Graphic: MIPEF key visual

Intellectual property plays a central role in research, innovation and the transfer of scientific knowledge into practice. Through a new cooperation between Chemnitz University of Technology and the European Patent Office (EPO), doctoral candidates, postdocs and staff of the university can now participate in the “Modular Intellectual Property Education Framework” (MIPEF) free of charge. The Centre for Junior Scientists (ZfwN), the Patent Information Centre (PIZ) of Chemnitz University of Technology and the Chair of Private Law and Intellectual Property (JURA II) accompany the programme.

The programme, developed by the EPO together with European experts, provides an introduction to intellectual property and connects it with specific practical applications. Topics covered include the various intellectual property protection systems, the life cycle of a patent, as well as technology transfer, IP strategies, licensing and commercialisation.

The English-language online course comprises interactive self-study modules, case studies, online events with IP experts and moderated forums. Upon completion of a final examination, participants receive a certificate from the European Patent Office.

Participants learn how intellectual property can be identified, protected and strategically used in the research and innovation process. In addition to the introductory course, the European Patent Office also offers an advanced course as part of the programme, which covers further aspects of patenting and the strategic use of intellectual property, as well as a course on IP management, which provides knowledge on the management of intellectual property rights and their commercialisation.

The interdisciplinary programme is aimed in particular at researchers working on innovative technologies, processes, products or transfer-oriented projects. No prior knowledge of patent law is required for the introductory course.

Registration and further information

Registration for the introductory course is possible from 21 September to 14 October 2026. The course phase relevant for participants begins with the opening of the online course area on 16 October 2026. The final examination must be submitted by 21 December 2026. The advanced course starts in spring 2027.

Participation in the courses is free of charge. The courses take place entirely online and in English.

Interested doctoral candidates, postdocs and staff of Chemnitz University of Technology who wish to participate in the introductory course are asked to first enrol in the OPAL course. There, they will receive all further information on registration and the course procedure. Anyone interested in the IP management course is asked to contact carina.gerlach@piz.tu-chemnitz.de by email.

The European Patent Office provides further information about the programme on its website: https://www.epo.org/de/learning/learning-resources-profile/universities-research-centres-and-technology-transfer-centres/modular-ip-education-framework as well as at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8y-B9wuSViA.

For questions regarding the content, please contact Dr Carina Gerlach, Head of the Patent Information Centre, by email at carina.gerlach@piz.tu-chemnitz.de.

For organisational questions, please contact Dr Nadia Lois from the Centre for Junior Scientists, email: nadia.lois@rektor.tu-chemnitz.de.

Academic supervision by Prof. Dr. Dagmar Gesmann-Nuissl, Chair of Private Law and Intellectual Property Rights, email: dagmar.gesmann@wiwi.tu-chemnitz.de

(Author: Dr. Nadia Lois)

On September 6, 2026, all citizens interested in politics will have the opportunity to take a look behind the scenes of the Saxon State Government. From 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., the State Government will open its doors around Dresden’s Carolaplatz for the 21st 'Open Government Quarter'—this time under the motto ‘To See and Be Seen.’ This event format offers insights into the work of the State Chancellery and the ministries, providing an opportunity to engage with staff members from these agencies.

At the Saxon State Ministry for Science, Culture and Tourism (SMWK), located at Wigardstraße 17, Chemnitz University of Technology will be among the institutions presenting two research topics. The Research Center for Materials, Architectures and Integration of Nanomembranes (MAIN) at Chemnitz University of Technology (Director: Prof. Dr. Oliver G. Schmidt) presents its research within the university's core competency area ‘Materials and Intelligent Systems.’ Using demonstrators and video footage, an international team of researchers and doctoral candidates—led by Dr. Vineeth Bandari and Dr. Yeji Lee, senior scientists at Research Center MAIN at Chemnitz University of Technology—provides visitors with a clear and engaging look into the latest research on small, intelligent micromechanical systems, known as 'smartlets.' In addition, potential application scenarios for microrobotics in environmental and medical technology will be presented as building blocks. Visitors at the 'Open Government Quarter' will have the opportunity to engage with researchers and learn about degree programs offered by the participating faculties at Research Center MAIN—Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, and Natural Sciences—including the master’s degree programs in Microsystems and Microelectronics, Micro and Nano Systems, and Advanced Functional Materials.

Moreover, Chemnitz University of Technology will present its activities as part of the 'C:HUB One Health Cluster Southwestern Saxony,' which combines research and development efforts in the medical technology sector with local businesses and healthcare providers to create value, address regional needs, and drive innovation.

Project Manager Aline Lohse is presenting two flagship projects for the 'Open Government Quarter': First, the 'Spatial Computing' project, which adapts commercial mixed-reality headset technology for use in the operating room. Second, she is presenting the 'Artificial Immune System' project. It combines research approaches from microrobotics, spectroscopic analysis, and biomedical analytics at Research Center MAIN and its participating faculties, offering potential for disruptive innovations in medical technology.

Detailed information on the “Open Government District 2026”: https://www.staatsregierung.sachsen.de/offenes-regierungsviertel.html

For more information, please contact Aline Lohse at aline.lohse@zwt.tu-chemnitz.de or Dr. Thomas Blaudeck at thomas.blaudeck@main.tu-chemnitz.de

(Translation: Dona Maria (Research Center MAIN)

The Free State of Saxony is supporting structural transformation in Southwestern Saxony with further multi-million-euro investments in science and research. One of the largest planned investments is the construction of a new cleanroom for research and technology development in the field of sustainable microelectronics and sensor technology at the Center for Micro and Nanotechnologies (ZfM) at Chemnitz University of Technology. Unspent EU funds are to be utilized for the building, which will cost approximately €68 million. Subject to approval by the European Commission, this will enable the implementation of a project that strengthens Chemnitz University of Technology's research infrastructure and creates new opportunities for collaboration with research institutions and companies. This was announced by the Saxon State Ministry of Science, Culture and Tourism in a press release published on August 25, 2026.

“We are absolutely thrilled that, even in these highly constrained and challenging fiscal times, the construction of the new cleanroom for research and technology development in the field of sustainable microelectronics and sensor technology can be realized. This represents an exceptionally significant investment in Chemnitz University of Technology—particularly in its core competencies of materials and intelligent systems — as well as in the entire region of Southwestern Saxony. We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to the Saxon State Government — in particular to Minister-President Michael Kretschmer and Minister of Science Sebastian Gemkow — as well as to everyone else involved for their outstanding support!" says Prof. Dr. Gerd Strohmeier, Rector of Chemnitz University of Technology.

With the planned cleanroom, the ZfM will further expand its expertise in micro- and nanotechnologies. The focus will be on technologies for sustainable microelectronics and sensor technology. The new infrastructure creates the prerequisite for cutting-edge research and technology development, while also aiming to intensify collaboration with non-university research institutions and industry partners.

