRM II at the Ahaus interim storage facility. Further steps are required before the first transports to Ahaus can take place, so a date has not yet been set.

According to the Federal Administrative Court, the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Research Neutron Source (FRM II) is lawfully in operation. It rejected the appeal by the Bund Naturschutz against the non-admission of an appeal against a ruling by the Bavarian Administrative Court of 18 June 2024. Consequently, this legal issue has been resolved in the last instance and with conclusive effect.

A highlight for young and old every year: register now for the “Mouse Day” tours on 3 October!

Polarised nuclei of the noble gas xenon interact with neutrons in a specific manner. The measurement of this interaction is promising for research into fundamental physical questions, such as the nature of dark matter.

What does it sound like when the reactor produces neutrons? And what does a sugar molecule look like at the atomic level? With a whole backpack full of questions, nine young explorers visited the FRM II during the school holidays and immersed themselves in the world of neutrons, positrons and molecules.

From 28 to 31 July 2025, the MLZ Conference “Neutrons for Fusion and Nuclear Applications” brought together 62 international researchers and industry experts for four days of in-depth discussions, scientific presentations, and collaborative vision at Schloss Fürstenried in Munich.

To advance the development of fusion energy reactors, a new joint research project is being launched at the Technical University of Munich (TUM). The project will investigate the properties of innovative high-temperature superconductors (HTS), which are used to control the extremely hot plasma in the reactor, under extreme conditions. In addition to TUM’s Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Research Neutron Source (FRM II), the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (IPP) and the company THEVA are also participating in the HTS4Fusion project, which is funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space (BMFTR).

As part of the Meeting of the International Group of Research Reactors (IGORR) in Japan, representatives of the FRM II visited the Institute for Integrated Radiation and Nuclear Science (KURNS) at Kyoto University. The aim of the meeting was to exchange expertise on safety standards and the future of neutron research – particularly with regard to the planned construction of a new neutron source in Japan.

To speed up the process of loading samples into measuring instruments and increase flexibility, staff at FRM II are developing an industrial robotic arm that will support scientists with their experiments in the future.

Lithium-oxygen batteries could one day supersede the widely used lithium-ion batteries because, in theory, their energy density is 10 times higher. However, the technology of lithium-oxygen batteries is not yet ripe for commercial exploitation. Neutrons shed light on possible electrolytes and cathode materials.

In a breakthrough for materials science, Dr. Nicolás Di Luozzo from University of Buenos Aires and his international collaborators have developed a method to detect boron in steel using neutron radiography at the ANTARES instrument, located at the MLZ. The findings have significant implications for industries that rely on steel components, such as oil and gas pipelines, automotive, and chemical processing.

Solid-state batteries are considered a key technology for the future: they can store more energy and do not rely on flammable materials like current lithium-ion batteries. Researchers at TUM and TUMint.Energy Research have now taken a significant step towards improving solid-state batteries. They developed a new material made of lithium, antimony and scandium that conducts lithium ions more than 30% faster than any previously known material. Dr. Anatoliy Senyshyn, head of the structural research group at the MLZ and instrument scientist at SPODI, also helped with this work.

24 girls between the ages of 14 and 18 responded to this call on the nationwide Girls’ Day on April 3, 2025 and visited the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum in Garching. There, they learned about what can be researched using neutrons first-hand from the female scientists.

When charged, the graphite anode in a Li-ion battery (LIB) can be exposed to temperature- driven changes, causing structural degradation and negatively affecting its performance. X-rays and neutrons help to reveal the underlying processes behind these changes.

In front of around 300 viewers in the live stream and on site at the Deutsches Museum, Dr. Michael Hofmann showed how indispensable research with neutrons is for the development of lighter, stronger materials that can be used at higher temperatures.

At CERN, scientists from the AEgIS collaboration led by a team of the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have repurposed smartphone camera sensors to create a detector capable of tracking antiproton annihilations in real time with a resolution of about 0.6 micrometres, a 35-fold improvement over previous real-time methods. The detector was developed at the research neutron source FRM II.

Dr. Eric Mauerhofer from Forschungszentrum Jülich and his colleagues at RWTH Aachen University and the University of Cologne have published new findings on the gamma emissions of nickel, zirconium, lanthanum, and praseodymium. These elements are indispensable materials for sustainable energy systems and high-tech industries. Using the FaNGaS (Fast Neutron-induced Gamma-ray Spectrometry) instrument from Jülich Centre for Neutron Science at MLZ, their study provides valuable insights into these critical raw materials, supporting their effective application in advanced technologies.

An international research team has characterized a new material, which could be applied to separate deuterium from hydrogen. Deuterium is for example needed as fuel in fusion reactors.

High pressure significantly modulates the association of water with polymers and phase separation processes. New investigations by a German-American research team at the MLZ KWS-3 instrument reveal the pathways of aggregation of polymers into particles and their disintegration. The experiments show that pressure is key to control the hydration properties of the polymers with relevance for degradation processes in micro-plastics.

Einstein called it ‘spooky action at a distance.’ Schrödinger deemed it quantum mechanics’ most essential trait. For decades, quantum entanglement has captivated the brightest minds—and now, we can create entangled neutrons using a standard neutron scattering instrument.

Lithium-ion batteries are essential for modern devices, so researchers continuously work on safer and more efficient alternatives. A research team led by Argonne National Laboratory (DOE) and Dr. Neelima Paul and Dr. habil Ralph Gilles from the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ) revealed key insights into solid electrolytes for solid-state batteries. Neutron diffraction experiments played a central role in this. Their findings could lead to safer, more energy-efficient batteries.

An international team led by Dr Alexander Mutschke has produced a completely new compound with boric acid and hydrogen and elucidated its structure with the help of neutrons. The borate hydride could be used in fuel cells, luminescent materials or catalysis in the future.

From January 21–23, 2025, the 13th Batterieforum Deutschland – organized by the Kompetenznetzwerk Lithium-Ionen-Batterien (KLiB) and supported by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) – brought together leading figures from industry, academia and politics at the Ritz-Carlton in Berlin. Over the course of three days, experts discussed current trends in battery technology, while an accompanying poster exhibition showcased the results of ongoing publicly funded projects and research.

Green light for further research projects on low-enriched uranium nuclear fuel: Europe, the federal government and the Free State of Bavaria are funding two corresponding scientific programs at the FRM II research neutron source at the Technical University of Munich (TUM). The Bavarian Ministry of Science and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research are sharing a funding sum of 5.2 million euros. And the EU is providing 7.6 million euros, of which one million euros will go directly to TUM as the European consortium leader.

Prof. Dr Günther Dollinger has now been awarded the MLZ Prize for ‘Instrumentation and Scientific Use’ for his services to the positron source at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ). At the award ceremony as part of the MLZ User Meeting, laudator and Scientific Director of the MLZ and FRM II, Prof Dr Christian Pfleiderer, said that the PLEPS instrument developed by Dollinger’s team was one of the ‘driving forces’ at the MLZ positron source.

250 participants once again exchanged views on current research topics at this year’s MLZ User Meeting in Munich. They presented their results in 57 lectures and on 86 posters. The Chairman of the User Committee, Prof. Dr. Tommy Nylander, praised the “fantastic breath” that could be felt at the conferences.

Prof. Christian Pfleiderer, Scientific Director at FRM II and MLZ, received the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Medal on 5 December 2024 as part of TUM’s ‘Dies Academicus’.

This summer, children from the Nachbarschaftshilfe Garching e.V. enjoyed an unforgettable day at our FRM II research neutron source. With bright eyes and boundless curiosity, 17 young visitors, accompanied by their supervisor, explored the site and delved deep into the world of science. Welcomed by Johanna Jochum and Veronika Reich, the children were introduced to the mysteries of neutron science in an engaging and accessible way.

In an effort to provide more targeted therapies for cancer patients, the Technical University of Munich (TUM), the TUM University Hospital, and ITM Isotope Technologies Munich SE have signed a research framework agreement. Through this partnership, the institutions aim to enhance their collaboration and involvement of the FRM II research reactor in the fields of nuclear medicine, radiopharmacy, and medical isotope technology.

Once again this year, the FRM II opened its doors for Girls’ Day. On April 25, 23 girls had the chance to gain insight into the world of neutrons and the daily life of a scientist or laboratory technician.

Proteins are long-chain molecules essential for all biochemical processes in our body. How they move exactly in the densely packed cell interior has yet to be clarified. A Spanish research team has investigated at the MLZ how the dynamics of mimetic model polymer nanoparticles change depending on their environment.

For 364 adults and 80 children, probably the largest door on the Garching campus opened on October 3: they entered the FRM II research reactor through a gate in the fence. Hundreds of others were busy at the hands-on stations of the MLZ and FRM II in the physics building of the Technical University of Munich.

The Bavarian Administrative Court (BayVGH) has now published the reasons behind its decision of June 18. The FRM II may continue operating, the lawsuit filed by the Bund Naturschutz has been dismissed and an appeal was not admitted.

The 9th TUM Expert Forum, organized by the Research Neutron Source Heinz Maier-Leibnitz (FRM II) at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and the VDI Technical Committee 101 “Non-destructive Testing”, brought together around 70 experts from science and industry to discuss current developments and challenges in non-destructive testing (NDT), from battery technology to aviation.

Dr. Bruno Baumeister and Dr. Christian Reiter from FRM II have received the Instrumentation Award of the Committee Research with Neutrons (KFN) to further develop neutron sources. The award ceremony took place during the German Neutron Scattering Conference in Aachen.

The fabrication of the central channel is being pursued with the highest priority. Despite considerable progress, delivery has been postponed until 2025.

Many advances in energy storage, superconductivity, and manufacturing rely on developing new materials with desirable properties. An international team has developed methods to better understand these structures, providing valuable tools for future research.

A lightweight material that can be 3D printed and is stable enough to carry heavy loads: this is highly interesting for the automotive and aircraft industries because it could save up to 50% CO2 in the mobility sector. The aluminium alloy Scalmalloy® appears to have precisely such properties. In order to understand the reason for the high load-bearing capacity and to further optimise alloys in the future, researchers have carried out measurements in collaboration with Mercedes Benz, Premium AEROTEC, and Airbus.

Battery capacity loss is among the biggest brakes in e-mobility and the industry. A research team from FRM II and other institutions is now validating a method that can be used to determine the distribution of elements in the anode of a battery and, thus, better understand aging.

Many scientists were in one room for several days. The result? Heads full of new ideas, inspiration, and an exciting exchange. This is also the aim of the MLZ conference “Neutrons for Energy Storage.”

Up to three percent of people with diabetes have an allergic reaction to insulin. A team at Forschungszentrum Jülich has now investigated a method that could be used to deliver the active ingredient into the body in a masked form – in the form of tiny nanoparticles. The insulin is only released in the target organ when the pH value deviates from the slightly alkaline environment in the blood. The molecular transport system could also serve as a platform to release other drugs in the body precisely at the target site.

Dr. Iaroslav Meleshenkovskii has received the 2024 Young Scientist Award of the International Committee on Activation Analysis at the 16th International Conference on Modern Trends in Activation Analysis (MTAA-16) for his research on recycling rare magnets.

The Bavarian Administrative Court has confirmed the legality of the FRM II research reactor operation. It dismissed a corresponding complaint by the Bund Naturschutz against the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz research neutron source in Garching. The Scientific Director of the FRM II, Prof. Dr. Christian Pfleiderer, said: “This means that this facility, which is unique in the world for science and medicine, can continue to be operated.”

Researchers at the MLZ and the Philipps University of Marburg are the first to develop a method that produces hexafluorides, which are difficult to access, in a plasma system with an additional laser heating system.

Green Councilor Daniela Rieth brought a few questions to ask when she visited FRM II in March. One was about a measuring station in Garching that records the local dose rate and had been out of action for several months. The mystery surrounding this probe has now been solved: it is operated by the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) and has been measuring again since March.

Science is often criticized for conducting abstract basic research. The way neutron research improves motors for electric cars is demonstrated by a project that will start in spring 2024 between researchers from FRM II, TUM, and RWTH Aachen University in collaboration with automotive supplier Mubea.

Electrolytes in batteries are responsible for storing and releasing electricity by ensuring the exchange of ions between the anode and cathode. Solid-state electrolytes have been the subject of intensive research for some time now, as they could be a more stable and safer alternative to liquid electrolytes. With the help of neutrons, a group from Shanghai has gained important insights into the relationship between the lattice structure and ionic conductivity of such solid-state electrolytes.

Have you ever thought about how strawberries for muesli are freeze-dried? How do you prevent the needles of pre-filled syringes from clogging up so that medication is not injected correctly? Or: How did dinosaurs breed? Dr. Michael Schulz’s “Science for Everyone” lecture at the Deutsches Museum provided answers – now also on YouTube.

From 8 to 10 April 2024, researchers met in Garching for the first “Machine Learning Conference for X-Ray and Neutron-Based Experiments”. The conference focussed on how AI systems can help analyze large amounts of data from experiments and provide new approaches.

Whether sedimentary rocks store fossil hydrocarbons or act as impermeable layers to prevent the rise of oil, natural gas or stored carbon dioxide – all depends on their porosity. The size, shape, organization, and connectivity of the pore spaces are decisive. At the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Research Neutron Source (FRM II) at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), the networks of micropores were characterized using small and very small angle neutron scattering.

The Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Research Neutron Source (FRM II) and the French company Framatome have signed a further contract for the production of high-density and low-enriched fuel for the conversion of the FRM II. The project will run for four years and is intended to further optimize the production line and prepare an industrial manufacturing process for the uranium-molybdenum (U-Mo) fuel.

The cyanobacterium Prochlorococcus is the smallest and most abundant photosynthetic organism in the world. It has found a particularly efficient way to absorb and store vital iron. Using neutron, X-ray, and synchrotron experiments, an international team of researchers has visualized the molecular mechanism for the first time.

Milk alternatives made from sugar beet leaves – this is the vision of a Jülich research team. They have examined milk proteins and other components in cheese, yoghurt, cow’s milk and oat milk using X-rays and neutrons to find out what the structure of the products and individual components must be like in order for them to be stable, appealing and nutritious.

14 members of all political groups of the Garching City Council and three city employees recently visited the TUM’s Research Neutron Source together with Mayor Dr. Dietmar Gruchmann. Lectures, a tour of the reactor and a snack afterwards provided plenty of opportunity for discussion.

The Research Neutron Source Heinz Maier-Leibnitz (FRM II) celebrates its 20th birthday on 2 March 2024. Since its commissioning in 2004, the FRM II has played a key role internationally in the supply of neutrons for research, industry and medicine.

Organic photovoltaics could be mass-produced cheaply and provide renewable energy. However, the materials are chemically unstable when exposed to oxygen or intense radiation. A team of researchers from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and the FRM II have now tackled this problem and made a valuable contribution to the further development of organic photovoltaic cells.

Proteins unfold when exposed to heat and thus not only lose their function, but can clump together and cause damage in organisms. Heat shock proteins (Hsp) bind to proteins before they unfold completely. A group from Japan has studied Hsp72 with neutrons for the first time and gained important insights into the course of these reactions.

