Latest News

We're delighted to announce that Master’s student Adriano Notarangelo successfully completed his degree in Solid State Physics and Quantum Technologies, graduating with top honors (110/110 cum laude). Adriano conducted his thesis research at PDI from July 2024 to March 2025, working under the supervision of PDI scientist Philipp John and long-time PDI collaborator Stefano Carlo Cecchi.

We’re pleased to announce that Francisca Marín Largo has successfully completed her PhD at PDI, defending her dissertation “Charge Carrier Dynamics Under the Influence of Extreme Strain Gradients Realized in Bent Semiconductor Nanowires.”

Our researchers are regularly invited to speak at top international events. Here’s where you can catch them in April.

PDI PhD student Mikel Gómez Ruiz successfully defended his thesis on March 27 at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. His dissertation, titled "Carrier recombination in group-III-V nanowires – Investigation of defects and transport via cathodoluminescence spectroscopy," was supervised by PDI Senior Scientist Dr. Jonas Lähnemann.

Madeleine Msall, Josiah Little Professor of Natural Science at Bowdoin College and regular guest scientist at PDI, will give her inaugural lecture at Bowdoin on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. In this livestreamed public talk, Prof. Msall will explore the story of phonons—quantum vibrations that carry heat and sound through solids—and their role in the performance of modern semiconductors, including those operating at cryogenic temperatures.

Over the past three months, theatre artist Mary Kelly built trust with the PDI community, exploring materials science through an artist’s lens. Her residency may have formally ended, but our relationship continues—her journey of reflection and creation is just beginning, and we look forward to seeing how our collaboration evolves. Read more about the seminar that wrapped up this phase and what comes next.

For the past three months, theatre artist Mary Kelly has been PDI’s Artist-in-Residence (AiR), immersing herself in the world of materials science and exploring how scientific and artistic practices can inform one another. Now, as her residency comes to a close, she’s ready to share what she’s learned—through a special online presentation featuring readings from her work.

Markus R. Wagner, Head of Department Semiconductor Spectroscopy at PDI, has been invited as an opening speaker at RaMS2025 – the 1st Workshop on Raman Spectroscopies for Materials Science. RaMS2025 is a premier event dedicated to the application of Raman spectroscopies in materials science research. Hosted by Politecnico di Milano on April 15, 2025, the workshop will bring together leading experts, researchers, and students to explore the latest advancements, exchange knowledge, and foster collaborations in the field. Registration is now open.

As the year draws to a close, we would like to recognize the ongoing support and guidance of PDI's Scientific Advisory Board (SAB). Established with the founding of PDI in 1993, The SAB has included Nobel Laureates and pioneers who have had profound impact in their respective fields.

The DGKK+DEMBE Workshop 2024, jointly organized by PDI and HHI, successfully took place in Berlin from December 11-13, 2024. This annual event evolved from the Workshop of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Kristallwachstum und Kristallzüchtung (DGKK) on Epitaxy of III-V Semiconductors and the German MBE Workshop (DEMBE). This year saw more than 200 attendees coming together to exchange ideas and foster collaboration, driving progress in epitaxy and related fields.