HZB offers access to a large suite of photon and neutron instruments at its facilities BESSY II and BER II. Instrument, beam lines and stations can be used in combination with a large set of dedicated sample environment devices. Additionally, also various user support labs and supply and technical workshops are available for those that seek answers.
Short facts
History: The merge of Hahn-Meitner-Institut (HMI, established 1959) and Berliner Elektronenspeicherring- Gesellschaft für Synchrotronstrahlung (BESSY, established 1979), laid the foundation for HZB (2009). HZB now provides two large facilities for materials research: The neutron source BER II, in the former HMI institute, and the synchrotron source BESSY II, in the former BESSY institute.
Employees: Approximately 1100, of which 800 at Wannsee and 300 at Adlershof.
Location: Berlin-Brandenburg
Budget: Approximately 110 M EUR annually
Guest scientists: More than 2500 external scientists (from 35 countries to date)
Research and training: About 100 doctoral candidates from neighboring universities are involved in research and training at HZB. The facility cooperates with more than 400 partners at German and international universities, research institutions and companies.
Which materials can be studied at the HZB?
A large variety of substances can be investigated. The spectrum ranges from modern metallic materials through novel polymers to biological substances like proteins.
- Functional materials: Atomistic and microscopic structure and dynamics of materials. Stress and strain of engineering materials. Non-destructive imaging in complex real systems and samples.
- Magnetic materials: Quantum and frustrated magnetism, transition metal oxides, superconductivity, magnetic nanostructures and interfaces.
- Solar energy research: Thin-film solar cells based on Si-wafer technology and novel materials, e.g. copper-indium-sulfide (CIS) or organic semiconductors.
Which properties can be investigated?
- Access the structure, composition and properties of condensed matter and materials.
- Investigation of magnetism, quantum physics in solids and superconductivity.
- Investigation of basic building blocks for natural life and diseases trails in nature and environmental research.
- Properties and development of materials in alternative green energies.
- Historical and ancient artifacts can be studied non-destructively using neutrons and photons, for example, paintings and skeletons of dinosaurs.
Under which conditions can material be studied?
Sophisticated sample environments and extreme conditions are offered, especially high magnetic fields, different temperatures, pressure, atmospheres and deformation conditions.
Available techniques
NEUTRON techniques:
- Single crystal diffraction
- Powder Diffraction
- Reflectometry
- Small angle neutron scattering
- Stress and Strain/Textures measurements
- Time-of-flight Spectroscopy
- Tomography/Radiography
SYNCHROTRON techniques:
- X-ray absorption spectroscopy (IR spectroscopy, near edge and extended X-ray absorption, etc.)
- Powder and single crystal diffraction (powder, surface, crystallography, etc.)
- X-ray emission/reflection spectroscopy (X-ray fluorescence, reflectometry, etc.)
- X-ray imaging (IR microscopy, tomography, etc.)
- Lithography (X-ray and EUV)
- Photoelectron emission spectroscopy (UV, X-ray, etc.)
- X-ray magnetic scattering
- Small angle x-ray scattering
Contact the Science Link Industrial Liaison Officer at HZB, hzb@science-link.eu
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