Promises made by moisturizers range from helping against dry skin to rejuvenating effects. The buzzword: ceramides. Quite a lot of responsibility for this group of molecules. But that’s not all: they also form the natural barrier in the outermost layer of the skin. However, the structures in which the lipids arrange themselves in the skin must be better studied in order to understand how they function. Neutron scattering is a particularly suitable method for that.

Prof. Dr. Mirijam Zobel has been the director of “Neutron Analytics for Energy Research” at the Jülich Centre for Neutron Science (JCNS) at Forschungszentrum Jülich since the beginning of January. She operates two scientific instruments with hot neutrons at the MLZ.

Dr. Wolfgang Waschkowski, who was part of the project management for the construction of the FRM II for many years, has died at the age of 84. He had been awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany for his commitment to the realization of the research neutron source.

When developing new generations of batteries, researchers are challenged by various physical effects that reduce the storage capacity. Using state-of-the-art neutron scattering, scientists from FRM II and Australia have investigated one of these effects: the jumping of lithium ions in the cathodes of commercial batteries.

The Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Research Neutron Source (FRM II) is getting a new scientific director. Physicist Prof. Christian Pfleiderer from the School of Natural Sciences at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) will take over from Prof. Peter Müller-Buschbaum on January 1, 2024. Pfleiderer has been at TUM since 2004 and has held the Chair of Experimental Physics for the Topology of Correlated Systems since 2014.

Fusion research reactors require heat-resistant wall materials. Researchers have investigated a promising candidate with neutrons at the MLZ.

Neither snow nor ice could keep 208 users and MLZ employees away on December 4 and 5: They came to Munich for the 9th MLZ User Meeting. The ca. 40 registered participants who could not make it due to canceled public transport or freezing rain at Munich Airport could join in via video conference.

Dr. Astrid Schneidewind has been elected as the new chair of the European Neutron Scattering Association ENSA. As an association of national European societies, ENSA represents the interests of neutron researchers in Europe. Astrid Schneidewind has actively promoted the interests of ENSA being an instrument scientist of the Jülich Centre for Neutron Science at the MLZ and as Chair (2017-2020) of the German committee research with neutrons KFN.

From November 21 to 24, 2023, more than 80 internationally renowned scientists met at the Pinakothek der Moderne to discuss the benefits of synchrotron radiation and neutrons for art and archaeology. The MLZ organized the event with the Doerner Institut of the Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen (Bavarian State Painting Collections).

Nuclear fusion could help solve the energy problem in the future. However, there are still numerous challenges to overcome before then. Among other things, the inner walls of the fusion reactor must be able to withstand extreme conditions. Positrons help researchers to study these materials.

How do Li-ion batteries become more environmentally friendly, cheaper and more powerful? An international research team investigated this question. With the help of neutron and X-ray radiation, they examined the crystalline structure of a new cathode material and discovered a third, previously unknown structural phase.

The spent fuel elements of FRM II are to be transported to the Ahaus interim storage facility of the federally owned Gesellschaft für Zwischenlagerung (BGZ). A political delegation from the North Rhine-Westphalian city of Ahaus has now visited the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Research Neutron Source (FRM II) and the City of Garching for the first time for an exchange.

Several thousand science enthusiasts came to the research campus in Garching on German Unity Day. Together with 16 other institutes, the FRM II had opened its doors for children and adults on the Germany-wide day of the “Sendung mit der Maus”. And on top of that, there was even the first lecture by the newly crowned Nobel Prize winner in physics.

For the first time, researchers at the MLZ have provided a comprehensive overview of the production of superconducting niobium films. Using electron diffraction, they investigated the influence of temperature on production.

On 13 September, our much-loved and highly respected long-standing colleague, Dr. Marie-Sousai Appavou, passed away suddenly at the age of 46.

This year’s MLZ Prize for Instrumentation and Scientific Use goes to Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Schmahl from the Ludwig-Maximilian-Universität München. He has rendered outstanding services to the construction and operation of the scientific instruments RESI and SPODI.

Prof. Dr. Tomoo Katsura and his international research team at the Bavarian Research Institute of Experimental Geochemistry and Geophysics, University of Bayreuth, have discovered why rocks in the Earth’s interior suddenly become more viscous at depths of 800 to 1,200 kilometres.

The restoration of artworks often involves solvents which have toxic properties. Now researchers have succeeded for the first time in creating a non-toxic and sustainable cleaning agent for paintings. Scientists at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) Research Neutron Source Heinz Maier-Leibnitz (FRM II) investigated the structure of the agent, referred to as an organogel.

Rebuilding the inside of a surprise egg without ever having opened the egg? This is possible? Yes, Felicia Calzada and Anna Senyshyn managed it during their internship at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ) in Garching. The pupils enthusiastically present their results. The topic of their internship: non-destructive material testing.

Dr. Axel Pichlmaier is the new head of the International Group of Research Reactors IGORR, which represents research reactor interests worldwide. The FRM II Technical Director and his new leadership team were elected at a meeting at the University of Maryland, USA. They aim to continue the work of predecessor Gilles Bignan and recruit more members, especially from Africa.

As part of their summer program, the children of the Minikinderhaus from Garching visited the Forschungs-Neutronenquelle FRM II. After a short introduction to the research at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ), the 25 children and their companions went to the neutron guide hall. There they marveled at the many instruments and learned what a dosimeter is. Final experiments with liquid nitrogen created a highlight.

Currently, the FRM II is working towards installing a new central channel. The work is progressing and it is planned to provide neutrons for research and innovation again from the second half of 2024.

For the MLZ Conference 2023 more than 50 conference participants met at Schloss Fürstenried from May 22 to 25. A total of 44 speakers discussed the application of neutrons in biomaterials research. Exciting lectures were given about the SARS-CoV-2 fusion process and new possibilities for cancer therapy.

A scientific team from Forschungszentrum Jülich has developed a new approach at MLZ to improve the efficiency of neutron spectroscopy experiments and successfully tested it at the Swiss Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI). Neutron spectroscopy detects forces such as those between atoms arranged in an atomic lattice. The researchers optimized the data acquisition using an active learning artificial intelligence approach. This reduces the time per experiment and makes better use of the scarce resource of measurement time, especially in the first hours of an experiment.

Cyanobacteria have a built-in sunscreen in their cells. Using neutrons at MLZ, a German-Estonian research team has now directly observed the orange carotenoid protein in action. Surprisingly, they found that a previously much-studied mutant of the protein behaves significantly differently than the original.

The hypodermic needles on pre-filled syringes can clog when stored incorrectly. A research team subjected the process to a detailed and systematic investigation, including activities at the Research Neutron Source Heinz Maier-Leibnitz (FRM II) of the Technical University of Munich (TUM). The results will help improve manufacturing and storage conditions accordingly.

The storage capacity, safety, and service life of rechargeable batteries must significantly increase to produce for example more reliable electric cars with higher mileage. A lithium-metal battery can offer much higher storage than a lithium-ion battery but there is concern about the safety issue. A protective coating of the anodes of lithium metal batteries shows great potential here for future products.

“Science is moving,” said Dr. Peter Müller-Buschbaum, scientific director at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ) and the Research Neutron Source Heinz Maier-Leibnitz (FRM II), at the start of a workshop where 85 participants discussed the planned MORIS modernization program at the MLZ. In 50 presentations, the scientific use of neutrons from the user side and the currently discussed project ideas for the upgrade of the MLZ instrument portfolio were presented.

The International Atomic Energy Agency has commissioned Dr. Burkhard Schillinger of the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Center (MLZ) to test low-power neutron sources in Argentina and Chile. He traveled to South America with a smaller, transportable version of the neutron tomography facility from Garching. After only two days, the facility was ready and successfully delivered first test images.

On April 15, the commercial use of nuclear power for electricity generation in Germany ended in accordance with the Atomic Energy Act. This decision does not affect the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Research Neutron Source (FRM II).

As of 1st April 2023, Prof. Dr. Peter Müller-Buschbaum has again been instated as Scientific Director of the research neutron source Heinz Maier-Leibnitz (FRM II) and the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ).

Neutrons from the Research Neutron Source Heinz Maier-Leibnitz (FRM II) can be used to explore the structure of biomolecules. The most recent success: the precise analysis of a promising vaccine against multidrug resistant germs.

From March 20th to 23rd, the eighth European Conference on Neutron Scattering (ECNS) took place in Garching. After St. Petersburg (2019) and Zaragoza (2015), the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum was this year’s host.

The “League of Advanced European Neutron Sources” LENS has elected MLZ Director Prof. Dr. Martin Müller as its new Chair, his deputy is Prof. Dr. Michel Kenzelmann from PSI. They succeed Prof. Dr. Helmut Schober (ILL) and Prof. Dr. Robert McGreevy (ISIS).

From the food industry to artificial intelligence, biomaterials are increasingly being used. Neutrons at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum can also characterize these materials. From May 22 to 25, the conference “Neutrons for Biomaterials” will take place. Deadline for abstract submission is March 31, registration is possible until April 11.

The newly developed superalloy VDM® Alloy 780 withstands temperatures of up to 750°C and endures enormous forces with ease. Such materials are real superheroes among alloys. And just like human superheroes, they have very special laboratories and methods with which they can improve their strength. Neutrons and X-rays are an indispensable part of this research.

At his public lecture as part of the “Science for Everyone” series at the Deutsches Museum, Dr. Sebastian Busch gave more than 100 listeners an insight into his research on water in important processes in the human body. The lecture is available online on the Deutsches Museum’s YouTube Channel.

16 scientific articles on small-angle magnetic scattering with neutrons have been compiled by four researchers in a special issue of the Journal of Applied Crystallography. They were all published in the journal over the course of a good six months.

A research team at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has discovered a material class with above-average conductivity. This is a decisive step forward in the development of high-performance solid-state batteries. Investigations conducted at the Research Neutron Source Heinz Maier-Leibnitz (FRM II) made an essential contribution to the discovery.

He was the successor of Heinz Maier-Leibnitz and contributed significantly to the fact that the most modern neutron source in the world is located in Garching. Recently, Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Gläser has passed away at the age of 89.

With new insights into the interior of lithium-ion batteries, a team of scientists led by Dr Anatoliy Senyshyn and Dominik Petz has succeeded in taking another step towards longer-lasting batteries. Neutron scattering at MLZ’s STRESS-SPEC instrument and further measurements showed a correlation between higher temperature development of the battery and its age.

The members of the Committee Research with Neutrons (KFN) are concerned about the current situation of research with neutrons in Germany. In a letter to the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, they describe the situation and make suggestions on how to circumvent current bottlenecks and avoid future ones.

An interdisciplinary research team led by the Leibniz-Zentrum für Archäologie (LEIZA) has solved the mystery of a gold-plated pendant found in 2008 in a medieval refuse pit in the Old City section of Mainz. Thanks to the non-destructive examinations at the Research Neutron Source Heinz Maier-Leibnitz (FRM II) of the Technical University of Munich (TUM), the researchers localized miniscule bone fragments inside the object, presumably religious relics.

The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) is again funding the development and expansion of scientific instruments at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ) with 7.9 million euros. In addition to the Technical University of Munich, five other German universities and institutes are participating.

Finally – after two years of virtual conferences – the MLZ was happy to welcome 225 participants in person to this year’s User Meeting on December 8th – 9th. Besides 61 talks and a poster session, there was a clear focus on the future of neutron science at MLZ with a strong commitment of the three MLZ partners to refurbish the instrument suite.

Prof. Dr. Heinz-Günter Brokmeier receives this year’s prize of the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum for instrumentation and scientific use. The 70-year-old from Clausthal University of Technology is thus honored for his early and great commitment to the material science diffractometer STRESS-SPEC at FRM II and MLZ.

Scientifically speaking it is possible to convert the Research Neutron Source (FRM II) at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) for a fuel element with Low Enriched Uranium (LEU). This conclusion is the result of TUM researchers’ calculations, which have been independently confirmed by experts in the USA. This establishes the theoretical foundations for implementing state regulatory requirements to discontinue the use of Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) as fuel at the FRM II in the future.

The existence of carbonic acid has long been the subject of debate: theoretically real, but practically impossible to detect. That is because the compound decomposes at the Earth’s surface. A German-Chinese team of researchers working at the FRM II Research Neutron Source at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has now made the crystalline structure of carbonic acid molecules visible for the first time.

For his ground-breaking research in superconductivity and magnetism, Prof. Peter Böni of the Technical University of Munich (TUM) received the Walter Hälg Prize on August 23, 2022. The award is endowed with 10,000 Swiss Francs and was presented by the European Neutron Scattering Association (ENSA) at the International Conference on Neutron Scattering (ICNS) in Buenos Aires.

The directorate of the FRM II has ceremonially opened the photo exhibition of Wenzel Schürmann in the LITVAI Gallery of Photography. It can be seen in the old town of Landshut until November 19.

A team at the Albert Ludwigs University of Freiburg uses high-resolution neutron microscopy to detect undesired salt formation in electrodes of CO2-electrolysis for the first time, thus shedding light on the cause of a central problem area.

They are so indispensable that we sometimes forget their role in our everyday lives: Valves were drivers of the industrial revolution. Their electronic cousins, the transistors, kick-started the digital age by enabling logical circuits on ever-smaller components. A new patent, developed at the MLZ and the Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, makes for the first time so-called spin valves possible, which produce any resistance and could be used as artificial neurons, for example.

Elisabeth Jörg-Müller has been awarded the Karl Max von Bauernfeind Medal. With this prize, the Technical University of Munich (TUM) honors the “proactive and extra-mandatory commitment” of the assistant to the scientific directors at the FRM II.

During the Germany-wide action day “Türen auf mit der Maus“ (“Open Doors with the Mouse”) organized by WDR on October 3, 2022, the Research Neutron Source Heinz Maier-Leibnitz (FRM II), together with other research institutes of the Technical University of Munich (TUM), opened its doors to mouse fans young and old. More than 800 children and adults visited the varied program at the various stations of the TUM.

Where did the Earth originate? Why do planets look the way they do? How did the solar system form? These big questions have been driving mankind forward since forever – and the answer is made up of an infinite number of small details. Researchers at the Heinz Maier-Leibniz Research Neutron Source are working to uncover some of these details.

The 44th Edgar-Lüscher Seminar attracted more than 50 teachers from all over Bavaria to Zwiesel from July 4 to 8. This year, the renowned training course followed “Physics in Archaeology and Art History” and dealt with the latest neutron methods in the examination of paintings by Van Gogh or the Nebra Sky Disk.

On 08.09.2022, the Expert Committee 101 Non-Destructive Testing of the VDI Society Materials Engineering met for another platform meeting for application-oriented networking. Ten presentations under the umbrella term “Automation and Machine Learning in Nondestructive Testing” were held. A poster exhibition and a concluding panel discussion provided the opportunity for lively exchange, networking and discussion for the approximately 50 participants.

At the age of 85, Dr. Anton Axmann passed away on August 30, 2022. Under his guidance, the construction permits for the research reactor were issued and the buildings were constructed. As an enthusiastic nuclear engineer, he ensured the optimal alignment of the beam tubes, a cold source with a particularly high neutron flux, and a hot source to expand the range of applications.