“The planned new cleanroom represents a milestone boost for the Center for Micro and Nanotechnologies at Chemnitz University of Technology. Through these forward-looking investments, our world-class research can be further expanded and strengthened. This state-of-the-art infrastructure serves as a tremendous source of motivation for our staff and acts as a magnet for leading international researchers. In doing so, we are not only creating optimal conditions for research into sustainable microelectronics and cutting-edge technologies in quantum computing, neuromorphic computing, photonics, and smart sensors, but we are also building a stronger bridge between excellent research and industrial applications. As a key player in the region, we make a significant contribution to value creation—from which regional partners will benefit in the long term," said Prof. Dr. Harald Kuhn, holder of the Professorship for Smart Systems Integration at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology at Chemnitz University of Technology, Director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Electronic Nano Systems (ENAS), and Director of the ZfM at Chemnitz University of Technology.

The planned investment is part of a comprehensive package of measures by the Free State of Saxony to strengthen Southwestern Saxony as a hub for science and research. This includes 79 European research funding projects (ERDF/JTF) in the field of mechanical and plant engineering, totaling more than € 80 million, as well as projects totaling over € 200 million in medium-term financial planning through 2031.

Background: The Center for Micro and Nanotechnologies (ZfM)

With the ZfM, Chemnitz University of Technology (TU Chemnitz) is home to one of the world’s leading research centers for microsystems technology and nanotechnologies. It represents one of the technological cornerstones of the Southwestern Saxony industrial region and serves as an indispensable pillar of Silicon Saxony. Key research areas include system miniaturization, energy efficiency, performance enhancement with reduced resource consumption, and the integration of micro- and nanoscale components into complex systems.

Microelectronics is the core enabling technology for AI, medical technology, autonomous systems, as well as energy and mobility solutions—forming the foundation of industrial transformation. With over 120 German and 49 European partners, the ZfM serves as a global development partner for industry. The planned new building is therefore far more than just a construction project; it is of immense strategic importance. Ultimately, it will help secure and expand more than 300 highly skilled jobs in Saxony.

(Source: including a press release from the SMWK dated August 25, 2026)

In quantum computers, ions prefer to be isolated and kept at freezing temperatures because, to achieve optimal performance, they must be as isolated from their environment as possible. Only then can quantum operations be performed on them without perturbation. To this end, the ions are confined in a trap by electric fields, and the entire ion trap is cooled to a temperature of less than 10 Kelvin (just above absolute zero) in a high vacuum. Quantum computers based on such ion traps are currently attracting a great deal of interest in industry and science, particularly with regard to their miniaturization. This requires new concepts, materials, and technologies for heterogeneous system integration. This expertise is a strategic priority of the European Chips Act and will now be strengthened in Chemnitz and further developed for new areas of application. This is being carried out by Chemnitz University of Technology and the Chemnitz-based Fraunhofer Institute for Electronic Nano Systems (ENAS), in collaboration with partner institutes of the German Microelectronics Research Factory (FMD).

At the new “Cryo-Lab for Materials and Electronics Packaging Chemnitz”—CRYME for short—based at Chemnitz University of Technology, scientists aim to research and develop materials, components, and systems for future generations of quantum computers, as well as evaluate their reliability. Thanks to an investment project by Fraunhofer ENAS, funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space (BMFTR), state-of-the-art equipment was acquired, including two specialized cooling devices known as cryostats, a cryogenic materials testing system for determining thermomechanical properties, and a cryogenic scanning electron microscope for materials analysis at extremely low temperatures. This technology is now jointly operated by Fraunhofer ENAS and Chemnitz University of Technology. As part of the European Test and Reliability Center (ETRC), CRYME strengthens the close collaboration between Fraunhofer ENAS and the FMD as well as the Chair of Materials and Reliability of Microtechnological Systems, the Center for Micro- and Nanotechnologies (ZfM), and the Research Center for Materials, Architectures, and Integration of Nanomembranes (MAIN) at Chemnitz University of Technology. The new laboratory is located at the Research Center MAIN. The new helium liquefaction plant at the neighboring Institute of Physics also plays an important role, as some of CRYME’s cryostats are powered by liquid helium.

“As a key technology of the 21st century, quantum computing also stands for technological leadership, high-quality jobs, and cutting-edge research. That is why the Chemnitz researchers involved in CRYME view the new laboratory as a key building block for innovation, new large-scale research projects, excellent teaching, and attracting young scientists,” says Prof. Dr. Bernhard Wunderle, holder of the Chair of Materials and Reliability of Microtechnical Systems. At the same time, he notes that the collaboration taking place here is a prime example of successful cooperation on the “Smart Systems Campus” in Chemnitz.

Dr. Remi Pantou, head of the “Characterization and Analytics” group at Fraunhofer ENAS and laboratory director of CRYME, adds: “CRYME’s new facilities are a key factor for collaborative projects with industry partners, as the complexity of this specialized research laboratory is unique in Germany and Europe. Several companies have expressed interest in collaborating. Specific collaborative projects have already begun, and additional projects are in the planning stages.”

The new laboratory will be officially opened on September 2, 2026, as part of a two-day event called “Chemnitz Seminars,” which will be held under the theme “Testing and Reliability Between Ice and Fire: New Laboratories and Methods from 4 K to 700 K.” The event covers topics related to testing and reliability and provides an ideal platform for sharing knowledge, discussing practical applications, and identifying future opportunities for collaboration within CRYME. Registration for the free seminar is open until August 21, 2026.

Program of the Seminar and Registration:

https://www.enas.fraunhofer.de/en/news_events/Events/Chemnitz_Seminars/chemnitz-seminar-test-and-reliability.html

(Translation: Dona Maria, Research Center MAIN)

Who did not make the experience of stress prior to the examinations? In order to assist students of Chemnitz University of Technology to prepare at the best for their examinations, the University Library (UL) offers to them even several opportunities during the central examination period from July 6 to August 15, 2026. During this period, it has not only extended opening hours, from 09:00 am to midnight, but it is additionally open on Sundays during the same time. Furthermore, the UL provides from July 17 on four more teamworks spaces in its „IdeenReich“ in addition to those in the „Common Area“ at the East Wing. However, they have to be booked online before via a reservation system (mytuc.org/hwfc).

Organizational information: Bookings are possible daily for the periods from 9 am to 01 pm, from 01 pm to 5 pm and from 5 pm to 10 pm respectively. For the usage of the additional teamwork spaces at the IdeenReich on Saturdays and Sundays, the booking has to be done the respective Friday before until noon at latest. The working spaces may be used by groups up to 10 persons. However, the registration has to be done by one person serving also as contact person for the UL then.

The information and service desks are not staffed on the seven Sundays within the examination period. This means, that users may work in the UL and also borrow and return media from its collections via the self-checkout and return machines, but may not pay charges or ask for making changes at their user data. This applies also to weekdays from 07 pm to midnight and to Saturdays from noon to midnight. However, in case of inquiries, the guard at the ground floor next to the main entrance may be contacted.

