Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron

DESY is one of the world’s leading accelerator centers. DESY develops, builds and operates large accelerator facilities, which are used to investigate the structure of matter. The combination of photon science and particle physics at DESY is unique in Europe. DESY carries out fundamental research in a range of scientific fields and focuses on three principal areas:

Accelerators

DESY develops, builds and operates large facilities that accelerate particles to extremely high energies.

Photon science

Physicists, chemists, geologists, biologists, medical researchers and materials scientists use the special light from DESY’s accelerators to observe structures and processes in the microcosm.

Particle physics

Scientists from around the world use DESY’s accelerators to investigate the fundamental building blocks and forces of the universe.

The spectrum of research at DESY is correspondingly diverse, as is the cooperation with partners both national and international. All in all, more than 3000 scientists from approximately 40 countries come to Hamburg each year to work at DESY. The research program is not restricted to the facilities in Hamburg and Zeuthen. Indeed, DESY is closely involved in a number of major international projects, including the European X-ray free-electron laser XFEL in Hamburg, the Large Hadron Collider LHC in Geneva, the neutrino telescope IceCube at the South Pole and the International Linear Collider ILC.

Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY

A Research Centre of the Helmholtz Association
A publicly funded national research center
Established in Hamburg on 18 December 1959
Locations: Hamburg and Zeuthen (Brandenburg)
Budget: 230 million euros (Hamburg: 211 million euros; Zeuthen: 19 million euros)
Financing: 90% on the national level (Federal Ministry of Education and Research); 10% on the state level (the city of Hamburg and the federal state of Brandenburg)
Employees: 2300, including 650 scientists, who work in the fields of accelerator operation, research and development
Guest scientists: More than 3000 from 40 countries each year
Training: More than100 young people in commercial and technical vocations
Young scientists: More than 700 diploma students, doctoral candidates and postdocs

DESY

2

locations: Hamburg und Zeuthen

90

percent of DESY is financed by the federal government (Federal Ministry of Education and Research, 10 % by the city of Hamburg and the state of Brandenburg, respectively)

349

million basic budget

~2700

people work at DESY. In addition, more than 3000 guest researchers from over 40 nations come to DESY every year.

Research programs

Matter and universe

From matter to materials and life

Matter and technologies

Health
The revolution from the test tube

Just as engineers changed our outer world with the findings of physics in the last century, bioengineers are on the cusp of transforming our inner world with the tools of biomedicine in this century.…
Energy, Matter
The fusion energy options

The question of the next steps toward nuclear fusion energy is hotly debated in the Helmholtz Association right now. Wim Leemans is an expert in laser plasma acceleration and chairman of the Helmholtz…
Matter
The neutrino sky takes shape

Neutrinos from the galactic disc of the Milky Way were recently detected. Now researchers are setting their sights on new goals.
Matter
"We don't want a brain drain, we want to preserve Ukraine as a center of science".

Greta Facile from DESY on aid programs for science in Ukraine during the war.
Matter
Ants in the synchrotron

In a million-year-old piece of amber, researchers have identified a prehistoric ant as a genus and species in its own right. This was achieved with the help of the PETRA III X-ray light source in…
Matter
"Science Diplomacy needs Excellent Science"

Zehra Sayers was co-chair of the Scientific Advisory Board of the SESAME synchrotron accelerator in Jordan. In this interview, she talks about the vision, successes and obstacles of the project.