Together with more than 50 research infrastructures, the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ) is participating in the EU project ReMade@ARI, which starts on September 1, 2022. The aim of the project, which is funded with 13.8 million Euros, is to develop new materials that are competitive and highly recyclable.

Proteins are one of the basic building blocks of life. They provide structure, enable movement and catalyse metabolic processes. With the help of neutrons, a German-Japanese research team has now discovered a previously unknown protein structure – an important step towards better understanding the complex folding processes of proteins.

From 05 – 08 July, the retreat “Antimatter: Positrons in Fundamental Research and Materials Physics” took place at the Dresdner Hütte in the Stubaital. At the event, which was sponsored by the Heraeus Foundation, MLZ researchers exchanged ideas with other experts in positron research and inspired the younger generation about their field of research.

A team of German and Argentinian researchers has used neutrons in the FRM II research neutron source at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) to identify an animal species that has been extinct for 220 million years. Findings on the new species provide surprising insights into the evolution of mammals.

Their mission was to discover the neutron source, and the twelve motivated schoolgirls pursued this goal with a plan on August 2. As part of the “TUM Entdeckerinnen” program, the 13-15 year olds came to visit during summer vacation, looked behind the scenes at the research neutron source and asked plenty of questions.

New solid-state batteries promise to deliver more energy than their conventional sisters using liquid electrolytes and are attractive for e-mobility because of their longer ranges. A study using neutrons at the MLZ suggests developing a solid electrolyte while intentionally leaving the material disordered. This will lead to higher battery performance.

On June 27, FRM II presented itself at the student career fair IKOM. The four-day event at the Technical University of Munich is the largest student career fair in Germany and connects students and employers. Numerous internships, job offers and student thesis projects attracted more than 200 interested fair visitors to the FRM II booth.

Today, the Deutsches Museum reopened for the first time after reconstruction presenting, among other things, a station for the research neutron source Heinz Maier-Leibnitz (FRM II) in the permanent exhibition “Atomic Physics”.

Superconductors can not only conduct electricity without resistance and are in demand for high magnetic fields. They are also an ideal playground for fundamental research, where physicists test theories for general physical phenomena. In a collaboration between the MLZ and the Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL) in Grenoble, PhD student Xaver Brems used superconductors to investigate how different phases in a solid are interconnected.

From May 31st to June 3rd, this year’s MLZ conference “Neutrons for Mobility” took place in Lenggries. Fifty scientists exchanged ideas on topics related to mobility and neutron research at the interdisciplinary event, contributing to a lively, diverse meeting.

A research team led by the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has taken an in-depth look at the internal workings of batteries during charging and discharging. Their findings may help optimize charging processes.

A very interested and enthusiastic State Minister visited the Research Neutron Source, “one of the most powerful and versatile neutron sources worldwide”, as Scientific Director Prof. Dr. Peter Müller-Buschbaum introduced FRM II.

Hydrogen is not only a sustainable fuel in the energy mix, but also plays a key role in neural networks. German and Argentinian researchers at the MLZ have now demonstrated that neutrons are more sensitive than ever before to hydrogen atoms in thin layers and can thus reduce the energy consumption in neural networks in the future.

On April 28, more than 90,000 girls did not go to school. Instead, they went to Girls’ Day! FRM
II also participated in this nationwide event, welcoming 18 interested girls at its gate once
again. Everyone who is at the neutron source for the first time has many questions: What do you need neutrons for? Where do they come from? And what does radiation do?

The final stage for each fuel element at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Research Neutron Source (FRM II) is the storage pool. Here it waits several years before its onward transport. Taking advantage of this, one research team is using the remaining energy for valuable studies. For instance, they are examining salt crystals for the final disposal of radioactive waste – and dreaming of applications on a grander scale.

Smart molecules can change their shape and properties depending on temperature or other parameters such as macromolecular architecture. In pharmaceutic applications, they release active ingredients in a targeted manner at the desired locations. Neutrons at the MLZ reveal these nanostructures and help specifically design new molecules with desired properties.

During the Germany-wide action day “Türen auf mit der Maus“ (“Open Doors with the Mouse”) organized by WDR on October 3, 2022, the Research Neutron Source Heinz Maier-Leibnitz (FRM II), together with other research institutes of the Technical University of Munich (TUM), opened its doors to mouse fans young and old. More than 800 children and adults visited the varied program at the various stations of the TUM.

Neutron researchers from France and Germany have started a close collaboration with the International Research Project GeFR@NS. From February 15-16, more than 100 scientists from both countries exchanged ideas on current research topics and laid the foundation for concrete joint projects at the digital kick-off event.

Nuclear medicine utilizes technetium-99m among other things for tumor diagnostics. With over 30 million applications worldwide each year, it is the most widely used radioisotope. The precursor material, molybdenum-99, is mainly produced in research reactors. A study at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Research Neutron Source (FRM II) at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) now illustrates options to significantly reduce the radioactive waste produced during processing to a medical product.

Clean water is in short supply worldwide. That is why there exist many plants based on membrane technology to purify brackish, sea and wastewater, especially in arid regions. An Israeli-German research team has now studied the fouling and scaling of membranes in wastewater treatment plants using neutrons. These studies could improve the purification processes and reduce costs.

How neutrons help to diagnose and treat cancer was explained by Dr. Tobias Chemnitz during his talk in the “Science for everyone” lecture series at the Deutsches Museum in Munich. A livestream also enabled viewers at home to learn more about radioisotopes and tumor irradiation at the research neutron source FRM II.

Over two days of informative and productive meetings, representatives from the League of advanced European Neutron Sources (LENS) and the wider neutron scattering community met online to discuss current and future goals of the initiative, in the context of the broader European research landscape. Members of the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum also participated in the meeting.

Great female engineers, scientists and technicians work at FRM II and at the MLZ. They shape international neutron research and take on a lot of responsibility in the operation of the neutron source.

Just as electrons flow through an electrical conductor, magnetic excitations can travel through certain materials. Such excitations, known in physics as “magnons” in analogy to the electron, could transport information much more easily than electrical conductors. An international research team has now made an important discovery on the road to such components, which could be highly energy-efficient and considerably smaller.

How can the efficiency of photovoltaic plants be increased? Positron lifetime studies helped to understand new solar cell material and characterize defects.

The brain is the center of our nervous system – structural changes are often involved in neurological diseases and mental disorders. A team from Forschungszentrum Jülich has now developed a neutron-based method at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ) to examine brain slices and better understand these types of diseases.

Hydrogen plays an important role in the transition to a sustainable energy infrastructure. It is particularly promising as a potential energy storage medium because of its flexible applications, for example in electromobility or in the steel industry. Nevertheless, the technology still faces major obstacles, especially in terms of energy efficiency and high costs. Intensive research goes into developing solutions and the neutrons from FRM II are contributing to this effort.

Polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEMFC) can be found, for example, in hydrogen cars and are therefore important in the transition to green energy. The core element of the cells is a proton exchange membrane. Researchers at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ) in Garching have now investigated its complex structure in greater detail than ever before with the help of neutrons.

Industry and private consumers alike depend on oil and gas pipelines that stretch thousands of kilometers underwater. It is not uncommon for these pipelines to become clogged with deposits. Until now, there have been few means of identifying the formation of plugs in-situ and non-destructively. Measurements at the MLZ now show that neutrons may provide the solution of choice.

The Covid-19 pandemic has not been making things easy for researchers either. But a scientist from the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ) and a doctoral student at the training reactor in Prague did not let lockdowns and travel restrictions get them down: Using video calls, they teamed up to build a portable, highly sensitive neutron detector.

The research neutron source Hein Maier-Leibnitz (FRM II) at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) is playing an important role in the investigation of mRNA nanoparticles similar to the ones used in the Covid-19 vaccines from vendors BioNTech and Pfizer. Researchers at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ) used the high neutron flux available in Garching to characterize various formulations for the mRNA vaccine and thus to lay the groundwork for improving the vaccine’s efficacy.

NICOS is the link between the scientific instruments and visiting researchers during neutron experiments. The software, originally developed at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Center (MLZ), is now in demand worldwide and is increasingly expanding its user community.

The User Meeting 2021 showed that the users of the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum are very active even without neutrons. From new materials for lithium-ion batteries and cancer therapeutics made by FRM II to a new deuteration service at the MLZ, the more than 130 talks and posters offered a lot of innovation. And despite the digital format, personal exchange was possible in the interactive “Ask the Instrument” sessions.

On 03 November, FRM II presented itself at the university contact fair HoKo. The event, which is one of the largest German contact fairs between students and companies, took place for the second time in a purely digital format. In addition to numerous other exhibitors, the FRM II and the MLZ offered 35 positions for students and graduates.

An international research team at the Research Neutron Source Heinz Maier-Leibnitz (FRM II) of the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has developed a new imaging technology. In the future, this technology could not only improve the resolution of neutron measurements by many times, but could also reduce the radiation dose for medical x-ray imaging.

Mobility is a fundamental ingredient of our present society and engages researchers from various disciplines worldwide. The MLZ Conference “Neutrons for Mobility” brings together experts from mobility and neutron research. Participants can register as Early Bird until 31.03.2022.

From now on, students can apply again for the European Master Program MaMaSelf+ (Master in Materials Science for Energy applications using Large Scale Facilities). The goal of MaMaSelf is to apply large-scale research methods to characterize and develop materials. One of the stations of the two-year program is the research neutron source FRM II.

More than 50 years ago, researchers discovered a pronounced phase transition in strontium iron oxide at room temperature. However, what exactly happens in this process at the atomic level has been unclear ever since. Using high-resolution neutron measurements, a research team from the Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Center (MLZ) has now been able to solve this old mystery.

Young researchers wanted: MLZ is awarding 15 postdoctoral positions for two years via the EU funded Global Neutron Scientists (GNeuS) project. Applications can be submitted from November 1, 2021 until January 15, 2022.

For the second time, researchers from the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Centre (MLZ), the global biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca and Malmö University collaborated to advance the understanding of mRNA therapeutics. This time, their focus was on a specific protein and the question of what happens to the mRNA once it is administered into the blood.

Turbine manufacture often pushes conventional processes to their limits. That is why complex, curved components with intricate structures are increasingly produced using 3D printing. There are a range of test methods to find defects inside components. A research team from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has now examined a number of methods in use. The best error detection rate achieved neutrons at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz research neutron source (FRM II).

The Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ) has presented this year’s prize for instrumentation and scientific use just over the fence. The laureate, Prof. Dr. Peter Böni from the Physics Department of the Technical University of Munich (TUM), has built five scientific instruments at FRM II and MLZ.

70 children and 139 adults enjoyed a guided tour of the research neutron source FRM II today. On the Open House and Door-Opening-Day of the “Sendung mit der Maus” program, they took a look inside the reactor hall and learned more about science with neutrons.

Researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have succeeded in demonstrating the existence of a novel nanoswitch with the aid of neutrons. In addition to the on and off function previously known for nanoswitches, this switch can be brought into a third stable standby state. The discovery could help develop new sensors or make it easier to dose chemical substances.

Lower energy consumption and new functions in semiconductor technology promises the new two-dimensional material. Researchers at Forschungszentrum Jülich have discovered new properties in quantum mechanics, together with team members from Germany, France and China. They achieved this with the future technology of magnonics.

Scientists at Forschungszentrum Jülich and Donghua University in Shanghai, China, have demonstrated a skin-like synthetic material intended to advance the development of so-called “wearables”, as well as smart clothing and artificial skin for robots. Neutrons from the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz research neutron source helped them to study the new material in detail.

On September 1, the GNeuS program was officially launched at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ). The project, funded by the European Union, offers a total of 45 fellowships to train a new generation of excellent neutron researchers.

Girls and young women experienced the world of natural sciences firsthand at the research neutron source Heinz Maier-Leibnitz (FRM II). As one of a total of 17 projects, the course “Flight, Materials, Radiation” brought together eight TUM explorers from all over Bavaria.

Gas turbines must endure extreme conditions like high forces at temperatures above 600°C. Gas turbine materials therefore must be sufficiently robust, and as such they are under constant development. Together with the Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), VDM Metals International GmbH tested its improved VDM Alloy 780 using a specially developed testing machine at the Research Neutron Source Heinz Maier-Leibnitz (FRM II).

It has been long debated whether the ideal glass exists. Now, a group of physicists from Spain has succeeded in producing the ideal glass and relating it to observations with inelastic neutron scattering at MLZ.

Who would want to drink residues of detergents or medicines? Researchers from Belgium and the Netherlands used positrons, the antiparticles of electrons, at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum to study membranes designed to filter precisely such micropollutants from wastewater.

When metallic objects change their shape seemingly without any external influence and only according to the will of their owners, this at first sounds like something only comic superheroes like Magneto and Ironman could do. However, the idea from those comics has a real-world manifestation in existing materials called magnetic shape memory alloys (MSMAs). Moreover, they have potential applications e.g. in robotics or medical devices.

Who has not experienced this: Once a doctoral student has finished and leaves the research group, much data are also effectively lost? A new consortium is working to ensure that this no longer happens in the future by making research data more accessible and sustainable. DAta from PHoton and Neutron Experiments (DAPHNE4NFDI) will be funded for five years as part of the National Research Data Infrastructure (NFDI).

A team of German and Dutch scientists synthesized a series of substances, which show bright luminescence under UV light. Therefore the amount of hydrogen in the structure determines the wavelength – and hence the color – of the emitted light. These compounds could be used as illuminants in LEDs or for chemical hydrogen storage.

Under the slogan “Neutrons for Life Sciences”, this year’s MLZ Conference took place from 08 – 11 June 2021. More than 200 scientists from 24 countries registered for the event and contributed to a lively and diverse digital exchange on neutron research in biology, biophysics, pharmacology and medicine.

Biocompatible iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) offer great potential for biomedical applications, both in terms of imaging and therapy. More rapid progress in researching IONPs now looks promising by using a new method combination developed by a team of Jülich researchers using neutrons at the MLZ as a probe.

Significant amounts of antibiotic residues and pathogens enter the environment via our wastewater. A German Italian team of researchers has now investigated a novel nanomaterial that has an antibacterial effect and can bind antibiotics at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum. Wastewater could thus be treated more effectively and safely.

Depressive disorders are among the most frequent illnesses worldwide. The causes are complex and to date only partially understood. The trace element lithium appears to play a role. Using neutrons of the research neutron source at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), a research team has now proved that the distribution of lithium in the brains of depressive people is different from the distribution found in healthy humans.

Scientists at Jülich, together with their international colleagues, have now shed light on the switching mechanism of an oxide-based synthetic antiferromagnet. They also showed how this material could enable vertical data transfer, thus making it possible to develop three-dimensional storage elements with high data density. The researchers conducted their studies with the help of the neutron reflectometer MARIA, operated by the Jülich Centre for Neutron Science (JCNS) at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ) in Garching, along with similar instruments in other European neutron facilities.

