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A paper co-authored by PDI scientists Xiang Lu, Lutz Schrottke, and Klaus Biermann has won second prize in the Best Paper Award from the Association of European Space Research Establishments. The research team developed an Oxygen Spectrometer for Atmospheric Science on a Balloon to study the 4.7-THz emission of neutral atomic oxygen in Earth's atmosphere.

PDI Postdoc Dr. Kagiso Loeto has been awarded a prestigious Humboldt Research Fellowship from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, which recognizes and supports outstanding researchers with exceptional qualifications. Dr. Loeto will lead a new research initiative to investigate fundamental phenomena limiting the internal quantum efficiency of deep-ultraviolet light-emitting diodes.

At Berlin Science Week 2024, PDI brings science to the public in an innovative and engaging way through the Science Punk concept, a unique series that shows what can happen when scientists challenge conventions. From Nov 8th to 10th, you can experience Science Punk firsthand at PDI’s Tiny Gallery at Holzmarkt, where you can watch the films, interact with PDI's scientists, and explore ideas beyond your comfort zone.

Chris Van de Walle, professor of materials at UC Santa Barbara and former member of the PDI Scientific Advisory Board, has been awarded the American Physical Society’s 2025 Aneesur Rahman Prize for Computational Physics. This prestigious award, APS's highest honor in the field, recognizes his contributions to first-principles methods for understanding the structural, electronic, and optoelectronic properties of materials, particularly point defects and interfaces.

Dr. Lutz Schrottke has spent more than 25 years at PDI, where his work on Quantum Cascade Lasers (QCL) laid the groundwork for one of the institute's Core Research Areas (CReAs). In this interview, Dr. Schrottke looks back on his academic path, his contributions to the development of THz QCLs, and their applications in fields like astronomy and plasma diagnostics.

PDI scientist Dr. Mingyun Yuan has been recognized as an Emerging Leader in the latest special issue of Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics (JPhysD). This acknowledgment reflects Dr. Yuan’s contributions to the field of applied physics, placing her among a select group of early-career researchers identified for their potential and achievements.

We are pleased to announce the publication of a new paper in Physical Review Research, titled “Topological boundary states in engineered quantum-dot molecules on the InAs(111)A surface: Odd numbers of quantum dots,” co-authored by PDI scientists and collaborators from Japan, China, the US, and Germany. This research is funded by DFG and aims to deepen our understanding of electron behavior in reduced dimensions – crucial for fundamental science and future quantum technologies.

PDI is pleased to announce that actor and playwright Mary Kelly has been selected as the 2024/2025 PDI Artist-in-Residence. This marks the inaugural year of PDI's Artist-in-Residence Program, which offers a unique opportunity for artists to immerse themselves in the scientific process, collaborate with researchers, and access cutting-edge nanotechnology facilities at one of the world’s leading institutes in semiconductor technology.

Lawyer Martin Böhnke has been officially appointed as the new Managing Director of the Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V. (FVB). Martin began serving in this role on an interim basis in April 2024, following the departure of Dr. Nicole Münnich. The FVB is comprised of seven Leibniz Institute members, including PDI. The organization focuses on combining excellent research in the natural sciences, engineering, life sciences, and environmental sciences with efficient science management.

Dr. Elke Arenholz, a member of PDI's Scientific Advisory Board and a renowned scientist specializing in magnetic materials and X-ray spectroscopy, has been named Director of the National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II), a U.S. U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science user facility at DOE’s Brookhaven National Laboratory.