(Translation: Dr. Wolfgang Lambrecht)

Researchers from the Professorship of Optics and Photonics of Condensed Matter (led by Prof. Dr. Carsten Deibel) at the Chemnitz University of Technology and several partner institutions have systematically investigated how organic solar cells behave when the usual donor–acceptor mixing ratio is pushed to the extreme – down to only 1 percent donor content. Using the well‑known PM6:Y12 material system, they link nanomorphology, charge transport, and recombination to device performance and provide a unified physical picture of “donor‑diluted” organic solar cells. This is taking place within the framework of the Research Unit "Printed & Stable Organic Photovoltaics with Non-Fullerene Acceptors - POPULAR", funded by the German Research Foundation, of which Prof. Deibel is the spokesperson.

Organic solar cells typically consist of two components: a donor, which tends to donate electrons, and an acceptor, which accepts electrons. When light is absorbed, electron–hole pairs are formed and then separated at the donor–acceptor interface, enabling the generation of photocurrent. “In recent years, dilute donor blends have reached surprisingly high efficiencies, but we lacked a consistent understanding of how morphology, transport, and recombination interplay in these systems,” says Prof. Dr. Carsten Deibel, head of the Chair of Optics and Photonics of Condensed Matter at Chemnitz University of Technology and corresponding author of the study. “Our work shows that donor dilution mainly reshapes the topology of the transport network – and that this topology, rather than a sharp percolation threshold, defines the performance limits.”

Continuous donor network even at low content

In their study, the team fabricated PM6:Y12 bulk‑heterojunction solar cells with donor fractions ranging from 1 to 45 percent and characterized them with a broad set of structural, optical, and electrical methods. Grazing‑incidence wide‑angle X‑ray scattering (GIWAXS) and resonant soft X‑ray scattering (RSoXS) reveal that even below 5 percent donor content, lamellar stacking enables charge extraction in the inverted device architecture used. Complementary ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) depth profiling confirms that, apart from a thin donor-rich surface layer, the bulk composition closely follows the nominal donor–acceptor ratio across all blends.

To quantify charge transport, the researchers extract an effective active‑layer conductivity directly from current–voltage curves under illumination, based on a recently developed method that separates recombination and transport contributions near open‑circuit voltage. The resulting effective conductivity, that accounts for electron and hole conductivities, drops strongly towards low donor content but shows a robust, nearly temperature‑independent scaling with composition when evaluated at a fixed energetic depth in the density of states. The authors show that this dependence can be described by a classical three‑dimensional percolation model. “We find that the topology of the PM6 transport network controls conductivity and mobility, and that this network behaves like a three‑dimensional percolating system without a pronounced percolation threshold,” says Dr. Maria Saladina, co‑lead author of the study.

Exciton quenching experiments indicate nearly complete harvesting of PM6 excitons for all compositions, while the quenching of Y12 excitons and their effective lifetime improve with increasing donor content. “Even at very low donor fractions, we still observe a continuous, three‑dimensional PM6 network rather than isolated donor islands,” explains first author Dr. Chen Wang. This connectivity is crucial to maintain efficient charge extraction despite strong dilution.

From reduced Langevin to Smoluchowski‑type recombination

Nongeminate recombination is analysed by combining time‑resolved photoluminescence under 1‑sun‑equivalent excitation with time‑delayed collection field measurements. For higher donor fractions, the recombination kinetics can be described within a Langevin‑type framework with a pronounced Langevin reduction factor smaller than one, which the authors attribute mainly to redissociation of electron–hole pairs at the donor–acceptor interface before recombination.

At donor fractions below 5 percent, however, the situation changes qualitatively. The apparent recombination order and the time dependence of the recombination rate deviate from Langevin expectations, and the effective Langevin reduction factor extracted from experimental data can even exceed unity, i.e. the recombination rate becomes higher than predicted by the classical Langevin model. By analysing the long‑time dynamics, the authors identify a transition to a dispersive, Smoluchowski‑type recombination regime, where encounters of spatially distributed carriers lead to a characteristic power-law decay of the recombination rate. “In strongly diluted blends, charge carriers move in a topology‑limited network with spatially inhomogeneous fields, and the recombination kinetics become dispersive and scale‑free,” explains Saladina. “This Smoluchowski‑type regime goes beyond the conventional Langevin picture and helps explain why recombination can exceed Langevin predictions at very low donor contents.”

Publication in the Journal "Advanced Materials"

The study “Rethinking charge transport and recombination in donor‑diluted organic solar cells” appears as a research article in the renowned journal Advanced Materials. The work was led by Maria Saladina together with Carsten Deibel at the Institute of Physics, Chemnitz University of Technology, in collaboration with researchers from the University of Freiburg, Fraunhofer ISE, the University of Bayreuth, TU Dresden, IFW Dresden, and Durham University. The research builds on and extends earlier work by the Chemnitz group showing that transport resistance dominates fill‑factor losses in record organic solar cells and provides a quantitative framework to describe these losses via an effective conductivity and a transport‑related figure of merit. These results have been achieved within the framework of the DFG Research Unit POPULAR, which continues to work on understanding and improving printed organic solar cells.

Background: DFG Research Group "Printed & Stable Organic Photovoltaics with Non-Fullerene Acceptors - POPULAR" under the leadership of TU Chemnitz

The research group "Printed & Stable Organic Photovoltaics with Non-Fullerene Acceptors - POPULAR" (FOR 5387), funded by the German Research Foundation with around five million euros, is leading in the field of optoelectronic characterization of organic solar cells. Prof. Dr. Carsten Deibel, holder of the Professorship of Optics and Photonics of Condensed Matter at TU Chemnitz, is the spokesperson for the DFG Research Unit, which involves 14 scientists from several universities in Germany and the UK. The common goal is to produce organic solar cells using mass-production-compatible printing processes and to understand and improve them with complementary experiments and simulations.

Publication: Chen Wang, Maria Saladina, Carsten Deibel, et al: Rethinking charge transport: Donor dilution reshapes limits of organic solar cells. Advanced Materials e23681 (2026). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.202405889

For further information, please contact Maria Saladina, phone +49 (0)371 531-34046, email maria.saladina@physik.tu-chemnitz.de, and Prof. Dr. Carsten Deibel, phone +49 (0)371 531-34878, email deibel@physik.tu-chemnitz.de.

(Source: Professorship of Optics and Photonics of Condensed Matter)

A Franco-German research team of members of the FEMTO-ST Institute at the Université Marie et Louis Pasteur, Besançon, as well as the Faculties of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology and Natural Sciences, and the Research Center for Materials, Architectures and Integration of Nanomembranes (MAIN) at Chemnitz University of Technology, have uncovered new insights into the formation of forbidden frequency bands in periodic solid-state structures. The study, titled “Contact points open wide band gaps in all two-dimensional Bravais lattices,” was published in late April in the physics journal Physical Review B and makes fundamental contributions to the understanding of the electromagnetic wave transport properties through regularly arranged materials.

This study examines the influence of contact points between copper tubes as individual scatterers arranged regularly in space on the propagation of radio waves and, consequently, on the formation of forbidden frequency regions for these waves—so-called band gaps. Using theoretical considerations, numerical simulations, and experimental measurements of scattering across all possible two-dimensional arrangements—known as Bravais lattices—of the tubes, the researchers demonstrate that contact points systematically generate wider band gaps, thereby enabling broadband filters for radio-frequency waves.