Atoms, neutrons, radiation – All three can neither be seen, nor smelled, nor tasted. And yet the scientists at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ) at the Research Neutron Source (FRM II) in Garching near Munich work with them every day. On April 22nd the virtual Girls’Day enabled 15 girls from all over Germany to experience what the everyday life of a scientist is like and what atoms, neutrons, and radiation actually are.

Scientists from the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, with the support of neutrons at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ), have now discovered how the subcutaneous administration of mRNA can be improved. For this, the small angle scattering diffractometer KWS-2 at MLZ was used. The goal is for chronically ill patients to be able to self-administer the medication on a regular basis.

He knew the Atomic Egg when it was still in its early stages and showed great commitment to the FRM II research neutron source: On March 19, 2021, Dr. Hans Boysen died at the age of 76.

3D printing has opened up a completely new range of possibilities, including for example production of turbine buckets. However, the 3D printing process often induces internal stress in these components which can in the worst case lead to cracks. Now a research team has succeeded in using neutrons from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) research neutron source reactor for non-destructive detection of this internal stress – a key achievement for the improvement of the production processes.

Mountains of plastic waste are a global problem. The search for packaging alternatives is in full steam. At the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz research neutron source, a team of researchers has now studied the gas permeability of new types of biopolymers, with the help of antimatter.

Proteins actually need water to perform their function. Looking more closely with neutrons, researchers have observed that it can also be done without water and how the oxygen-transporting muscle protein myoglobin moves in that case. Their results have now been published in the renowned journal Physical Review Letters.

Eco-friendly flying is on the horizon. All over the world, researchers are developing new technologies to achieve this goal. One focus of developments is the idea of using hydrogen-powered engines for aircraft in the future. The aircraft companies, though, face the challenge of storing this energy source. Hydrogen turns liquid when cooled to minus 253 degrees Celsius, and only then can it be used as a so-called cryogenic fuel. Both tanks and pipe systems in the aircraft have to be absolutely tight at such low temperatures. An innovative new welding process can help to fulfill these requirement: magnetic pulse welding. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology IWS in Dresden have now demonstrated that this joining technology can produce extremely resilient, metallic mixed joints for cryogenic applications. They successfully achieved these outstanding joint properties in cooperation with the Technical University of Munich.

When a rocket is launched, the weld seams on the enormous fuel tanks must withstand immense forces. To produce joints with the necessary strength, a process known as “friction stir welding” is used. Scientists at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) are working to make this process more efficient. They are using positrons generated by the Research Neutron Source Heinz Maier-Leibnitz (FRM II) to precisely localize “atomic holes” in the material.

Today, the namesake of the research neutron source Heinz Maier-Leibnitz (FRM II) and the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ) would have turned 110 years old. As the “father of the atomic egg” in Garching and founder of the international research institute Laue-Langevin (ILL) in Grenoble, Heinz Maier-Leibnitz shaped modern neutron research like no one else.

Nanoparticles can be found in pharmaceuticals, catalysts, and even TVs. Researchers at the chemical company Merck, the Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), and the University of Duisburg-Essen (UDE) used neutrons at MLZ to study colloidal nanoparticles. They are particularly well suited for converting electrical signals into light or, vice versa, light into electricity.

The three partners of the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum will start to train 45 post docs in autumn 2021. The European Union (EU) is funding the project over its five-year duration with € 3.3 million. The three leading partners are investing a further € 5 million.

BioNTech, the Mainz-based biotechnology company which together with the US pharmaceutical company Pfizer developed the first Covid-19 vaccine approved in the EU, is also working with the Jülich Centre for Neutron Science (JCNS) on vaccine development. Researcher used the instrument KWS-2 operated by the JCNS at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum.

While ice skating, a thin liquid film forms on ice surfaces. This, along with other causes, is responsible for ice slipperiness. Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research have now investigated a related effect at interfaces between ice and porous clay minerals. Such interfaces are found in nature for example in permafrost. The results may help to better understand changes in frozen soils as temperatures rise.

Almost 200 viewers followed Dr. Johanna Jochum’s lecture via livestream on Tuesday, March 2. The MLZ scientist gave her lecture in the series “Science for Everyone” at the Deutsches Museum on “Dance of the electrons: Superconductors and their Application.”

Electricity from windowpanes sounds like science fiction at first, but it is an application that is possible with organic solar cells. To better understand the active layer of organic solar cells, a team of scientists from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) studied the dynamic behaviour of the active layer at MLZ.

If a component is to be tight and robust, it should be welded. Simulations determine the properties of the weld in advance. To optimize the simulated calculation models for the French electricity company Électricité de France (EDF), a team of researchers at MLZ measured stress in a component after welding.

In our smartphones, our computers and in our electric cars: We use rechargeable lithium-ion batteries everywhere. But their capacity drops after a while. Now a German-American research team has investigated the structure and functionality of these batteries using neutron diffraction: They discovered that the electrolyte fluid’s decomposition products capture mobile lithium in the battery and that the distribution of lithium within the cell is surprisingly uneven.

MLZ instrument scientist Dr. Thomas Keller received the most votes in the election for the 12th Committee Research with Neutrons (KFN). In December 2020, the outgoing chairmen Dr. Astrid Schneidewind and Prof. Dr. Markus Braden passed the baton to the new chairs Prof. Dr. Frank Schreiber (KFN chair) and Prof. Dr. Susan Schorr (vice chair).

Scientists at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have developed a new cell design for lithium-ion batteries for material characterization. The “battery with windows” makes it possible, using neutron scattering, to measure the lithium concentration within an electrode as a function of depth during charging and discharging. The new technique can help to elucidate both the reaction mechanisms and aging phenomena in batteries.

Since January, Prof. Dr. Martin Müller has been the new director at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ), succeeding Prof. Dr. Stephan Förster in the role. A materials physicist, he now represents the Helmholtz partners Forschungszentrum Jülich (FZJ) and Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht (HZG) in the Scientific Directorate of the MLZ. By rotation, Martin Müller will also be the spokesman of the directorate for a period of two years.

When the charity organisation NAVIS e.V. called for a donation for a newly established fire department in Hungary, the management of the FRM II research neutron source was eager to help by donating 16 firefighting outfits for this cause.

Presentations, intensive exchange and stimulating discussions made up the 10th Serpent User Group Meeting. 174 participants from 28 countries came together virtually at MLZ to exchange information about the “Serpent” software used for modelling the neutron physics and behaviour of nuclear reactors.

Reason to celebrate at MLZ: With their work on a new material for power plant turbines, scientists won the award for the best publication in the “International Journal of Materials Research” of 2019.

The Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum has given itself a new slogan: “Neutrons for Research and Innovation” is what the cooperation between the Technical University of Munich (TUM), Forschungszentrum Jülich and Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht (HZG) makes available to visiting scientists from all over the world. This was announced by MLZ spokesperson, Prof. Dr. Peter Müller-Buschbaum, on the occasion of the annual User Meeting in front of more than one hundred participants.

At the end of 2019, the neutron source used for materials research at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) was shut down as planned. Now the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ) in Munich is taking over two scientific instruments from the HZB. The Federal Ministry of Science and Research (BMBF) is funding the relocation and adaptation with 5.62 million euros.

Under normal conditions, the 405 registered participants of the MLZ User Meeting and the DN2020 would have met at a conference hotel in Munich downtown between Dec. 8th-10th. But there was no thought of a cancellation due to the corona pandemic and therefore, MLZ and the KFN (Komitee für Forschung mit Neutronen) decided to switch to purely virtual events.

Dr. Sabrina Disch is the winner of the Wolfram-Prandl-Prize 2020 for young scientists. The German Committee Research with Neutrons (KFN) awarded the prize on the occasion of the German Conference Neutron Scattering Conference (DN2020) today, organized by the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum together with the MLZ User Meeting.

If the fuel element is the heart of the reactor, then the control room is its brain. It is where the reactor operators sit monitoring and controlling all processes. In September, reactor operators and shift supervisors of the Isar nuclear power plant (KKI) visited the research neutron source Heinz Maier-Leibnitz (FRM II) to exchange information with their colleagues on site.

Scientists of the Technical University Munich (TUM) and the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU) in Munich investigated frustrated quantum magnets with neutron scattering at the MLZ. They published their results in the prominent journal “Annalen der Physik” – a showcase for luminaries such as Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen, Max Planck, Albert Einstein, and Erwin Schrödinger, who also published their results here.

Portuguese scientists have analyzed lichens from areas with traditional charcoal production for the first time with the help of the Research Neutron Source Heinz Maier-Leibnitz (FRM II) of the Technical University of Munich (TUM). Lichens located near areas of charcoal production contained more than twice the concentration of phosphorus, which is generated during the combustion process.

Before the current crisis, a mini-school for budding physicists was planned and organized by scientists at the Technical University of Munich and Charles University – a cooperation project funded by the Bayerisch-Tschechischen Hochschulagentur. But as it has turned out, Corona forced the event to be held in a virtual format. The silver lining is that this format allowed a larger number of people from around the world to participate.

Cultural artefacts such as murals or buildings made of calcareous material can often suffer significant damage from unavoidable exposure to various elements in their surrounding environment. Material referred to as nanolime is used to better protect and preserve this cultural heritage. Italian and Czech scientists performed experiments at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ) to investigate how effectively nanolime protects porous material.

They look like microscopic bottle brushes: Polymers with a spine and tufts of side arms. This molecular design gives them unusual abilities: For example, they can bind active ingredients and release them again when the temperature changes. With the help of neutrons at the MLZ, a research team from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has now succeeded to unveil the changes in the internal structure in course of the process.

Every year, up to 1,200 guest scientists from all over the world come to perform measurements at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Research Neutron Source (FRM II). Technical University Munich (TUM) and Forschungszentrum Jülich are now expanding the research capacities of the world’s most versatile neutron source with two new buildings providing a total of 4,550 square meters of floor space for laboratories, offices and workshops.

The green fluorescent protein GFP is of immense importance as a luminous marker in the cell. At the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Center (MLZ), Japanese researchers investigated the position of hydrogen atoms in the coloring components of the protein, which enables the development of new marker proteins.

The Analytical Research Infrastructures of Europe (ARIE) joins cross-border, multidisciplinary forces to offer Europe a strong and effective weapon against the current COVID-19 challenge and other potential viral and microbial threats. The MLZ is represented by Dr. Astrid Schneidewind from Forschungszentrum Jülich, who heads the working group “Adaptation to climate change, including societal transformation”.

The MLZ has honored Prof. Dr. Georg Roth from RWTH Aachen University for his distinguished long-term service to the facility. Prof. Roth’s contributions are recognized with the prize for instrumentation and scientific usage, in particular for his involvements with two diffractometers utilizing hot neutrons, HEiDi and POLI.

For the first time, researchers have created antiferromagnetic skyrmions, whose critical elements inside are arranged in opposing directions. They visualized this phenomenon using neutrons at the MLZ, as well as at Swiss and French neutron sources. The discovery published in Nature is a major step towards developing more efficient computers.

The District Administrator of Freising, Helmut Petz, visited the research neutron source Heinz Maier-Leibnitz (FRM II) together with his department and subject area managers. The directors of the neutron source informed the interested visitors during a guided tour about the safety concepts, scientific projects and planned extensions of the research facility.

The Euroscience Open Forum (ESOF) in Trieste from September 2 to 6 proved that an online conference can be successful: more than 400 participants from 56 countries exchanged views on the topic “Freedom for science, science for freedom”. At the accompanying Science in the City Festival, MLZ scientists gave online lectures and showed films.

The world of physics is in uproar as a Hungarian team is said to have discovered a yet unknown particle with puzzling properties. This would not only go beyond the current understanding of physics but also bring in reach a decades-long dream in physics: An approach to dark matter.

Photon and Neutron Sources in Europe have been developing and implementing a policy for the management of experimental data, the DOI for data. This persistent link guarantees the traceability and reliability of an experiment and its results and simplifies the access to the data.

Scientists at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ) use imaging techniques with neutrons to study specially bonded steel components. With their results they can improve the welding process for oil and gas pipelines and turbines.

Magnetic nanoparticles react differently to an external magnetic field than was previously expected. This has been shown in a study by an international research team with the participation of Forschungszentrum Jülich using neutron scattering at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Centre in Garching.

Meteorites give us insight into the early development of the solar system. Using the SAPHiR instrument from the Research Neutron Source Heinz Maier-Leibnitz (FRM II) at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), a scientific team has for the first time simulated the formation of a class of stony-iron meteorites, so-called pallasites, on a purely experimental basis.

High-grade biopolymers can be obtained from wood, which could replace fossil resources as a base material for a variety of products. This can already be achieved on a laboratory scale, they are not profitable for industrial use. This has already been achieved on a laboratory scale, but industrial use is currently not profitable. At MLZ, scientists from FZ Jülich and RWTH Aachen University want to optimise the sustainable process and make it cheaper.

Taking a look into ancient vases or exploring the forging technique of ancient Indian swords – archaeologists can now do this and much more at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum within the IPERION HS project. The EU has been supporting the 68 participating institutes since April with a total of 6.2 million euros over a period of three years.

Moon-shot missions, such as those of Horizon Europe, require exceptional solutions, and the world-leading Analytical Research Infrastructures of Europe (ARIEs) are one of the key places those solutions can be sought. The ARIE Joint Position Paper highlighting how the common, complementary approach will help address the societal challenges of the Horizon Europe Missions framework programme was presented today.

An international team of researchers has now used neutrons to visualize the proton transfer in the enzyme ascorbate peroxidase for the first time in detail and suggested reaction pathways.

The Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ) opens new research opportunities for scientists from a wide range of disciplines. But who knows and uses the manifold possibilities of neutron research?

On July 1, Dr. Axel Pichlmaier takes up the post of Technical Director of the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz research neutron source. The 51-year-old physicist brings with him experience from neutron research as well as from reactor operation and nuclear supervision.

Hydrogen as an energy carrier will play an important role in the energy turnaround. But to produce it from water in a CO2-neutral way by electrolysis, it needs a lot of electricity. Neutrons help to study materials that can reduce the electricity consumption in this reaction.

Aluminum blanks cannot be produced without residual stress. This means that the material warps during subsequent machining, which leads to inaccuracies. This is particularly problematic in delicate applications, such as aircraft construction. Neutron measurements at the MLZ showed that a new process is capable of reducing residual stresses almost completely.

He never liked to be the centre of attention and yet everything revolves around him one last time: Prof. Dr. Albert Steyerl, the inventor of the neutron turbine, died on 2 May at the age of 81.

Progress in developing a lower enriched fuel with monolithic uranium-molybdenum. Technical University of Munich (TUM) and Framatome are working together on the development of a new fuel. The first prototypes will be produced at the beginning of 2021 and are expected to go into production by 2022.

PhD candidate Neslihan Aslan is doing research in the area of hydrogen storage at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ). In January the scientist was awarded the Fuat Sezgin Prize, which is offered by the Presidency for Turks Abroad (YTB) of the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

A professional mill for industrial applications is more complicated than most people think. Cutting elements of polycrystalline diamond or tungsten carbide are brazed onto a steel body. A manufacturer of such tools had them analysed with neutrons.

We wish everyone, despite the special circumstances, Happy Easter!

