Research field Structure of Matter in the funding period 2010 - 2014

Since the second programme period began in 2010, scientists investigating the structure of matter have been working in four programmes, as the “Condensed Matter Programme” was transferred to the field of key technologies. These four programmes are:

• Elementary Particle Physics
• Astroparticle Physics
• Physics of Hadrons and Nuclei
• Research with Photons, Neutrons and Ions (PNI)

All programmes are based on the close interaction between theory and experimentation, and some have scientific and technological links. The programmes aim to continually develop research infrastructure, deploy it efficiently and provide optimal support for users in an effort to strengthen the leading role of Helmholtz scientists in this field through work with national and international partners.

Programmes

Elementary Particle Physics

This programme focuses on the smallest building blocks of matter and the forces operating between them. The insights this work provides have direct consequences for our understanding of the early evolution of the universe. The origin of mass, the unification of all the fundamental forces at extremely high energies, as well as the reconciliation of quantum physics with the general theory of relativity, rank among the basic questions of physics. Research in this field also aims to identify new particles and find the supersymmetry partners of all currently known particles.

In recent years the programme has increased its involvement in the two LHC experiments ATLAS and CMS in order to continue to ensure the international competitiveness of German particle physics. The experimental activities at the LHC have been supported by the further expansion of the Grid Computing Centre Karlsruhe (GridKa) at KIT and by the Tier-2 facilities and analysis centre at DESY.

At the same time, work is underway to complete the precision analyses of the HERA experiments, the results of which are also highly significant for the LHC analyses. DESY is playing a leading international role in the ongoing development of superconducting accelerator technology, and developments in the detector field are also continuing. Theoretical investigations are closely tied to experimental activities and provide an interface to particle/astroparticle physics and string theory.

In close collaboration with the John von Neumann Institute at the Forschungszentrum Jülich, the DESY centre in Zeuthen is continuing its work in the field of lattice gauge theory, including research and development of new kinds of processors. As a result of the programme review, resources will continue to be provided for the Helmholtz Association’s activities in the highly successful “Physics at the Terascale” alliance.

Astroparticle Physics

Astroparticle physics combines the study of the smallest building blocks of matter with the exploration of the largest structures of the universe. Astroparticle physicists study the sources of cosmic radiation and the mechanisms of cosmic accelerators. At the same time, the researchers working in this programme investigate so-called dark matter, the presence of which has so far only been inferred from its gravitational effects. Astroparticle physics has developed into an independent field in Germany and in many areas of research Germany is now a world leader.

Key aspects of this programme include the continued involvement with the Pierre Auger Observatory and the IceCube project. The Pierre Auger collaboration is planning to extend its coverage to include the entire sky, and accompanying research is underway in Karlsruhe on the radio detection of air showers. The IceCube neutrino telescope has now been completed and is certain to produce a wealth of results in the next programme period. In this connection, DESY is also planning to contribute to preparatory work on the Cerenkov Telescope Array.

The search for dark matter is becoming increasingly important as a result of new astronomical studies and will be expanded within the framework of the European EURECA project, in which KIT is playing a leading role. Also connected with these endeavours is the ongoing work on so-called multimessenger analysis, which seeks to combine information from several celestial sources. During the current programme period, the KATRIN experiment will conduct the world’s most sensitive measurements of the mass of the neutrino.

Physics of Hadrons and Nuclei

Hadrons – which include the atomic nuclear components protons and neutrons – are made up of quarks bound together by strong interaction. In this programme, researchers are addressing such questions as how the quark matter existing at the beginning of the universe was transformed into the matter making up our world, which consists of hadrons, atomic nuclei and atoms.

They are also investigating how this matter provided the basis for the formation of the chemical elements inside stars and examining the limits of nuclear stability. An important part of their work is the synthesis of new “superheavy” elements, an area in which the GSI has achieved significant successes.

The focus for the new programme period is on the international project to construct the Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR) at the GSI, with Helmholtz researchers playing a leading role. This accelerator complex will be the only one of its kind in the world and is being built by the GSI and the Forschungszentrum Jülich together with national and international partners. It will go into operation in 2017/2018. In addition to building FAIR, both centres are implementing a targeted experimentation programme at the existing facilities UNILAC/SIS 18 and COSY.