The results underscore that a precise understanding of the geometric structure of the scatterers and their exact positioning relative to one another, especially in the case of touch, can systematically influence and control the band structures, thereby helping to control and tailor the propagation of waves. Large, adjustable band gaps are of crucial importance, particularly for applications in electronics and photonics, as they determine the electrical and optical behavior of the components.

This study is part of the current research on the development of geometric effects in functional, two-dimensional membrane materials and is consistent with findings from previous research in which the authors demonstrated a similar effect for sound. It is inspired by work conducted as part of the TUCculture initiative on the stele artwork “Model of Thought and Perception for the Phenomenon of Color” by Dresden-based artist Stefan Nestler (1998), located in front of the Central Lecture Hall and Seminar Building at Chemnitz University of Technology. This artwork has been discovered as the world’s largest realization of a photonic crystal. By further developing this field, the authors are now making a positive contribution to basic research in the field of wave physics and providing a new impetus for materials research.

Original publication: D. Röhlig, R. Zichner, T. Blaudeck, A. Thränhardt, V. Laude: „Contact points open wide band gaps in all two-dimensional Bravais lattices“, Physical Review B 113, 144391 (2026). URL https://doi.org/10.1103/9ql7-t9rh

(Author: Dr. Thomas Blaudeck)

The annual student survey TUCpanel at Chemnitz University of Technology is open now. The goal of this annual survey is to gain a comprehensive picture of how students perceive their studies, their teaching and learning conditions, and campus life in general.

The results from previous years have already provided valuable input for the continuous improvement of study and teaching at TU Chemnitz. As a result, a number of changes have been initiated in recent years – for example, in exam structures, module descriptions, practical components, and the design of learning and recreational spaces like our common rooms.

To obtain a more precise overview of our student’s experiences TUCpanel 2026 has been further amended. Questions on workload and exam pressure have been updated and made more specific to provide a more accurate representation of your actual study load.

Greater focus on international perspectives

A new set of questions for international students at Chemnitz University of Technology takes into account their specific experiences and challenges, for example regarding language, the organisation of studies or integration. With the help of this expanded questionnaire, the university aims to capture these perspectives even more effectively in order to further improve study conditions for all students. A new Instagram channel for international students has also been launched, offering insights into TUCpanel and the university’s study success initiatives.

In addition, new topics on the university’s external perception and on students’ motivations for choosing Chemnitz University of Technology have been introduced. These insights will help to better understand the factors that influence the decision to study at TU Chemnitz.

Please take part and help us improve university life

Every participant in this survey contributes to further improving the study experience at Chemnitz University of Technology. By sharing their feedback, students can help initiate important changes – for themselves and for future generations of students. Each participation makes an important contribution to continuously improving study conditions at TU Chemnitz. All students are warmly invited to take part!

The survey is open until 15 May 2026. All participants will have the chance to enter a prize draw following the survey.

There are a total of 20 new Chemnitz University of Technology hoodies to be won. Participation in the prize draw is voluntary and takes place via a separate link provided after the survey. This ensures that the anonymity of the responses is maintained at all times.

Further information and contact details:

• Website: www.tu-chemnitz.de/tucpanel
• Contact persons: Anja Ertel, email anja.ertel@rektor.tu-chemnitz.de, and Alica Beckel, email alica.beckel@rektor.tu-chemnitz.de 
• Instagram channel: tucpanel
• Instagram channel for international students: tucpanel.internationals
• Feedback and enquiries:tucpanel@tu-chemnitz.de

(Authors: Alica Beckel, Evamaria Moore)

The question of "What binds the world in its innermost core?" was on Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's mind in "Faust." Many researchers at Chemnitz University of Technology also search for answers to this question. At the new Transmission Electron Microscopy Center (TEM-Center), officially opened on April 14^th, 2026, at Erfenschlager Straße 73 in Chemnitz, researchers aim to visualize structures smaller than the wavelength of visible light. This will enable them to identify atoms, molecules, and the bonds of matter. To achieve this, they will utilize the top-tier research infrastructure.

High-resolution microscopes enable precise material analysis

"The core of the new, single-story building are two highly sensitive transmission electron microscopes that allow us to examine the structure and properties of materials at the molecular and atomic levels, and then translate these findings to new applications," says Prof. Dr. Andreas Undisz, the Chair of Electron Microscopy and Microstructural Analysis at Chemnitz University of Technology and head of the new center. For example, processes that lead to material damage can be examined in very detail, enabling more accurate conclusions to be made about the durability and performance of components.

A worthwhile investment at Chemnitz University of Technology

"With this new building and the two electron microscopes, Chemnitz University of Technology is once again at the forefront of global materials research. The complex technical features offered by this facility as a whole can be found at only a few other locations worldwide. In addition to the three faculties, partner institutions will also benefit. This makes Chemnitz University of Technology even more attractive to top researchers from around the world. Thus, we strengthen the entire scientific region of Southwest Saxony,” said Saxony’s Minister of Science, Sebastian Gemkow, in a statement from the State Ministry of Finance.

"We at Chemnitz University of Technology are delighted to celebrate the opening of the Transmission Electron Microscopy Center. This is an important investment in Chemnitz University of Technology and, by extension, in Chemnitz as a research hub, in our core competencies in materials science and intelligent systems, and in our university’s national and international reputation. We are very grateful to the Free State of Saxony and to everyone involved who actively supported the establishment of the center," says Prof. Dr. Gerd Strohmeier, President at Chemnitz University of Technology. Prof. Dr. Anja Strobel, Deputy President and Vice President for Research and University Development at Chemnitz University of Technology, who represented the Rector in receiving the key, added: "The new Transmission Electron Microscopy Center, which brings together expertise from various research areas at Chemnitz University of Technology, significantly strengthens our university’s STEM field in research and teaching and creates highly attractive conditions for new interdisciplinary research projects as well as for recruiting and training our next generation of academics by providing researchers and students with access to the latest technologies and methods in materials science."

Technological marvels explore the nano cosmos

The electron microscopes, which tower over four meters, capture images of the tiniest structures at the nanometer level. "To ensure these sensitive marvels of technology can operate optimally, they are housed in specially shielded, climate-controlled rooms and rest on a 1.4-meter-thick vibration-damping concrete slab," explains Undisz. This keeps mechanical, acoustic, electromagnetic, and thermal sources of interference at a distance. Experiments using the large-scale research equipment in the protected inner core of the building are conducted remotely from operating rooms. In-depth material analysis using the two transmission electron microscopes requires preparing material samples just a few nanometers thin. This process is semi-automated in an adjacent room using a focused ion beam system.

Researchers from over 20 professorships will work with the equipment in the future

The new center has the advantage of merging all of Chemnitz University of Technology’s high-resolution transmission electron microscopy equipment in one location. More than 20 professorships of the faculties of mechanical engineering, natural sciences, and electrical engineering and information technology will use the equipment for their transdisciplinary and interdisciplinary basic and applied research. They will also collaborate with non-university research institutions, such as Fraunhofer Society institutes, as well as companies.