Since March 1, Robert Rieck runs the administration of the research neutron source Heinz Maier-Leibnitz (FRM II). The 42-years-old fully trained lawyer brings with him experience as a lawyer, from working in the TUM Legal Office and the Center for Study and Teaching (formerly the University Department for Study and Teaching – Legal Affairs) as well as from working in the administrative management of the Bavarian School of Public Policy (HfP).

One million electric cars are planned to roll on Germany’s roads. Although the efficiency of an electric motor is more than twice as high than that of an internal combustion engine, a higher efficiency could save a lot of energy due to the large number of vehicles. Using a new measurement technique, neutrons help to make engines even more efficient.

The Research Neutron Source Heinz Maier-Leibnitz (FRM II) supports the fire departments and the “Technisches Hilfswerk” (THW) with the production of high purity water for surface disinfectants. The ultrapure water production facility at FRM II currently has sufficient capacity, as the reactor is on a maintenance break.

Researchers worldwide are trying to develop drugs or a vaccine against the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In view of the corona pandemic, the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ) also offers special access to measurements with neutrons, which can provide important insights into the behaviour of the virus.

Nanoparticles can be found in pharmaceuticals, catalysts, and even TVs. Researchers at the chemical company Merck, the Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), and the University of Duisburg-Essen (UDE) used neutrons at MLZ to study colloidal nanoparticles. They are particularly well suited for converting electrical signals into light or, vice versa, light into electricity.

Breaking a magnet into two pieces, reveals a north and a south pole in each of them. Independent magnetic monopoles have been known as emergent excitations in one special class of magnetic crystals only. An international team of researchers has now for the first time detected magnetic monopoles with neutrons in a material that conducts electricity.

Currently, the FRM II supplies neutrons for research, industry and medicine until 16.3. As a precautionary measure, the Research Neutron Source has postponed the following cycle from the beginning of April to the beginning of May. Because scientific users could not come to the measurements due to travel restrictions because of corona.

Soup freezes at sub-zero temperatures, by forming small islands of ice germs first. Magnetic structures, so-called skyrmions, behave very similarly, as scientists have discovered with the help of neutrons for the first time at the MLZ.

The conference “Neutrons for the Life Sciences” will take place from 16 to 19 June 2020 in Lenggries. Interested can register as Early-Bird until April 13th.

Abstracts can still be submitted until 13 March.

The Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Research Neutron Source receives around 350,000 euros in funding from the EU to continue its cooperation with large-scale Russian research institutions. The project CREMLINplus was officially launched in Hamburg at the end of February.

On 02.03.2004 at 14:01 h the Research Neutron Source Heinz Maier-Leibnitz produced its first neutrons. Today, on 02.03.2020, FRM II celebrates its 16th birthday. Then as now, the neutron source is one of the most modern and powerful neutron sources worldwide.

Freeze drying has provided us with tasty dried fruits in muesli, long-life yoghurt cultures and many other important products. For the first time, using neutron beams from the Heinz-Maier-Leibnitz (FRM II) research neutron source, a team of scientists has now been able to show us the drying process in detail. The process engineering has thus gained a method of testing theoretical models in practice.

How do neutrons contribute to mission-based research. The League of Advanced European Neutron Sources (LENS), of which the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ) is also a member, organised a colloquium on this topic in Brussels. The meeting brought together stakeholders from politics and science.

After malaria, leishmaniasis is the second most common cause of death from a parasite. The disease endangers more than 310 million people worldwide. Now, Spanish and German researchers at the MLZ have used neutrons to significantly improve the effectiveness of a drug against leishmaniasis. They smuggle the active substance in disguise.

Batteries with an anode of carbon and silicon store more energy than anodes of pure carbon. This makes them highly interesting for the energy revolution. In order to increase their efficiency in future, researchers from Ulm investigated the batteries with neutrons at the MLZ and discovered a new ageing mechanism that distinguishes them from pure graphite anodes.

NINXMACH 2020 invites archaeologists and geologists from 2 to 4 March. Learn more about measurements with neutron computed tomography and promp-gamma-activation-analysis. The workshop with lectures and hands-on exercises offers the opportunity to compare with experiments performed at synchrotron facilities. Participants may bring their own samples.

Did Oviraptoridchicks hatch at the same time? Researchers at the University of Bonn and the TU Munich provide presumptive evidence

After an involuntary interruption, the FRM II will again supply neutrons to its users from science, industry and medicine from today, 14 January.

A constantly growing number of researchers uses neutrons at the MLZ to analyse proteins, DNA or even entire cells. At the conference “Neutrons for Life Sciences”, neutron scattering and life science experts will meet. Both will present and discuss recent results in Lenggries, Germany, from 16 till 19 June 2020. Early-bird registration is possible until 13 April, abstract submission until 29 February.

For 10 years the cooperation project TUMKolleg has been supporting exceptionally talented pupils. At the traditional graduation ceremony not only the participants received a certificate. The supervising scientists were also presented with the silver TUM badge of honor. Among them: Dr. Xiaosong Li from MLZ.

The figures speak for themselves: The MLZ User Meeting 2019 comes to an end with the highest number of participants, lectures and posters to date. In addition to exciting scientific discussions, the User Office also had the opportunity to present its new GhOST system.

How pure do atoms vibrate in a metal? Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Iron Research and the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have investigated this question with the help of neutrons and theoretical calculations. Their results, which also have effects on the calculation of thermal conductivities, have been published today in the renowned journal Physical Review Letters.

It is now a good tradition that the Research Neutron Source Heinz Maier-Leibnitz presents itself at the university contact fair (Hoko) in Munich. Among 300 other exhibitors, the FRM II again this year offered activities for working students, internships and jobs.

Ismail Zöybek has again been awarded for his ingenious invention for wastewater treatment at the research neutron source FRM II. This time the Bavarian State Ministry for Home and Finance awarded FRM II’s technician during an innovation congress in Nuremberg.

55 students from 13 different countries participated at the Jülich Centre for Neutron Science Labcourse at MLZ this year. They learned neutron scattering in lectures in Jülich and experiments at the research neutron source in Garching.

An article examining lithium telluride and lithium selenide at the MLZ for their superionic properties has won the prize for the best publication of 2018 in the journal “Solid State Ionics”. These materials could be used in electrodes of lithium ion batteries. The work is characterized above all by its detailed and didactic structure and provides important insights into the mechanisms of ionic conductivity in these materials.

The League of advanced European Neutron Sources (LENS) held its second General Assembly at Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL) in Grenoble yesterday, preceded on Tuesday by meetings of its five working groups and the LENS Executive Board. Numerous members of the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Center also participated in the meeting.

Prof. Dr. Götz Eckold has now been awarded the Prize for Instrumentation and Scientific Use of the MLZ for his many years of extraordinary commitment. The MLZ honours his great commitment to instrumentation and in particular the instrument PUMA (the three axes spectrometer that in German stands for mit Polarisationsanalyse Und Multi-Analysator).

In the last years, lithium ion batteries have spread widely, in particular in mobile applications and in the electromobility sector. New concepts and materials emerge rapidly. These need to be characterized and their interplay needs to be understood in order to increase the efficiency and the lifespan of batteries built upon them. A collaboration of the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum together with the Technical University of Munich is implementing a new method at the FRM II in Garching which is perfectly tailored to research on lithium-ion batteries: Neutron Depth Profiling (NDP).

Dr. Thiyaga P. Thiyagarajan, from the US Department of Energy (DoE), paid a visit to FRM II and MLZ. He took the opportunity to talk with scientists from MLZ and the physics department as well as operations management and science leaders.

More than 500 visitors enjoyed a guided tour at the Research Neutron Source’s Open Day and Mouse Day again this year. In addition to the visitors’ tours, children and adults enjoyed a colorful accompanying program in the physics department.

“The neutron – infinite possibilities.” FRM II and MLZ presented themselves under this motto at this year’s Highlights of Physics. The science festival took place from 16 to 21 September at several locations in Bonn and attracted around 60,000 interested visitors with its various exhibits, lectures and interactive activities.

The development of new and, above all, safer nuclear fuels is a worldwide goal, in which the Idaho National Laboratory and the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Centre are also playing a major role. In order to test the loading capacity of fuel elements, they are first exposed to extreme conditions and then investigated. Now, researchers from both institutes have developed the world’s first neutron CT system for irradiated fuel to non-destructively investigate the internal condition of the test fuels and, on this basis, to develop more efficient and safer nuclear fuels.

The Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum and FRM II took part in the Garching Autumn Days with a newly designed stand. In addition to numerous citizens of the university town, Garching’s mayor also informed himself about current research at the MLZ.

Under the motto “physics and technology made easy” the MLZ, the physics department of the TUM as well as the Gerda Stetter Foundation organized three very informative and eventful project days especially for girls at Bavarian schools during the summer holidays. From 26 to 28 August, the twelve girls aged 11 to 13 who had registered for the holiday programme were able to immerse themselves in a playful way in the world of technology and natural sciences.

Cobalt is expensive, highly reactive, and geographically limited, where it is often mined under conditions that violate human rights. Therefore, enormous efforts have been undertaken for the reduction of cobalt amount in the Li-ion batteries. The cobalt-free battery is the next goal in this development.

We owe the ever better performance of mobile phones, cordless screwdrivers, and electric cars to lithium-ion batteries. With higher energy densities, however, the safety of rechargeable batteries must still to be guaranteed. The German-American battery project, LISI, is therefore investigating the chemical processes in lithium-ion solid-state batteries in order to improve battery safety.

On 13 June 2019 Prof. Dr. Otto Schärpf, a gifted experimental physicist, universal scholar and priest in the Jesuit Order, passed away at the age of 89. In the community of neutron scatterers he gained international fame as a pioneer of polarization analysis. Since 1991 he was a member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts.

The Technical University of Munich (TUM) is participating in the construction of two measuring instruments at the European Spallation Neutron Source (ESS) in Sweden. The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) is funding this project, with material and human resources, to the tune of around 15 million euros. Now the people responsible at the ESS in Lund and the FRM II in Garching have signed the contracts of cooperation.

The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) is funding 16 projects at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ) with around 13 million euros. The funding is awarded for joint research projects that will construct and expand measuring instruments for neutron and positron research over a period of three years.

Technische Universität München as operator of the neutron source Heinz Maier-Leibnitz (FRM II) actively participates in international fuel research with the aim to develop new nuclear fuels with lower enrichment and increased uranium density for high performance research reactors such as the FRM II. The working group “High density fuels” works on the three main pillars fuel development, fuel manufacturing and theoretical core modelling.

The two TUM institutes, Forschungs-Neutronenquelle Heinz Maier-Leibnitz (FRM II) and Radiochemie München (RCM), have applied to the District Office of Munich for a higher water law permit. In a public hearing on 23 July 2019 in the Ismaninger Bürgersaal, objectors and affected parties were able to express their concerns and discuss them openly with the applicant and the responsible authorities.

The elected representation of neutron researchers in Germany (German Committee Research with Neutrons, KFN) descibes the importance of neutron research at FRM II for the whole society in an open letter. It asks for a quick solution of the present transport problem to allow the efficient use of FRM II, which will be the only neutron source in Germany in the upcoming years.

With a new spray coating process, very uniform layers of cellulose nanofibers (CNF) can be produced on an industrial scale. X-ray investigations at DESY as well as investigations with an atomic force microscope and neutron scattering at the MLZ, show how the layer is structured and can be tailored for different purposes. A Swedish-German research team led by DESY scientist Adj. Prof. Dr. Stephan Roth presents its structural analyses in the journal “Macromolecules”.

At this year’s internal workshop in Grainau, the focus was on an extensive exchange with colleagues on the future perspectives and strategies of the MLZ. The conference was also characterised by a broad spectrum of exciting lectures and discussions. The picturesque surroundings invited to excursions and sportive hikes.

An exciting research question, a highly regarded fellowship, some very cool neutrons, and of course the prospect of a big mug of German beer. This is what drove Dr. Sergio Raul Soria from his study site in Bariloche, Argentina, to the MLZ in Garching.

Truffles are among the most expensive foodstuffs worldwide. One kilogram of white truffles from Italy can be sold for as high as 9,000 euros. Until now, it was not possible to verify the origin of this exquisite edible mushrooms with absolute certainty. However, scientists at the research neutron source Heinz Maier-Leibnitz (FRM II) of the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have now found a way to identify the truffles’ origin.

Magnetism research with neutrons – the number 1 topic at the MLZ conference in picturesque Lenggries. In their varied lectures, world-renowned speakers reported on various research topics in magnetism that are to revolutionize future information and quantum technologies.

The Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ) and the French Neutron Scattering Federation (2DFN) organized a German-French workshop on the research campus in Garching from the 14th until the 16th May 2019. As two national neutron sources in Germany and France will be decommissioned at the end of 2019, the European neutron landscape will change. Therefore, the workshop served to discuss the opportunity of an enhanced French-German cooperation among European neutron scientists.

In the pantheon of unconventional superconductors, iron selenide is a rock star. But new experiments by U.S., Chinese and European physicists have found the material’s magnetic persona to be unexpectedly mundane. The group published the results in Nature Materials.

Research and science fascinate people anywhere and at any time. This was proven once again at this year’s Streetlife Festival in Munich. Despite the initially bad weather, many of the 230,000 visitors came to see us. So, only after a short while, there was a giant queue of old and young in front of our stand.

American, Chinese and German scientists have found tiny distortions among the otherwise symmetrical atomic order of an iron pnictide superconductor with measurements at the triple axes spectrometer TRISP. They have thus come closer to superconductivity at higher temperatures.

He developed the world’s first neutron time-of-flight diffractometer with a 150-meter-long neutron guide at the Atomic Egg in Garching and planned the instruments at the research neutron source Heinz Maier-Leibnitz. Now Erich Steichele has died at the age of 80 near Bad Wörishofen.

Electrons and their atomic nuclei influence their respective motions in more materials than previously assumed. Scientists from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and the Forschungszentrum Jülich made this discovery during measurements conducted at TUM’s research neutron source Heinz Maier-Leibnitz (FRM II). Possible applications for the effect they identified include data processing and zero-loss transmission of electricity.

This year’s MLZ conference from 4 till 7 June in Lenggries features Neutrons for Information and Quantum Technologies. Registration and abstracts submitting are possible until 17 May.

The university comes to the school. Under this motto, approximately 70 teachers from all over Bavaria listened to and discussed the talks of the university lecturers on the topic “Renewable Energies” at the 43rd Edgar-Lüscher-Seminar.

The Physics Department of the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has appointed PD Dr. Christoph Hugenschmidt adjunct professor for the subject “Physics with positrons” at the chair E21 on 15 January. Thereby TUM recognizes the scientific achievements of the 49-year-old as well as his years of engagement to teaching. In an interview, Prof. Dr. Christoph Hugenschmidt explains the research field of positrons, which he newly established at TUM.

La Fédération Française de la Diffusion Neutronique and MLZ are organizing a French-German workshop aiming at exploring the opportunities of cooperation between French and German neutron scientists against the background of a changing European neutron landscape in Garching, from 14 to 16 May 2019.
Registration is possible now, abstracts can be submitted until 30 April.

