Goals and roles

In the Research Field Key Technologies, scientists from the Helmholtz Association are working together on generic technologies that promise new methods and innovative solutions for the grand challenges facing society. These grand challenges are also addressed in the various research areas of the Helmholtz Association. In addition, scientists are focusing on technologies that could benefit from the Research Field’s large-scale infrastructure, thereby reaching the industrial application stage even faster. This includes work in areas such as nanoelectronics, nanotechnology, quantum technology, microsystems technology, technologies at the interface between biology and physics, advanced engineering materials and supercomputing. Supercomputers have become the third pillar of scientific research alongside theory and experiment.

They allow complex systems to be simulated and hypotheses to be tested, providing us with new insights into the hidden realms of reality. Novel materials with tailor-made properties make it possible to develop innovative products, such as storage media with increased capacities, energy-saving lightweight materials for vehicles, and biocompatible implants for medical applications. In areas where application potential has been identified, research is intensified until the innovations are ready for use in specific applications. Technological advances and pioneering innovations are set in motion by basic research and creative work. Nobel Laureate Peter Grünberg and his GMR effect are a good example of how the results of groundbreaking research can be transferred to future key technologies and lead to innovative products of high economic and industrial relevance within a timeframe of 10 to 15 years.

The Helmholtz Centres in Jülich, Karlsruhe and Geesthacht are pooling their broad-based expertise and interdisciplinary potential to lay the foundation for the next generation of key technologies. A high potential for innovation has been identified at the interfaces between disciplines – involving physics, chemistry, materials science, the life sciences and nanotechnology. This potential can be exploited on several levels (atomic, molecular, nanometre and micrometre) and is strongly supported by modelling and simulation. Helmholtz-specific technology platforms cooperate closely on this with selected universities. They function as focal points for a broad user community made up of universities and industry. As a large-scale facility with high visibility, the petascale European Supercomputing Centre at Jülich will be firmly established as part of the German Gauss Centre for Supercomputing and as an architect of the Partnership for Advanced Computing in Europe (PRACE). It will be made available to all scientific research communities in Europe.

With this move, the Research Field contributes decisively to the High-Tech Strategy for Germany, particularly in the areas of “Innovations for a communicative and mobile life: nanotechnology, microsystems technology, optical technologies and materials technologies” as well as “Innovations though generic technologies: information and communications technologies”. The Research Field sets the pace for innovation and develops these fields of the future, which will secure Germany’s leading position and consolidate its economic strength.

Research on the next generation of generic key technologies is built upon a broad scientific basis. This allows the potential advantages to be identified and the opportunities and risks for society to be evaluated. Part of this process involves taking our partnerships with universities to a whole new level. The recently founded Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and the Jülich-Aachen Research Alliance (JARA) are interesting examples of such new long-term partnerships on very different scal

The Programmes in the funding period 2010-2014

The Research Field Key Technologies conducted a comprehensive evaluation of its plans for the upcoming programme period using strategic and scientific criteria. In doing so, the Research Field repositioned itself and incorporated activities from the Research Fields Health and Structure of Matter. The “Condensed Matter” programme, for example, was transferred from the Research Field Structure of Matter and split between various programmes in the Research Field Key Technologies. The Research Field will be re-launched with six programmes on 1 January 2010. In addition, it will contribute to the “Technology, Innovation and Society” programme in cooperation with the Research Field Energy.

Involved Helmholtz Centres

Forschungszentrum Jülich

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

GKSS Research Centre Geesthacht