Background: Transmission Electron Microscopy Center at Chemnitz University of Technology

Construction of the new research building began in September 2023 under the direction of the State Office for Saxon Real Estate and Construction Management. The building was designed by Heinle Wischer Partnership of Independent Architects mbB in Dresden. The sculpture "Impact", created by Stefanie Welk from Walldorf near Heidelberg as part of the "Art in Architecture" competition, frames the building’s entrance.

Approximately 13.1 million euros were invested in the construction of the building. Of this amount, approximately 7.4 million euros were provided by the European Regional Development Fund and around 5.7 million euros by the Free State of Saxony. The project was co-financed with tax revenues based on the budget approved by the Saxon State Parliament. The German Research Foundation (DFG) and the Free State of Saxony each provided 3.5 million euros for the large-scale equipment. Professors Christoph Tegenkamp, Martin Wagner, and Bernhard Wunderle successfully acquired the funding on behalf of the three participating faculties at Chemnitz University of Technology.

For further information, please contact Prof. Dr. Andreas Undisz, phone +49 (0)371 531-34528, email andreas.undisz@mb.tu-chemnitz.de.

(Translation: Ulrike Lohr)

Since the launch of the European University Alliance „Across – European University for Cross-Border Knowledge Sharing“ in March 2025, Chemnitz University of Technology has been working with nine partner universities across Europe. More than 30 students and staff from TU Chemnitz are involved in 16 international task forces. These teams develop joint strategies in the areas of education, research, innovation, governance, and societal engagement—creating direct added value for the university. Students and staff at TU Chemnitz are now invited to contribute their experiences on 18 and 20 March 2026 and support one of the task teams with their knowledge.

Supporting the task team by collecting valuable user experiences

Task Team 2.1 – „Across Border Campus System“ is responsible for ensuring the interoperability of digital services across all Across universities. At the core of this work is the “Across eCampus”, a digital hub for management, teaching, learning, and networking. In two moderated focus groups, the task team will collect experiences from everyday study and work routines with the university’s digital systems on 18 and 20 March. These insights will feed into the further development of a digital infrastructure designed to facilitate international collaboration and open up new opportunities for education and exchange. Key questions include: Where does access to information and services already work well? Where do barriers arise (e.g., due to scattered information, unclear processes/responsibilities, or parallel tools)? And which improvements would be most important from a user perspective?

Students and staff at TU Chemnitz who would like to contribute to shaping a future-oriented campus system are warmly invited to take part in the focus groups:

• Student focus group: 18 March, 13:00 (duration: 60–90 minutes; venue: Welcome Center, International University Centre (IUZ), Bahnhofstraße 8)
• Staff focus group: 20 March, 10:00 (duration: 60–90 minutes; venue: Welcome Center, International University Centre (IUZ), Bahnhofstraße 8)

Participation requirements and compensation

Students and staff of Chemnitz University of Technology can participate if they are willing to share experiences in a moderated group discussion and provide feedback on the beta version and concept ideas. No technical background is required. Focus group participants will receive 15 EUR compensation, an official certificate of attendance from the Across alliance, and—optionally—the opportunity to be involved in the future as a „premium beta user“ (early access and further feedback opportunities).

To register interest, students and staff are asked to complete a short pre-survey in advance. Based on the responses, eight to ten participants per focus group will be selected to ensure a broad range of perspectives. For students, selection aims to cover different faculties, study programms, and stages of study. For staff, selection will consider different roles as well as experience with various internal digital systems. Anyone who is interested but cannot attend on the scheduled dates can, upon request, be contacted again for the next development phases of the „Across eCampus“.

Links to the pre-survey

• Students (German): www.mytuc.org/bryq
• Students (English): www.mytuc.org/vxjx
• Staff (German): www.mytuc.org/ntfk
• Staff (English): www.mytuc.org/kjqk

Keyword: Across eCampus

The „Across eCampus” is intended as a central digital access point of the Across university alliance to make study- and work-related services easier to use across institutions. This applies in particular to access to course content and learning offers from partner universities, as well as information and services that facilitate international exchange and mobility. In the long term, a dashboard will serve as the central entry point, bundling user-related information and simplifying access to core services. These include, for example, a digital course catalogue and a learning environment for cross-institutional digital and blended-learning formats, as well as collaboration and communication tools. Within the Across alliance’s „eCampus” sub-project, a digital infrastructure is being developed to centrally bundle and integrate existing services rather than replace them.

Background: Across and the eCampus sub-project

The European University Alliance „Across – European University for Cross-Border Knowledge Sharing“, coordinated by TU Chemnitz, promotes the exchange of knowledge, skills, and resources across national and institutional borders. Through innovative cooperation in education, research, administration, and third mission activities, Across aims to strengthen international collaboration and the long-term visibility of its partner universities. Key activities include the development of joint teaching offers and the expansion of mobility opportunities for students and staff. The „Across eCampus“ is a TU Chemnitz-led sub-project and a central building block within the alliance. As a digital infrastructure, it is intended to systematically facilitate access to cross-institutional offers.

Further information: Dr. Daniel Pietschmann, Co-Leader of the Across Task Team „eCampus“, email: daniel.pietschmann@phil.tu-chemnitz.de

On December 22, 2015, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution A/RES/70/212, establishing the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. Since then, the United Nations, UNESCO, intergovernmental organizations, and numerous institutions from science and civil society have highlighted every year the importance of recognition, participation, and visibility of women in research and science. Despite progress, gender equality remains a major global challenge. Promoting young women, ensuring access to high-quality education, and translating scientific knowledge into practice are key measures to achieve this goal.

At TU Chemnitz, supporting early-career female researchers, strengthening women in leadership positions, and enabling the reconciliation of family, studies, and academic careers are central concerns in an increasingly complex research and work environment. Against this backdrop, TU Chemnitz is aligning with the UN initiative for the third time.

In connection with International Women’s Day on March 8, TU Chemnitz invites female scientists of all career stages, female students and university staff to the 3rd International Women-in-Science Day on March 6, 2026, at the Altes Heizhaus, Straße der Nationen 62, Chemnitz. No registration is required.

Focus Topic: Women’s Health

The 2026 event focuses on women’s health and its relevance for scientific careers, workplace structures, and academic environments. The event provides a platform for interdisciplinary exchange, new perspectives, and the empowerment of women in science.

The hosts of the event are Prof. Dr. Anja Strobel, Vice-Rector for Research and University Development at TU Chemnitz, and Karla Kebsch, Equal Opportunities Officer of TU Chemnitz.

Scientific Lectures and Program

The event opens with a scientific lecture giving psychological perspectives on Menstruation and Mentrual Pain. Further lectures explore the influence of hormonal, physical, and neurological factors on women’s careers and provide practical insights into cycle-oriented nutrition and performance.

A networking break offers space for discussion. In the afternoon, the project TUC_FemAktiv will be officially launched.

The day concludes with “Coffee & Talk”, an informal exchange format in which female students and researchers can connect with the Vice-Rector and the Equal Opportunities Officer, share experiences, discuss research interests, and address individual needs in a relaxed atmosphere.