On 28th March, The Research Neutron Source (FRM II) opened its doors for national Girls’ Day. More than 30 interested girls were introduced to the job of a “scientist” and learned about neutrons and what you can do with them. Johanna Jochum, scientist at the RESEDA instrument, talks about a typical working day at the neutron source.

In toothpaste, Teflon, LEDs and medications, it shows its sunny side – but elemental fluorine is extremely aggressive and highly toxic. Attempts to determine the crystal structure of solid fluorine using X-rays ended with explosions 50 years ago. A research team has now clarified the actual structure of the fluorine using neutrons from the Heinz Maier Leibnitz Research Neutron Source (FRM II).

Members of a strategic consortium of neutron research facilities in Europe, the League of advanced European Neutron Sources (LENS), officially launched activities to promote collaboration on neutron usage, technology development, innovation, data, education, and strategies. By aligning policies among its partners, LENS will advocate for the user community and strengthen European neutron science.

Around 70 scientists recently met in Garching on the topics of activation analysis and gamma spectrometry at the seminar SAAGAS (Seminar on Activation Analysis and Gamma Spectrometry). After 2013, the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum hosted the seminar once again.

The small angle neutron scattering instrument KWS-2 weighs five tons and has been lifted up by ten centimeters in the maintenance break. A Herculean task.

Physicists from the University of Luxembourg, the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ) and a team of research partners have demonstrated for the first time in a comprehensive study how different magnetic materials can be examined using small-angle neutron scattering. The scientists around Dr. Sebastian Mühlbauer (MLZ, Technical University of Munich) and Prof. Dr. Andreas Michels (University of Luxemburg) have published their insights in “Reviews of Modern Physics,” the respected science journal of the American Physical Society.

For exactly 15 years the research neutron source Heinz Maier-Leibnitz (FRM II) of the Technical University Munich provides neutrons for research, industry and medicine. Today, and then, the neutron source is one of the most powerful and modern ones worldwide. Each year around 1000 international customers come to Garching executing measurements for their cutting-edge research.

New research published in Nature Communications may help scientists understand the cause of the rare and incurable disease transthyretin amyloidosis. A team of scientists based at Keele University (UK) and the Institut Laue-Langevin (France) has been trying to understand the mechanism by which the disease is caused. Neutron crystallographic measurements were carried out using both the ILL LADI-III diffractometer (operated by Matthew Blakeley) and MLZ’s neutron diffraction instrument BIODIFF with the help of MLZ scientist Andreas Ostermann. The neutron structures were important in visualizing specific details of molecular structure and drug interactions.

Salt apparently affects allergic immune reactions. A team working with Prof. Christina Zielinski at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has demonstrated in cell cultures that salt leads to the formation of Th2 cells. These immune cells are active in allergic conditions such as atopic dermatitis. The team also detected elevated salt concentrations in the skin of patients.

The Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ) is one of 14 international research organisations participating in a European neutron science project bringing together a neutron ecosystem for sustainable science with ESS (BrightnESS-2). The three-year programme funded by the EU Research and Innovation programme Horizon 2020 started with its kick-off meeting in January and focuses on the long-term sustainability of the European Spallation Source (ESS) and its community.

Jens Krüger, head of the instrument control group at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum and instructor at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), was awarded the August Föppl-Medal during the dies academicus for his extraordinary work as a trainer.

Scientists from Jülich together with colleagues from Japan have discovered how fuel cell membranes can be improved without the use of rare and expensive precious metals such as platinum. The anion-exchange membranes studied are a key component of certain polymer electrolyte fuel cells and serve to transfer charged particles (anions) while at the same time retaining gases such as oxygen or hydrogen.

Unlike ice and other inorganic substances, most polymers do not show sharp phase transitions. Instead of melting at a well defined temperature, they gradually soften without significantly changing their microscopic structure. Yet some so-called thermoresponsive polymers show a drastic and discontinuous phase transition with rapid structural changes. An international team of scientists led by Prof. Christine M. Papadakis from TUM’s Physics Department has measured at the MLZ neutron small angle scattering instrument KWS-3, to sheds new light on the physical mechanism behind this peculiar behavior.

A new approach to achieving targeted and at the same time reversible material design using oxygen has now been presented by scientists at Forschungszentrum Jülich. The ceramic material they examined at the MLZ-instrument MARIA is able to absorb, store and release oxygen, in the same manner as a sponge does with water.

Apply now for the ERASMUS Mundus programme MaMaSELF (Master in Materials Science for Energy application and use of Large Scale Facilities). The deadlines are February 10th 2019 for Non-European students, March 24th 2019 for European students, and May 15th 2019 for self-funded students.

Small angle neutron scattering at KWS-1 has enabled scientists of Forschungszentrum Jülich and the University College London to look at the arrangement of proteins inside nanocavities. They showed for the first time, that the molecules do not clump despite limited space and even found the reasons for this behaviour.

For the first time, scientists of the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (IPP) have trapped positrons in a magnetic cage without losses. This is an important step towards a matter-antimatter plasma of electrons and their antiparticles, the positrons, which are assumed to occur in the vicinity of neutron stars and black holes.

In an article published online now in Science Advances, a team of scientists from the USA and Germany offer an explanation of how a particular phase-change memory (PCM) material can work a thousand times faster than current flash computer memory, while being significantly more durable with respect to the number of daily read-writes. They have studied the material at the MLZ instrument TOFTOF.

At the end of November the German Chapter of “Women in Nuclear“ (WiN) held its Annual General Meeting at the FRM II. WiN is a worldwide association of women working in the field of nuclear techniques and industries as scientists or engineers, or in other functions.

They praise the versatility, the opportunity to try something and the friendly colleagues: The research neutron source has sent four apprentices into professional life this year. The three young men and one woman have learned specialized computer science and mechatronics in Garching.

Praise and applause characterized the farewell event honouring Professor Dr. Winfried Petry, the former Scientific Director of FRM II, which was held on 25 October 2018 organized by Professor Dr. Peter Müller-Buschbaum. Winfried Petry’s merits were highly appreciated by the President of TUM, the Bavarian Minister of Science and the Arts, a representative of the Federal Ministry for Education and Research and by a board member of the Forschungszentrum Jülich.

Organic solar cells are cheaper to produce than conventional photovoltaic systems and can even be sprayed as thin layers on any surfaces. They have been the subject of intensive research since the Nobel price was awarded for conducting polymers in 2000. Physicists at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have now been able to clarify why additives increase the efficiency of solar cells from a morphological point of view with the use of neutrons at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ).

Two pupils changed Catalonia for Bavaria for four weeks and performed a practical with Dr. Sebastian Busch at the MLZ in summer.

Themed additive manufacturing the VDI-TUM Expert Forum took place at the faculty of mechanical engineering (TUM) on 13 September 2018. The Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum of the Technical University of Munich represented by Dr. Ralph Gilles and the Association of German Engineers (VDI) Materials Engineering, represented by Dr. Achim Eggert and the VDI Committee of Experts 101 organized the 7th VDI-TUM Expert Forum.

Prof. i.R. Dr. Winfried Petry has been awarded with the honorary title of Emeritus of Excellence of the Technical University of Munich (TUM). TUM-President Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Wolfgang A. Herrmann bestowed the certificate appreciating his academic achievements on 9 October.

One sixth of the annual visitors don’t come on one day for no reason. Like every year the neutron research source had quite a lot to offer.

More than 100 happy children and the same number of parents step out of the research neutron source Heinz Maier-Leibnitz (FRM II) on October 3rd. The children benefited from a special guided tour during the door-opener-day of “Sendung mit der Maus” (The Show with the Mouse) where they built chemical elements and finally enjoyed a sweet and ice-cold surprise.

A wealth of new contacts, ideas and information was taken home by more than 520 scientists who attended the “German Conference for Research with Synchrotron Radiation, Neutrons and Ion Beams at Large Facilities 2018” in mid September 2018.

Representatives of eight European research infrastructures signed the Charter of the League of advanced European Neutron Sources (LENS) today at the International Conference of Research Infrastructures, ICRI2018.

The new instrument KOMPASS was born on May 29, 2018, at exactly 15:16h. At that time, it detected the first neutrons, which were scattered from a sample.

What do marshmallows, spaghetti and Lego have in common? They explain exciting methods and principles of neutron sciences. More than 4600 visitors could convince themselves about that at the Scientific Village in Toulouse in July 2018.

3 October 2018 is dedicated to children and families: “Die Sendung mit der Maus”, (The Show with the Mouse), a well reputed children’s series on German television, called for the nationwide 7th “Door-opener-day”. At the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum, too, doors that usually are closed for children will open.

Like in the previous years, the Physics Department of the TUM, the Gerda-Stetter Foundation, and the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ) collaborated again to offer this three-day program called, “Physics and technology made easy” especially for girls from the age of 11 to 13 years.

Neutron scattering has enabled scientists at Forschungszentrum Jülich to detect the formation of droplets in supercritical carbon dioxide at high pressure. This finding can be used to determine a phase transition within the fluid with greater accuracy.

The positron source NEPOMUC can be seen on a billboard in downtown Munich until the end of July. The more, a wooden model of the atomic egg is exhibited in a gallery in Augustenstraße, Munich. Both are projects from architecture students at the Technical University of Munich.

For the first time a team of researchers have discovered with the help of neutrons at the instrument SANS-1 two different phases of magnetic skyrmions in a single material. Physicists of the Technical Universities of Munich and Dresden and the University of Cologne can now better study and understand the properties of these magnetic structures, which are important for both basic research and applications.

Indian researchers have engineered a piezoelectric ceramic with the highest shape changing value reported so far for polycrystalline ceramics and close to the record set by single crystals. Using neutron scattering at the instrument SPODI, they could explain the mechanism of the new material.

The international MLZ Conference 2018 “Neutrons for Culture and Art” was held at beautiful Lenggries, Germany, not far away from Munich in southern Bavaria between June 19th and 22nd, 2018. More than 40 scientists and staff members of several museums had accepted the invitation and came together for this meeting at the Arabella Brauneck Hotel.

Molecular nanomagnets represent quite promising systems for high-density storage devices and as building units in quantum computers. Key requirements for their large-scale industrial application are the storage efficiency and the storage reliability against internal and external perturbations.Indeed, the main source of memory loss results from electronic quantum fluctuations within the ground state of the molecule (so-called quantum tunneling). A Danish-based team of international researchers has now gauged the effect of a chemistry-induced symmetry change in lanthanides-based molecular nanomagnets, thus addressing both key requirements at once. The results, achieved via inelastic neutron scattering at the MLZ time-of-flight spectrometer TOFTOF and complementary techniques, recently appeared in Nature Communications and Advanced Functional Materials.

Since the end of February, Prof. Dr. Stephan Förster, Forschungszentrum Jülich, has been appointed as director at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum. He succeeds Prof. Dr. Thomas Brückel.

The participants in this year’s Edgar Lüscher Seminar at the Gymnasium Zwiesel, Bavarian Forest, got an update of pioneering research work. The scientific heads of the seminar, Prof. Dr. Winfried Petry and Prof. Dr. Peter Müller-Buschbaum from the Technical University of Munich (TUM), had invited renowned speakers to give talks to the teachers in the school in Zwiesel.

Quantum spin liquids represent a novel state of matter in which the spins do not arrange themselves in an ordered pattern as they do in a conventional magnet. This state features spins with long-range entanglements and fractional excitations, and thus can find applications in quantum computation and communication.

The Norwegian Research Council granted 2 million Kroner for a Post-Doc position to design a sample holder for Li-ion coin cell batteries, which can be charged and discharged while measuring with neutrons.

For the German Conference for Research with Synchroton Radiation, Neutrons and Ion Beams at Large Facilities (SNI 2018) at MLZ, abstracts can be submitted until 11 May. The conference will take place in Garching from 17 until 19 September 2018.

An international team of researchers has discovered functional electronic interfaces in quantum materials that can spontaneously self-assemble.

The world’s highest-performance neutron source for research, FRM II of the Technical University of Munich (TUM), will have a new Scientific Director as of April 1st. With the appointment of Professor Peter Müller-Buschbaum, an internationally renowned researcher has been appointed to succeed Winfried Petry.

Lithium-ion batteries are an indispensable part of our daily lives. The negative electrodes are typically based on graphite. However, they have some problems, such as the so-called lithium plating. Now there is an electrode material that is not based on graphite and does not show these disadvantages: sodium hexatitanate.

Developers from Bosch and scientists at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) are using neutrons to analyze the filling of lithium ion batteries for hybrid cars with electrolytes. Their experiments show that electrodes are wetted twice as fast in a vacuum as under normal pressure.

It is already known that dinosaurs lay eggs. The fact that the offspring of the same mother hatch at different times from the eggs, was observed so far only in modern birds. For the first time, measurements at FRM II could prove that already their ancestors, the dinosaurs, hatched asynchronously.

Researchers from MLZ (Forschungszentrum Jülich) have investigated the crystallization of the protein lysozyme in an experiment at the Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL). They focused on conditions known to result in the formation of particularly large crystals, suitable for use in high-resolution neutron protein crystallography.

Christoph Göbel, district administrator of the district of Munich (4th from left), and some executives visited the FRM II and faced up to a group photo in the reactor hall.

Magnetic skyrmions can potentially store information in a higher density than today’s data carriers. Since their discovery using neutrons at the FRM II in 2009, research on magnetic skyrmions is booming. For the first time, physicists of the Technical University of Munich have used a specially adapted imaging technique at the MLZ in order to clarify exactly how and where the magnetic vortex structure of the skyrmion lattice forms in extended bulk samples.

Dr. Harald Breitkreutz will give a lecture under this title at Deutsches Museum on February 14th at 7 pm as part of the series “Science for Everyone”.

Dr. Harald Breitkreutz hält unter diesem Titel am 14. Februar um 19 Uhr im Rahmen der Reihe “Wissenschaft für Jedermann” einen Vortrag im Deutschen Museum.

Armin Kriele from the Helmholtz Center Geesthacht has something in common with the famous inventor of Walt Disney: Both make inventions for the joy of working. Kriele is responsible for the Materials Science Laboratory at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Center and has a lot to do with batteries of all kinds. For their detailed analysis, he has now made an invention and applied for a patent.

During the several-hour tour, Josef Hauner was enthusiastic about the many applications of Garching’s neutrons in medicine, industry and research: “It was very instructive and exciting,” he said. The visit was conducted by the Manfred Danner, who is fire district counselor of the Freising district and full-time deputy shift supervisor and reactor driver at FRM II.

Ismail Zöybek, who works at FRM II in the light water systems group, has received a personal thank-you letter from the Minister of State, Ludwig Spaenle. How did he come to the honor of such a letter from the Bavarian State Ministry for Education and Culture, Science and Art?

Several new projects in the research neutron source Heinz Maier-Leibnitz will influence the research and the application of neutrons. Three out of these projects are topics in the programme “Münchner Stadtrundgang” of the local tv broadcast muenchen.tv.