Together with German universities, the GSI is driving forward the development and utilisation of the ALICE detector as part of the LHC heavy ion programme at CERN. The GSI also operates a powerful Tier-2 centre for ALICE. Experimental activities are accompanied and supported by a strong theoretical programme with a special focus on ALICE and FAIR. Since 2008, the interdisciplinary alliance “Extreme Densities and Temperatures: Cosmic Matter in the Laboratory” has addressed questions revolving around the theme of matter under extreme conditions such as those prevailing at the beginning of the universe and inside stellar plasmas.

Research with Photons, Neutrons and Ions (PNI)

This programme is focused on ensuring the effective utilisation of existing photon, neutron and ion sources and continually adapting them to the needs of the user community. With the new emphasis on in-house research, the programme is undertaking the first cross-centre efforts to strengthen this form of research at large-scale PNI facilities.

It is also improving the conditions for qualified user support and the further development of the scientific instrumentation at large-scale facilities. With regard to photon sources, particularly noteworthy aspects of the work in this programme include the leading role played by Helmholtz researchers in the European X-ray laser project XFEL based at DESY and the expansion of the Centre for Free Electron Laser Studies (CFEL) in collaboration with the Max Planck Society and the University of Hamburg as a basis for German use of the XFEL.

The successful launch of PETRA III as the world’s most brilliant radiation source for hard X-rays and the further development of the FLASH laser also represent important successes. Following the shutdown of the Geesthacht neutron reactor, the HZG has now established the Centre for Structure and Dynamics of Condensed Matter on the Nanoscale and the Engineering Materials Science Center at DESY

In the case of BESSY II, efforts are focused on the “2007 Plus” expansion programme with a particular emphasis on microscopy in the terahertz range through to X-ray radiation and the generation and application of short X-ray pulses with selectable polarisation.

In combination with the infrastructure available at KIT, ANKA continues to be expanded as a user facility for special applications. In collaboration with Helmholtz health researchers, members of this programme are setting up a Centre for Structural Systems Biology at DESY in order to take advantage of the synchrotron sources there for the analysis of biological structures.

In the field of research with neutrons, the focus will be on the two national sources BER II and FRM II. In t he current programme period, the three Helmholtz centres Forschungs zentrum Jülich, HZG and HZB are building and operating further instruments at the FRM II. With regard to the BER II, which is operated at the HZB using the extreme sample environments available there, the first expansion stage (25T) of the high field magnet will soon go into operation. An upgrade of the cold source and upgrades of a selection of instruments and neutron guides are also imminent. On an international level, the Jülich Centre for Neutron Science (JCNS) is working with the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) in Oak Ridge and the Laue-Langevin Institute (ILL). In addition, the three neutron centres are formulating concepts for the European Spallation Neutron Source (ESS) and its instrumentation.

Large-scale facilities for ion research in the PNI programme are available only at the GSI and offer unique possibilities for research in the fields of nuclear physics, plasma physics and materials research. The FAIR project is creating extremely promising prospects for research with ions.

In addition, the programme has helped launch an interdisciplinary initiative for data processing and analysis using the large-scale PNI facilities.

Outlook

Preparations are currently underway to reorganise research into the structure of matter into three programmes. This process is set to be implemented in the third period of programme-oriented funding. All disciplines related to basic research – particle and astroparticle physics, physics of hadrons and nuclei, and atomic and plasma physics – will be combined in the “Matter and the Universe” programme. Its researchers will form the backbone of German participation in large-scale international facilities used to investigate the origin and development of our universe and matter.

In the second programme, “From Matter to Materials and Life”, the operators of modern radiation sources will work closely with an international user community from the natural sciences, engineering and medicine. Goals include the development of new materials and active substances and the decoding of new phenomena in condensed matter, electromagnetic plasmas and biological systems.

The third programme, “Matter and Technologies”, will focus on new technological concepts for fields such as particle acceleration, detector systems and the optimisation of high-performance computing and data storage. The aim of the new programme structure is to more closely link scientific and technological research areas in order to generate additional synergies. Furthermore, on the basis of new research results, the new structure will increase the potential for developing enabling technologies for tomorrow’s world and beyond.