Program Overview

09:00 a.m.
Welcome
Prof. Dr. Anja Strobel, Vice-Rector for Research and University Development, and Karla Kebsch, Equal Opportunities Officer, TU Chemnitz

09:15 a.m.
Talk (English): Psychological Perspectives on Menstruation and Menstrual Pain – Attitudes, Barriers and Work-Related Outcomes

Dr. Alexandra (Sasha) Cook, University of Amsterdam

10:15 a.m.
Talk (English): Invisible Influences: Hormones, Body, and Brain in Women’s Careers
Dr. Andresa Mara de Castro Germano, HSW, TU Chemnitz

11:15 a.m.
Talk (German): Zyklus-Power freisetzen: Ernährung, die pusht

Jonathan Balkenhol, freelance nutritional scientist

12:00 p.m.
Networking break 

01:00 p.m.
Opening of the project TUC_FemAktiv
Dr. Andresa Mara de Castro Germano, HSW, TU Chemnitz

02:00 p.m.
Coffee & Talk
Informal exchange with Prof. Dr. Anja Strobel and Karla Kebsch

03:00 p.m.
End of the event

(Author: Prof. Dr. Anja Strobel)

On February 5, 2026 from 04:00 pm on, it happens again: The University Library jointly with the University Computer Center, the Foreign Language Center, the Methodological Competence Center of the Faculty of Behavioral and Social Sciences, the Central Course Guidance Service as well as the Student Council, the faculty student bodies and the Student Union Chemnitz-Zwickau invites again for the “Long Night of Postponed Course Papers”. The concept was adapted to the demands of the students. Thus, this year is provided the opportunity to book in advance individual time slots of 20 minutes for consultation with the respective consultant at the information booths according to the own time planning and orienting at the personal inquiries and needs via OPAL (mytuc.org/gsxv). The information booths provide their offers at the west wing at the ground floor of the Library Building until 10:00 pm.

In order to create the best conditions for finally complete the course paper, also sufficient opportunities for relaxing are provided: Thus, at 05:45 pm and at 08:00 pm a “break for moving” of respectively 15 minutes is offered at the east wing at the ground floor and within the period from 06:00-08:00 pm four times yoga and relaxing exercises of respectively 20 minutes (in the IdeenReich). From 07:00-09:00 pm, twelve time slots for “speed massages” of respectively ten minutes are provided. Those are allocated from 05:00 pm on at the information booth of the Student Union – first come, first serve! For the “breaks for moving” as well as for the yoga and relaxing exercises on the contrary, no prior registration is required. Thanks to the Student Union, also food and beverages are provided.

The event is rounded off by a keynote speech of Sofie Marie Götz of the Junior Professorship Sociology with Specialization in Technology dealing with the topic “Apply Generative AI (right) within studies” in the IdeenReich.

Subsequently, from 10:00 pm on, the course paper may be elaborated – this time, however, not only until midnight but all around the clock as until February 14, 2026 midnight, the University Library stays open 24/7 for the first time and thus fulfills a wish frequently expressed by its users. Consequently, not only the “course paper authors” but all students are cordially invited to extensively make use of this offer and crowd the University Library also during the night within the period mentioned. Please observe to bring with you your TUCcard as you will need it for getting in the Library Building within the time from midnight to 09:00 am by presenting it to a scanning device next to the main entrance.

Detailed information regarding the “Long Night of Postponed Course Papers”: https://www.tu-chemnitz.de/ub/aktuell/veranstaltungen/landah.html.en

A stay abroad allows you to acquire new knowledge and skills and expand your social, cultural and professional competencies. Students at Chemnitz University of Technology can choose from exchange places at more than 200 partner universities in 30 countries as part of the Erasmus+ programme.

Anyone who would like to spend a semester abroad with the Erasmus+ programme in the winter semester 2026/27 or summer semester 2027 should now apply to their department for an exchange place at an Erasmus+ partner institution of the department. The online application for participation in the Erasmus+ programme must be submitted to the International University Centre (IUZ) at Chemnitz University of Technology by 31 March 2026. Further information is available online.

Erasmus+ offers a lot

A semester abroad with Erasmus+ has many advantages: the stay can be financially supported, there are no tuition fees at the host university, and the recognition of credits earned abroad and extensive organisational support are also advantages. The monthly funding rates of €600 or €540 are supplemented by a travel allowance and possible additional funding of €250 per month for students with children, physical disabilities, from non-academic backgrounds or in employment.

The IUZ supports Erasmus+ students before, during and after their stay. Numerous counselling and support services, preparatory meetings and intercultural training courses complement the stay at the ‘dream study location’. In addition, the IUZ is in contact with many partner universities and is available as a contact point at all times to ensure that the semester abroad is an unforgettable experience.

For further information please contact: Oliver Sachs, phone: +49 (0)371/531-37972, E-Mail: oliver.sachs@iuz.tu-chemnitz.de

The Physik Journal, the member magazine of the German Physical Society (DPG, Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft e. V.), the most important specialist medium and central information forum for over 50,000 physicists of all disciplines in German-speaking countries, features an overview article in its January 2026 issue on two projects from the TUCculture2025 initiative of Chemnitz University of Technology in recent years that have combined art and physics in a special way. For example, the stele artwork “Thinking and Perception Model for the Phenomenon of Color” by Dresden artist Stefan Nestler, erected in 1998 as part of the construction of the Central Lecture Hall and Seminar Building at Chemnitz University of Technology, demonstrated how abstract concepts of modern physics can be explored through aesthetic experience. From the viewpoint of the end of 2025, the article puts the European Capital of Culture Chemnitz again into a retrospective focus.

Behind a largely regular arrangement of 187 metal steles, which have adorned the forecourt of the Central Lecture Hall and Seminar Building as a work of art since 1998, lies more than just an aesthetic object: it represents a kind of color in itself, a variation on what it conveys as its main message. What sounds like a somewhat convoluted but trivial statement is the result of more than three years of intensive and interdisciplinary scientific observation, funded in part by the projects “Chemnitz: Wood, Light, Sound” and “Wave Plays” as parts of the TUCculture2025 initiative. The work revealed that the artwork “Thinking and Perception Model for the Phenomenon of Color” is the world's largest scientifically described realization of a photonic crystal for electromagnetic waves and, at the same time, represents a phononic crystal that can be used fort he manipulation of sound waves. It thus represents forbidden regions, i.e., barriers for waves in several spectral ranges: the band gaps occur for both sound and radio waves, so that the artwork has its own “color” in each of these two domains.

This special connection between physics, art, and the worlds of human perception and metrological measurement is the focus of the overview article titled “Phoxonic Art” Herein, Prof. Dr. Angela Thränhardt, Professor of Theoretical Physics at Chemnitz University of Technology and Dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences, and Dr. Thomas Blaudeck, Managing Director of the Research Center for Materials, Architectures, and Integration of Nanomembranes (MAIN) at Chemnitz University of Technology, explain how Stefan Nestler's stele arrangement allowed fundamental wave equations to be examined clearly and how numerical simulations, theoretical models, and metrological experiments were interlinked with the expertise of the faculties of Natural Sciences and Electrical Engineering and Information Technology. The adjective “phoxonic” in the deliberately pejorative title “Phoxonische Kunst” (Phoxonic Art) refers to the fact that several “forbidden regions” for the propagation of waves, i.e., band gaps, occur in one and the same object. This applies both to the photonic case, i.e., that related to light and electromagnetic waves in the field of established communication technologies, and to the phononic case, i.e., that are related to acoustics and hence sound. An interaction between these domains is also conceivable, at least in principle. This demonstrates the remarkable visionary nature of artist Stefan Nestler, who has imbued his artwork with a unique, phoxonian model of perception that is measurable and therefore verifiable.