The usual methods to define the structure of proteins do not work with membrane proteins. Scientists from the Jülich Centre of Neutron Science have now found a new neutron method to determine the structure of membrane proteins with a resolution of 1-2 nm.

CsCuCl₃ crystallizes in a right and left form. Under normal conditions, it is impossible to separate these two so-called chiral forms and to obtain a crystal with a purely right or purely left atomic arrangement. The Japanese scientist Dr. Yusuke Kousaka has not only managed to grow pure monochiral crystals, but also to prove the direct correlation between crystalline and magnetic chirality with polarized neutrons at the single-crystal diffractometer POLI.

The transregional collaborative research center TRR 80 “From electronic correlations to functionality” successfully enters the third funding period. The German Research Foundation DFG will continue to support the consortium of the University of Augsburg and the Technical University of Munich with another 8.8 million euros for the next four years. Five projects are mainly carried out at the research neutron source Heinz Maier-Leibnitz (FRM II).

Cloppenburg is a city in Lower Saxony and therefore namesake for a strange stone, which was there already found in March 2017. Experts from the German Aerospace Center (DLR) were able to confirm beyond doubt that this is a piece of meteorite from the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.

There will also be art at or in the new twin buildings on the grounds of the FRM II, for which the groundbreaking ceremony took place in February 2017. From 4 to 8 December, the submitted six proposals for this art can be viewed in the Institute for Advanced Study (IAS). Room 0 is to the right of the main entrance and open daily from 8am to 4pm.

Drugs can alter the structure of cell membranes. This in turn can affect their function and cause undesirable side effects. The structural changes in cell membranes caused by drugs have not yet been sufficiently investigated. Researchers from Jülich, Garching (near Munich), Georgia, and France now want to change this. They have developed a new neutron research method which enables deformations of the membranes to be detected faster and more easily than previous methods.

A Chinese research group led by Prof. Jun Zhao at Fudan University found the twisted magnetic excitations in the new Fe-based superconductor Li0.8Fe0.2ODFeSe from a neutron scattering experiment on PUMA, MLZ and Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the United State. This finding provides one step further in understanding of the mechanism in high temperature superconductivity.

The National Atomic Energy Commission (CNEA), Argentina is currently building a new 30MW multi-functional reactor in Buenos Aires, scheduled to go into operation at the beginning of the next decade. The need for radioisotopes is also growing in Argentina, so their production is a major purpose of the new neutron source.

On October 31, 1957, the Munich research reactor FRM went online for the first time. Until 2000, the “Atomic Egg” of the Technical University of Munich (TUM) was a reliable provider of neutrons for basic research and medical applications. This year the facility is celebrating its 60th birthday with a special exhibition.

Fully booked guided tours, crowded info booths and great interest in the special exhibition on the Atomic Egg – this is the conclusion of the Open House Day at the Research Neutron Source.

This year, the annual JCNS Workshop addressed the issue of “Trends and Perspectives in Neutron Scattering: Probing Structure and Dynamics at Interfaces and Surfaces”. Held at the Evangelische Akademie in Tutzing on Lake Starnberg, south of Munich, from 10-13 October, more than 70 participants were in attendance to discuss recent developments and scientific challenges in interface structure and dynamics in soft matter, magnetism and condensed matter systems.

A series of events is planned this year for the 60th anniversary of neutron research in Garching: The photo exhibition in the Garching subway is now to be seen until October 10th. From November 7th to December 3rd 2017 the photos will be hung in a special exhibition of the museum “Reich der Kristalle” in Munich. Finally, on the open door day, there will be a special exhibition to the so called “Atomic Egg” in the gate building.

Worldwide, more than 30 million medical examinations are conducted annually with the radioactive substance technetium-99m. The mother isotope molybdenum-99 can only be produced in research neutron sources. A new film shows the status of the upgrading at the FRM II towards the production of molybdenum-99.

In May / June the neutron users in Germany elected their representatives, the 11th committee Forschung mit Neutronen (KFN). A total of 15 candidates threw their hats in the ring and since 18.9. 2017 Astrid Schneidewind (FZ Jülich) is the new KFN chairman. Markus Braden (University of Cologne) is the new deputy chairman and is also responsible for the topics of infrastructure and instrumentation.

Mushroom pickers never reveal their places of discovery and neither for Dr. Matthias Rossbach. Instead, they have sent him the dried mushrooms they collected in Bavaria, Lower Saxony and Brandenburg, for scientific research.

Fans of crime stories know: If the dentition of an unknown victim can be compared with a tooth scheme, the identity is soon clarified with this information. Similarly, the paleontologist study teeth as they contain a lot of essential biological information, representing a kind of “black box” of the life of a past individual. However, these information are not so easy to extract.

The efficiency of gas turbines is close to the limit. The state-of-the-art nickel base alloys would not tolerate higher temperatures. Therefore, scientists are looking for an alternative superalloy for the turbine material. Lukas Karge studied a hot candidate for his PhD thesis with Dr. habil. Ralph Gilles at the MLZ.

Eight highly motivated girls participated in the program “Physics and technology made easy” within the framework of the “Mädchen machen Technik” initiative.

Florian Hahn, Member of the German Parliament, has now visited the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum.

Until end of September a new photo exhibition is now to see in the subway showcase of the city of Garching on the occasion of the anniversary “60 years neutrons from Garching”.

On 27 July at 7 pm Prof. Winfried Petry, the Scientific Director of the FRM II, will give a one-hour talk at the gymnasium in Garching. This will include a very short historical retrospect, but most of all the listeners will get up-to-date information on what is going on at the research neutron source in Garching, on current research and how the FRM II is positioned in the international research landscape. Admission is free and all interested Garchinger citizens are invited to attend. There will also be the opportunity to ask own questions and to receive competent answers.

Scientists from EPFL and PSI have shown experimentally, for the first time, a quantum phase transition in strontium copper borate, the only material to date that realizes a famous quantum many-body model. Scientist Dr. Astrid Schneidewind from the MLZ was also involved with the PANDA instrument.

In the journal Science, a Chinese–German team of researchers has presented a novel synthetic antiferromagnetic material which may prove pioneering for progress in nanomedicine and information technology. Up until now, synthetic antiferromagnets have been manufactured primarily from transition metals and alloys. The scientists from the University of Science and Technology of China in Hefei manufactured a different kind of antiferromagnet consisting of several oxide layers only a few nanometres thick, whose properties can be adapted to various applications in a targeted manner. In collaboration with Forschungszentrum Jülich, the researchers used neutron measurements at Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ) to show that the individual layers of the new material can be magnetized and their polarity reversed – meaning that the magnetic states can be switched in a controlled fashion.

Since several decades an enigmatic impression in the braincase of the forerunners of mammals caused palaeontologists headache. Recently, Michael Laaß could clarify the possible function of this chamber by means of neutron tomography at the instrument ANTARES.

Just in time …

They have received by far the most votes from all candidates and are represented again in the “Komitee Forschung mit Neutronen”: Dr. Astrid Schneidewind from the Jülich Centre for Neutron Science (left), and Dr. Wiebke Lohstroh from the Technical University of Munich (right).

Once again, the instrument BioDiff at the MLZ has located with highest accuracy hydrogen atoms of various inhibitors when binding to the enzyme trypsin. The results, which are important for the prediction of binding properties of new substances in drug research, have now been published in the journal Angewandte Chemie.

The IAEA organizes the workshop for disseminating the use of neutron imaging in research and industry from 28 August until 1 September. Registration and abstract submission are possible until 10 June.

Restorers often have to deal with negative or even damaging consequences of conservation measures from earlier years. The church of St. Laurentius in Tönning / Schleswig-Holstein was also affected, because two valuable wooden figures from the beginning of the 18th century were distorted by an earlier treatment of wood preservatives.

The MLZ does not only provide excellent scientific results and user service but also extraordinary education and training for young people, world-class instruments and their upgrades. The MLZ also offers from time to time support for the technical program of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which brings together research institutions and scientists from its different member states to collaborate on research projects or training purposes. Another important support is to fund travel expenses for scientists, as many countries only have a limited budget for research activities or travels to conferences and training.

“Mountains – Hiking – Learning” is the motto of the “Ferienakademie Sarntal” from 17 to 29 September 2017. Until 9 May, Bachelor and Master students from various disciplines can apply.

The speed of microelectronics is currently limited by heating, as increased speed also increases the power dissipation. Spintronics or Spin-Electronics is a new concept allowing for much higher speed. It is based on the manipulation of the electron spins in magnetic layers buried inside the devices. A high magnetization of these magnetic layers is desirable in spintronic devices to allow for efficient manipulation of the electronic states.

Ricardo Garcia Soto is a Chilean science author and director of television films, as well as the highly successful Astroblog. He studied astronomy at the University of Chile and completed his education as a film and TV director, which gave him a different look at astronomical research.
In 2016 he visited Garching and came by for a stop-over at the FRM II. He made a short about what to see at the FRM II, released on Youtube.

More than 6 million Euros has been invested by the European Commission in the development of new nuclear fuel in the framework of the LEU FOREvER (Fuel for REsEarch Reactors) project. Of this, half a million has been set aside for the developments at FRM II. Project partners include research institutes as well as industry leaders from five countries, with TUM as the only university.

Scientific pictures often show fantastic motifs – for scientists sometimes not so easy to recognize. For laymen, who do not know the background or genesis, and therefore look at them with a very different look, they reveal a very special beauty that can compete with classical art. Armin Kriele, a member of the Material Science Laboratory of the MLZ, has this other look and also looks with the eyes of an esthete on the scientific pictures that he daily sees.

Together with the VW-VM research company, a collaboration between VW and VARTA Microbattery, scientists from the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ, working group Dr. Ralph Gilles) and the chair of Technical Electrochemistry (Prof. Hubert Gasteiger) of the Technical University of Munich have now investigated for the first time the aging of battery cell prototypes for stationary storage systems with the help of neutrons on the instrument SPODI.

At the age of 86, the emeritus professor Dr. Tasso Springer has now died. He was one of the first pupils of Prof. Dr. Heinz Maier-Leibnitz, discovered and developed together with his mentor the principle of the guiding of neutrons by mirroring (neutron guides) at the atomic egg.

Rechargeable lithium batteries with cathodes comprising nickel, manganese, and cobalt, are viewed as the most potent today. But they, too, have a limited lifespan. Already in the first cycle they lose up to ten percent of their capacity. Why this happens and what can be done to alleviate the ensuing gradual loss of capacity has now been investigated in detail by a team of scientists using positrons at the Technical University of Munich (TUM).

First groundbreaking ceremony for the new science and technology building of the Technical University of Munich as well as the laboratory and office building of the Research Center Jülich for use by the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ): (from left to right) Prof. Dr. Winfried Petry (Scientific Director of Research Neutron Source FRM II), Prof. Dr. Dr. hc Mult. Wolfgang A. Herrmann (President of the Technical University of Munich), Dr. Anton Kastenmüller (Technical Director of the Research Neutron Source FRM II), Prof. Dr. Thomas Brückel (Director of the Jülich Center for Neutron Science and Spokesman of the MLZ Directorate), Stefan Müller MdB (Parliamentary State Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)), Prof. Dr. Dr. hc Mult. Sebastian M. Schmidt (Member of the Board, Research Center Jülich), Dr. Dietmar Gruchmann (First Mayor of the City of Garching).

The Danish company Haldor Topsøe got thanks to the EU project SINE 2020 at ANTARES interesting radiograpies of its electrolysis cells.

The German DFG has granted support for the development of a pulsed positron source that will enable investigations of exotic states of matter and mixes of matter and antimatter with 750,000 euros.

“Forschung aktuell” reports about the construction of a molybdenum-99 facility at the FRM II.

Students can now apply for the Master Program. The application deadlines are different for the country of origin: for non-EU students, they will end on 31 January 2017; EU students must apply until 28 February 2017. All those who do not need a scholarship will have time until 15 May 2017.

There is a strong suspicion that Helicobacter pylori is linked to the development of stomach cancer. Now an international team of researchers led by Prof. Donald R. Ronning (University of Toledo, USA) has used neutrons to unlock the secret to the functionality of an important enzyme in the bacterium’s metabolism. This could be used as a point of attack for new medications. The team made the corresponding measurements at the neutron sources in Oak Ridge (USA) and at the research neutron source reactor FRM II of the Technical University of Munich (TUM).

Anyone who has ever looked out of the window during an intercontinental flight has probably already seen it: cirri, the ice clouds in the upper troposphere (8-12 km high) look like rattled cotton. But also in the lower stratosphere (15-20 km altitude) there are ice clouds, so-called polar stratospheric clouds (abbr. PSCs).

The influence of interactions in high protein concentrations is extremely difficult to quantify experimentally. Neutron scattering experiments performed among other places at the J-NSE instrument at MLZ have now made studies possible in physiological concentrations.

For his commitment to the Campus Choir Garching (CCG), the Technical University of Munich awarded the Karl Max von Bauernfeind Medal to the long-term FRM II employee Franz Michael Wagner.

Johannes Nußbickel follows Dr. Klaus Seebach as Managing Director.

British scientists have elucidated the structure of a vital enzyme with the help of neutrons. This involved the presence of a hydrogen atom. Their results are now published in Nature Communications.

One week of beam time at the PUMA instrument have been enough for international research teams from Beijing and the USA to prove theoretical calculations experimentally. The results bring the global community of superconductors a good deal, because this small, but very important puzzle part has confirmed a theory.

Alexandros Koutsioumpas from Forschungszentrum Jülich has studied the structure of complex lipid membranes at the neutron reflectometer MARIA.

A team of researchers have now found indications of a so-called “spiral spin-liquid” structure in manganese scandium thiospinel single crystals at low temperatures. They used the diffuse scattering neutron time of flight spectrometer (DNS).

In December 2015, Dr. Thorsten Lauer was still working as a postdoc and Thorsten Zechlau as a graduate student at the FRM II. Lauer and Zechlau could convince an investor with their knowledge and their enthusiasm for neutron optics to support the founding of a company on 1 January 2016. “We would not have dreamed of that a year ago”, the two founders say.

On Saturday, 22 October, more visitors were able to visit the research neutron source thanks to a tight planning: 557 came to the FRM II Open Day. Many others used the versatile offer in the physics department. (in German only)

The first “Joint Workshop JCNS and Flipper 2016 – Modern Trends in Neutron Scattering for Magnetic Systems/Single-crystal Diffraction with Polarized Neutrons” was held from 3 -7 October 2016 at the Evangelische Akademie Tutzing on Lake Starnberg, south of Munich.

An international team of scientists has examined high-temperature superconductors at the instrument PANDA. Their resulsts have been published in Nature Communications.

Mechnical engineers of the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have observed battery cells during their filling with the help of neutron radiography – and have learned important lessons for the production process.

The VDI-TUM Experts Forum, which is organized at intervals of 2 years from the VDI and the FRM II, took place at the Campus Garching on 15 September 2016. As always, it was fully booked and the organizers of the Technical Committee “Application-oriented non-destructive material and component testing” were again able to offer a whole range of exciting talks. The event was moderated by Dr. Ralph Gilles (TUM). This time the focus was on high-performance materials and their non-destructive testing.

On September 21, in Kiel again a Garching neutron researcher receives the Wolfram Prandl Prize for young scientists in the field of research with neutrons: Dr. Anatoliy Senyshyn. He obtains the prize for his outstanding research in the field of lithium-ion batteries, which he watches in its function in a live hook-up at the atomic level.

Experiments with neutrons reveal minimal corrosion of the top layer of a naturally occurring CO₂ reservoir

The long-term storage of carbon dioxide in porous layers of rock deep underground (carbon capturing and storage, CCS) could contribute to reducing the emission of climate-damaging gases in the atmosphere. An international research team including scientists from Jülich and Aachen investigating a natural 100,000-year-old carbon dioxide (CO₂) reservoir in Utah, USA, have now shown that carbon dioxide dissolved in water remains stored in certain types of rock layers far longer than first envisaged (Nature Communications, DOI: 10.1038/ncomms12268).

The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) has given 13.5 million Euros to fund a number of projects at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ). The projects are to be realized by ten different universities over the next three years, including seven projects at the Technical University of Munich (TUM). The Ministry has also given 2.7 million Euros to support the integration of instruments in the new Neutron Guide Hall East at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz research neutron source (FRM II).

Physics can also taste very sweet – this is one of the things that the pupils from grade 3 of the elementary school Garching Ost learned during their visit at the Research Neutron Source Heinz Maier-Leibnitz. They made an atom model from toothpicks and marsh mallows and tried their abilities as neutron scatterers at a neutron ball toss.

More than 90 energy researchers from around the world now came to the conference “Neutrons For Energy” in Bad Reichenhall to discuss current results and questions from various areas of energy research with neutrons.

According to Wikipedia, a TAKIN is a goat-like mammal in Asia. Quite different at FRM II: here it is a new and extremely useful software that Tobias Weber, Robert Georgii and Prof. Peter Böni of the MIRA group developed specifically for working with three-axis spectrometers.

Researchers at the Jülich Centre for Neutron Science (JCNS) together with German and international partners have for the first time unequivocally detected weak electromagnons by means of neutron scattering. Their studies of hübnerite single crystals (chemical formula: MnWO₄) have established a further building block towards a better understanding of the complex phenomenon that is multiferroicity.

A novel and rare state of matter known as a quantum spin liquid has been empirically demonstrated in a monocrystal of the compound calcium-chromium oxide. What is remarkable about this discovery is that according to conventional understanding, a quantum spin liquid should not be possible in this material. First neutron measurements for this study have been performed on the instrument TOFTOF of MLZ.

Since July 20, the FRM II again delivers neutrons. In the break, employees have finished many tasks: They exchanged the beam plug, which will guide neutrons towards the neutron guide hall east for new instruments. In addition, other maintenance works were carried out as the exchange of thimble tubes in the moderator tank.

Two short films explain vividly the basics of neutron scattering. Starring are next to the two instruments DNS and BioDiff the scientits Dr. Sultan Demirdis and Dr. Tobias Schrader.

Using neutrons, scientists have revealed a possible cause of Alzheimer’s disease. During recent experiments carried out on the instrument TOFTOF at Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum in Garching and two spectrometers at the ILL in Grenoble, they observed an altered mobility of the lipids in model cell membranes with the presence of amyloid-β. This peptide is believed to trigger symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.

On July 7, the 11th International Conference on Polarised Neutrons for Condensed Matter Investigations 2016 (PNCMI 2016) in Freising ended.

2013/14 Dr. Peng Cheng worked on the instrument PANDA to develop a concept for a cold three-axis spectrometer, which he now has published together with the MLZ-scientists Dr. Astrid Schneidewind, Dr. Peter Link and Dr. Robert Georgii in the journal Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. Sect. A-Accel. Spectrom. Dect. Assoc. Equip. 821, 17 (2016).

Thirty years into the investigation and the theory still has gaps – researchers worldwide are still attempting to fathom why some materials suddenly become superconductive at specific temperatures. The PUMA and PANDA experiments at the FRMII research neutron source are among the best in the world for investigating certain aspects of the phenomenon. There, scientists have spent the last ten years or so piecing together the picture.
An article about supercoducting contains the 18th edition of “Faszination Forschung” (in English), the scientific journal of the Technical University of Munich. It provides in a semi-annual cycle interesting insights into the scientific world of the Technical University of Munich.

The Scientific Computing Group of MLZ organizes the first school on the simulation software BornAgain, which will take place on 21-22 November 2016 at MLZ Garching. The School will introduce students and researchers working in the field of GISAS or reflectometry in extensive hands-on tutorials to new opportunities for simulating and fitting their data.

The combination of the neutron diffraction techniques and the software program “Umweg” at MLZ is a big step forward to improve neutron studies on many highlighting materials, in order to answer the often difficult question of their real symmetry.

On October 1 a new two-year project will begin, which will serve to study the microscopic structure and dynamics of bulk metallic glasses.

1966 was the birth of neutron backscattering spectroscopy with the first published experiment at the Atomic Egg. For the 50th birthday, the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum and partners organize a workshop on the history of the method and its modern and future innovative applications on 2nd and 3rd September 2016.

Samantha Zimnik was granted with the Laura Bassi price for her outstanding scientific achievements in the field of surface physics at the positron source NEPOMUC.

Experimental physicists Prof. Christian Pfleiderer and Prof. Peter Böni from the physics department of TUM are awarded the European Physical Society’s prestigious Europhysics Prize. The prize is awarded for the “discovery of a skyrmion phase in manganese silicon” and shared with three theoretical physicists: Prof. Alex Bogdanov (Dresden), Prof. Achim Rosch (Cologne) and Prof. Ashvin Vishwanath (Berkeley).

Technical University of Munich and German Engineering Association (VDI) organize for the sixth time an experts meeting at the FRM II on 15th September 2016. This workshop (in German language!) is on high performance materials in use. Registration is possible now.

Transporting electricity without losses is the promise of superconducting materials. Two research teams have studied the new class of iron-based superconductors at the instrument PUMA of the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz centre and independently came to the same surprising result: The superconducting Cooper pairs change their symmetry.

An international research team has discovered the mechanism by which a pharmaceutical excipient from the class of block copolymers improves the solubility of large quantities of a poorly water-soluble active substance. The results form the basis for the development of a drug delivery system better tolerated by the human body.

The magnetic properties of thin film systems with superconducting and ferromagnetic states and an insulating layer in between were never studied before.

For her doctoral thesis “Thermal Conductivity of High Density Uranium-Molybdenum Fuels for Research Reactors” Dr. Tanja Huber is awarded the Karl Wirtz Prize of the German Nuclear Society (KTG) today.

Publication on the catalytic layers of high-temperature polymer electrolyte fuel cells is published online: M. Khaneft et al, Structure and Proton Dynamics in catalytic layers of HT-PEFC, Fuel Cells 2016.

In their latest publication Friedrich and Ursula Wagner have examined the high temperature method more closely by the Prompt Gamma Activation Analysis (PGAA) method to find the optimal conditions for preservation of Iron Age’s artifacts.

With the aid of neutron spectroscopy, dynamic processes have been detected in so-called “LOV photoreceptors” by scientists from Jülich, Aachen, Dusseldorf and Garching. The research has recently been published in “Biophysical Journal” (DOI:10.1016/j.bpj.2016.01.021).

Scientists of the Technical University of Clausthal succeeded the first time using neutrons at FRM II and the PSI to measure the self-diffusion in amorphous silicon.

The combination of different neutron methods allowed measuring the complete spectrum of magnetic excitations.

Forschungszentrum Jülich has begun to develop a concept for cost-efficient neutron sources which could replace mid-sized facilities. The new sources will operate without using reactor-typical chain reactions. Even smaller facilities on a laboratory scale can be set up using the same principle.

Physicists of the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Centre and the Technical University of Munich have shown the enormous benefits of the Positron annihilation induced Auger Electron Spectroscopy (PAES) in the exploration of surfaces.

Students can immediately apply for the MaMaSELF Master program that starts in 2016. The deadline for non-EU students ends on January 31, 2016; EU students have time until February 28, 2016. All, that do not require scholarship, must apply before April 30, 2016.

Prof. Dieter Richter of the Forschungszentrum Jülich (Jülich Centre for Neutron Science) and the Institute of Complex Systems has been awarded the Staudinger-Durrer Prize of the ETH Zürich for his work in the area of soft matter.

On 24 November 2015 the G7 Non Proliferation Directors Group visited the Neutron Source Heinz Maier-Leibnitz (FRM II) and the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Centre for Neutron Research (MLZ). This visit took place in the framework of the G7 presidency of the Federal Republic of Germany and upon invitation of the Federal Foreign Office.

The Institute of Physics (IOP) and the German Physical Society (DPG) have jointly awarded the Max Born Prize to Christian Pfleiderer of TUM’s Physik-Department.

A key issue with lithium ion batteries is aging. It significantly reduces their potential storage capacity. To date, very little is known about the causes of the aging effects. Scientists from the Department of Technical Electrochemistry and the Research Neutron Source FRM II at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have now come a step closer to identifying the causes in their latest experiments.

An international workshop with more than 30 researchers in attendance was organized by the Jülich Centre for Neutron Science (JCNS) on 27-28 October to discuss current and future options for compact accelerator-driven high brilliance neutron sources to serve the international scientific community.

The new detection system is characterized by a dead-time constant of 25ns and a count rate as high as 5MHz at 10% dead-time. Compared to the old detector, this means an improvement of factor 25.

“Neutron Scattering on Nano-Structured Soft Matter: Synthetic- and Bio-Materials” has been the focus of this year’s JCNS Workshop, held from 5 -8 October at the Evangelische Akademie Tutzing on Lake Starnberg.

Unter diesem Titel wird Prof. Dr. Winfried Petry am 10.11.2015 um 19 Uhr in der Reihe Campus Talks in ARD Alpha über Forschung mit Neutronen sprechen.

Usually, harvesting energy and raw materials from plants requires many process steps and aggressive chemicals. To make these processes more efficient and resource saving, researchers are looking for suitable enzymes. Using neutrons, researchers have now investigated the reaction mechanism of an important class of enzymes – the glycosidases. The measurements were made at the neutron sources in Los Alamos and Oak Ridge (USA), as well as at the research neutron source FRM II of the Technical University of Munich (TUM). The results provide the key to improving large-scale technical processing of biomass.

The first Jülich Workshop “Soft Matter and Neutrons GO Energy” took place in Feldafing from 08 – 09 October. Twenty-five scientists exchanged ideas in an interdisciplinary environment on topics related to soft matter and neutron research for sustainable energy supplies.

The FRM II is one of 13 TUM departments and institutions working together with Varta Storage, Kraftwerke Haag and the ZAE Bayern in the project. They have jointly developed and constructed this innovative bulk storage.

How mobile individual polymers are reveals a lot about their macroscopic properties. Neutron researchers at Forschungszentrum Jülich have now found a much easier and more accurate way of investigating the often decisive lateral deflection of molecules. They use ring-shaped molecules as probes, which wrap themselves around the polymer chains and follow their lateral motion.

The MLZ group “Structure Research” invites to a free workshop titled “Solution of Crystal Structures using FOX”. The workshop will be held on December1 from 9-17 in the gate Garching (Lichtenbergstraße 8, 85748 Garching).

On September 13 -17, 2015 the 35th International DyProSo (Dynamical Properties of Solids) will take place at the Education Centre Freising.

Today a new cooperation project starts, which is headed by MLZ partner JCNS: CREMLIN (Connecting Russian and European Measures for Large-scale Research Infrastructures) shall promote the EU-Russia cooperation in the planning, construction and scientific use of large scale facilities.

Manganese silicon is the preferred crystal of scientists going in for magnetic research: it can be manufactured for some time as relatively large single crystal, and is particularly suited to investigate the magnetic properties. Now theoretical and experimental physicists from the TU Munich, the MLZ and the University of Cologne managed to pull off a special coup with this material.

As of today, the European Union rises the neutron source European Spallation Source (ESS) in Lund, Sweden, which is under construction, to a European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC).

Dr. Kazuhisa Kakurai, this year’s winner of the Helmholtz International Fellow Award, just arrived at the MLZ. The stay and the experiments he will conduct here at the research neutron source are part of the award.

New Study shows Correlation between Microscopic Structures and Macroscopic Properties

In combination with other methods of investigation, scientists have recently made amazing results with the instrument BIODIFF at MLZ.

This year 373 visitors landed a place in one of the coveted guided tours. All tours offered were already booked up at 7 pm. Many interested visitors therefore had to be rejected.

The popular and well-known open day on the research campus will be replaced this year by a long night, which starts on 27 June at 6 pm and ends at midnight. The FRM II will participate like every year at this event with various actions.

The first external user was Klaus Habicht of the Helmholtz Centre Berlin, who carried out experiments on the instrument TRISP on May 4, 2005.

At the end of March, Prof. Dieter Richter of the Research Centre Jülich not only retires, but also passes his position as MLZ Director to Prof. Thomas Brückel. Officially, Prof. Brückel, however, has already taken the job as MLZ director at the beginning of this year.

First published success of the new Rapid Access Program

The journal Acta Materialia published the results of an experiment with the instrument SPODI at MLZ that allows developing a faster method for structure determination of shape memory alloys of nickel-manganese-indium.

An international group of scientists studied these small pea plants with neutrons to watch them during photosynthesis.

This year the event is dedicated to the International Year of the Light and will therefore deal with the laser and quantum physics (in German only).

The scientists were able to detect structural changes using a model system of phospholipids from soy plants with the help of neutron scattering techniques at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum in Garching near Munich.

Forschungszentrum Jülich receives around € 4 million from the EU to develop a more efficient detector system for research with neutrons.

Worldwide, battery research is one of the most intensively studied research fields, because – for various reasons – the need for energy storage devices is growing rapidly. Also at the MLZ, several research groups work in this field and try to gain a better understanding of how batteries work by various neutron methods.

For the development of a new fuel with lower enrichment, Uranium-molybdenum (UMo) embedded in an aluminum matrix is a promising candidate. Hsin-Yin Chiang of MLZ has tested several coatings of UMo and qualified the most suitable materials combination.

The registration for the Master’s program MaMaSELF for the years 2015-2017 runs until 31 January (non-European), 27 February (European students) and 30 April 2015 (without scholarship).

Measurements at the three axes spectrometer PUMA have now been published in the renowned journal Nature Communications.

The German TV station Sat 1 Bayern broadcasted a documentary on retina implants on December 29 at 17.30h, where research undertaken by Dr. Neelima Paul of Technische Universität München at MLZ will be shown. (only in German)

Dr. Matthias Rossbach and his team of the Institute of Energy and Climate Research, IEK-6, Nuclear Waste Management and Reactor Safety of the Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH designed and constructed a new instrument for prompt and delayed fission neutron induced reaction Gamma spectrometry.

Measurements using positrons could help to develop better coatings for drugs.

South of the Maier-Leibnitz Laboratory a hall in wood construction is currently being built. From next year on, it will house the mock-up for the cooling systems of the ultracold neutron source at the FRM II.