The overview article also highlights that physical research not only unlocks new insights into abstract or complex phenomena in nature, but also opens up innovative avenues for science communication through its connection with art: as part of the TUCculture2025 projects, the artwork and its surroundings were transferred to a laboratory environment where the complex wave phenomena of photonics and phononics, such as scattering, interference, and diffraction, became audible and tangible in surprising ways. The artwork thus became the starting point for dialogue between scientists, friends of art, and the general public, for example at the Open House Days (TUCtage) since 2022 or the Christmas market at Chemnitz University of Technology. This is an example of bringing physics out of the “ivory tower” and into the urban and cultural space.

Beyond the specific topic, the overview article provides an outline of other projects with a “physical flavor” from the TUCculture2025 initiative of Chemnitz University of Technology, which since 2022 has bundled many of the university's activities at the interface of science, art, and society since 2022 and was geared toward 2025, when Chemnitz held the title of “European Capital of Culture.” The article also looks back on cultural projects and events in Chemnitz during the European Capital of Culture year that had a special connection to physics and thus became part of the broad cultural program in Chemnitz as scientific sprinklings.

The article has been available as a summary on the Physik Journal website (issue 01/2026) since January 5, 2026 (login required to access the PDF).

For further information, please contact Dr. Thomas Blaudeck, phone +49 (0)371 531-35610, e-mail thomas.blaudeck@main.tu-chemnitz.de, and Prof. Dr. Angela Thränhardt, phone +49 (0)371 531-37636, e-mail angela.thraenhardt@physik.tu-chemnitz.de.

(Author: Dr. Thomas Blaudeck, Translation: Tobias Bollig)

The DFG Research Unit “Proximity-Induced Correlation Effects in Low-Dimensional Structures”, coordinated by Chemnitz University of Technology, investigates how proximity effects and interface engineering in atomically thin materials can be used to design next-generation quantum and optoelectronic devices. The research group explores epitaxial growth and intercalation of heavy carbon-group elements beneath graphene to tune its electronic and optical properties, ultimately forming hybrid systems with enhanced light-matter interaction.

In a recent publication in the renowned journal “Advanced Optical Materials”, researchers from the Professorships of Semiconductor Physics and Analytics on Solid Surfaces at TU Chemnitz reported a breakthrough in coupling light to graphene. Their work introduces tin (Sn) nanoantennas as a new plasmonic material capable of boosting the interaction between light and two-dimensional (2D) systems. This achievement not only expands the palette of plasmonic materials beyond conventional gold and silver but also strengthens graphene’s potential for future applications in molecular sensing, ultrafast photodetectors, and quantum nanophotonic devices.

From challenge to opportunity: how to make graphene absorb more light

2D materials, such as graphene, are highly regarded for their exceptional mechanical, thermal, and electronic properties. Notably, the absence of an energy bandgap in its electronic structure makes graphene particularly well-suited for broadband optical applications, including use in lasers and tunable optical modulators. Despite these remarkable traits, however, these materials interact only weakly with light; monolayer graphene absorbs a mere 2.3% of incident visible light under normal incidence. This low intrinsic absorption has long limited the use in optoelectronics.

One effective strategy to overcome this limitation involves the use of plasmonic nanoantennas, metallic nanostructures that act like tiny optical funnels. Much like a radio antenna concentrates widely spread (far-field) electromagnetic waves into a confined electrical signal, plasmonic antennas efficiently convert incident light into highly localized near-field plasmonic oscillations. This process focuses light into nanoscale “hot spots,” where the electromagnetic fields are dramatically intensified and concentrated far below the diffraction limit of light. Within these confined regions, interactions among electrons, phonons, and molecular vibrations occur much more efficiently, leading to enhanced optical processes such as surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), high-sensitivity photodetection, and photocatalytic energy conversion.

Sn nanoantennas: a new path to strong coupling

In their recent study, researchers from Chemnitz introduced Sn as a novel plasmonic medium. They successfully demonstrated that Sn nanoantennas can amplify the scattering intensity of graphene’s Raman-active phonons by more than two orders of magnitude. "This significant enhancement was achieved by positioning the graphene in dual-sided proximity to Sn nanostructures, which effectively act as plasmonic nanoantennas,” explains Dr. Narmina Balayeva, a postdoctoral researcher at the Professorship of Semiconductor Physics at Chemnitz University of Technology. “Using a technique called confinement epitaxy, a 2D metallic Sn layer first formed naturally between the graphene sheet and its silicon carbide (SiC) substrate, followed by the growth of Sn nanoislands directly on the graphene surface.”

A window into new physics

Enhancing light-matter interaction is not merely about improving device performance; it unveils possibilities to explore new regimes of quantum and optical physics. “When light is confined to dimensions comparable to atomic scales, it can form entirely new hybrid states, so-called polaritons, where electronic and optical excitations become inseparable,” says Dr. Zamin Mamiyev, a postdoctoral researcher at the Professorship of Analytics on Solid Surfaces, who coordinated the experiments. “Under such extreme spatial and optical confinement, we can probe energy-transfer mechanisms and quasiparticle dynamics that remain entirely hidden in conventional, macroscopic measurements. This effectively allows us to push the boundaries of sensing, photonics, and quantum technologies.”

The ability to manipulate and engineer materials one atomic layer at a time has inaugurated a new era of "materials-by-design," with hundreds of stable 2D crystals now available for combination into complex heterostructures. “Through targeted intercalation, inserting specific atoms between layers, we can form unusual material phases that are difficult to achieve otherwise and precisely control how these ultrathin materials interact at their interfaces,” adds Prof. Dr. Christoph Tegenkamp, head of the Professorship Analytics on Solid Surfaces and spokesperson for the DFG Research Unit. “This unprecedented control allows us to fine-tune and probe electronic and photonic interactions at a truly fundamental level, an essential capability for developing the next generation of high-performance quantum technologies.”

Looking ahead

Building on this success, the research team aims to further refine the plasmonic response of the metallic nanoantennas and their interface with graphene. By precisely optimizing these hybrid structures, they intend to achieve even stronger near-field coupling, ultimately paving the way for entirely new classes of quantum materials and functionalities. This work underlines Chemnitz University of Technology’s leading role in advancing research on 2D materials, plasmonics, and quantum nanophotonics, effectively bridging fundamental science and the future technologies that will shape the light-based devices of tomorrow.

Publication: Enhanced Light–Matter Interactions With a Single Sn Nanoantenna on Epitaxial Graphene; Zamin Mamiyev, Narmina O. Balayeva, Dietrich R.T. Zahn, Christoph Tegenkamp; Advanced Optical Materials

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1002/adom.202500979

For further information please contact Prof. Dr. Christoph Tegenkamp, Telefon 0371 531-33103, E-Mail christoph.tegenkamp@physik.tu-chemnitz.de and Dr. Zamin Mamiyev, Telefon +49 371 531-3170, E-Mail zamin.mamiyev@physik.tu-chemnitz.de

(Source: DFG Research Unit “Proximity-Induced Correlation Effects in Low-Dimensional Structures”)

A special highlight of the winter semester is the 12th “Tag des wissenschaftlichen Nachwuchses” at Chemnitz University of Technology (TUC). The Centre for Junior Scientists (ZfwN) cordially invites all interested participants to join the event on 11 November 2025, from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., in the Central Lecture and Seminar Building, Reichenhainer Straße 90. The event is aimed at prospective doctoral candidates, doctoral researchers, postdocs, supervisors, and all other interested persons. Participation is free of charge, but online registration is requested. This year’s event is held under the theme “Academic Qualification in the Age of AI”. It offers various insights into the opportunities and challenges that artificial intelligence brings to research, teaching, and career development.

Program and Key Topics

The day will begin at 10:30 a.m. with an “Opening and Moderated Talk with Early-Career Scientists”, in which young researchers will share insights into their doctoral experiences. The session will conclude with Prof. Frank Asbrock, Ombudsperson for Good Scientific Practice, who will highlight key aspects of responsible conduct in research.

During the Networking Break (12:30–2:00 p.m.), participants will have the opportunity to exchange ideas with representatives from various faculties and other university institutions and to establish new contacts.

In the afternoon, the session from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. will focus on the main theme: “Wissenschaftliche Qualifikation im KI-Zeitalter – Chancen, Herausforderungen und Perspektiven”.

After a short Break (3:30–4:00 p.m.), two parallel sessions will follow from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m.:

• The PhD Journey from Different Perspectives – with Prof. Dr. Anja Strobel (Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences) and Prof. Dr. Martin Wagner (Faculty of Mechanical Engineering)
• Postdoc Roundtable: Sharing Experiences – an open discussion format for postdoctoral researchers from various disciplines.

The event will be held in both German and English. Each session will be conducted in the language of its respective presentation title.

Further information and the registration link are available online at: https://mytuc.org/tztm

Stay Informed

The ZfwN newsletter provides regular updates on current workshops, events, and news related to doctoral studies, career planning, and academic development. Interested persons can subscribe online.

For questions, feedback, or suggestions regarding the continuing education program or the “Tag des wissenschaftlichen Nachwuchses”, the ZfwN team is happy to assist.

Contact: Centre for Junior Scientists, E-mail zfwn@tu-chemnitz.de

(Author: Dr. Nadia Lois)

Collagen fibrils are the basic building blocks of skin, tendons, ligaments, and bones. They hold our bodies together. Fats and oils have long been used to soften and protect leather, which consists of collagen molecules. However, it is not known how many fat molecules are contained in natural collagen fibrils. Knowing the precise chemical composition of collagen fibrils is important for understanding biochemical processes involved in tissue growth, aging, and disease. In chemistry, the various molecular components are usually separated to study the properties of pure substances. However, biological systems contain thousands of different chemical molecules, all of which are likely important.

A research team of physicists and chemists from the Faculty of Natural Sciences at Chemnitz University of Technology discovered that triacylglycerols—a very common type of natural fat molecule—assemble between collagen molecules, thereby influencing the cohesion of much larger collagen fibrils. This finding is essential for understanding the biomechanics of connective tissue. It also demonstrates how embedded lipids can affect binding forces between proteins at the molecular level.

The researchers examined collagen fibrils from chicken tendons and discovered that they contained a unexpectedly high amount of triacylglycerols, also known as neutral fats. These fat molecules comprise about nine percent of the volume of dry collagen fibrils and are randomly incorporated into the crystal lattice of collagen molecules. The fat molecules act as plasticizers, reducing the water content of the collagen fibrils. This finding challenges the current understanding of the chemical composition of natural collagen fibrils.

To determine the triacylglycerol content and its effects on the mechanical properties of individual collagen fibrils, Dr. Martin Dehnert and Prof. Dr. Robert Magerle of the Chair of Chemical Physics at Chemnitz University of Technology developed a new analysis protocol based on atomic force microscopy. They use a washing sequence in which the fats adhering to the fibrils are first removed with a nonpolar solvent (hexane). Then, they dissolve the fat molecules out of the interior of the fibrils using a polar solvent, a mixture of dichloromethane and methanol. After each washing step, they examined the resulting changes in the collagen fibrils using atomic force microscopy. This allows the shape and mechanical properties of the collagen fibrils, which are approximately 100 nanometers thick, to be determined very accurately. Finally, using Raman and NMR spectroscopy, they identified the fats contained in the collagen fibrils as triacylglycerols.

"Our findings show how fats and water interact in natural collagen fibrils," explains Robert Magerle. He adds: "This suggests that there may be a link between the fats present in our diet and the biomechanics of connective tissue. We plan to investigate this in more detail in the future.”

Publication: Triacylglycerols affect the water content and cohesive strength of collagen fibrils, M. Dehnert, T. Klose, Y. Pan, D. R. T. Zahn, M. Voigtländer, J. F. Teichert, R. Magerle, Soft Matter (9 Sept 2025).

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/D5SM00696A

Further information can be obtained from Dr. Martin Dehnert, telephone +49-371-531-39916, email martin.dehnert@physik.tu-chemnitz.de, Prof. Dr. Robert Magerle, telephone +49-371-531-38033, email robert.magerle@physik.tu-chemnitz.de.

Figure caption:

In a major step toward intelligent and collaborative microrobotic systems, researchers at the Research Center for Materials, Architectures and Integration of Nanomembranes (MAIN) at Chemnitz University of Technology have developed a new generation of autonomous microrobots—termed smartlets—that can communicate, respond, and work together in aqueous environments.

These tiny devices, each just a millimeter in size, are fully integrated with onboard electronics, sensors, actuators, and energy systems. They are able to receive and transmit optical signals, respond to stimuli with motion, and exchange information with other microrobots in their vicinity. The findings are published in the prestigious journal Science Robotics under the title “Si chiplet–controlled 3D modular microrobots with smart communication in natural aqueous environments”. Unlike previous generations of microrobots that relied on much larger wireless control setups to mitigate limited onboard functionality, smartlet microrobots are powered by integrated photovoltaic cells, controlled by tiny microchips, and capable of optical communication through embedded micro-LEDs and photodiodes. "For the first time, we demonstrate a self-contained microrobotic platform that not only senses and moves in water but also interacts with other microrobots in a fully programmable and autonomous manner," explains Prof. Oliver G. Schmidt, one of the corresponding authors of the study and Scientific Director of MAIN.

The microrobots are built using a flexible origami-inspired approach, based on smart multilayer patterned materials, allowing the flat electronic system to roll and fold up autonomously into a tiny scroll-adorned hollow 3D cube, with interior as well as exterior functionality. This opens up the extra surface space needed for each cube to carry its own solar energy harvester, computational logic, and an optical signaling system, in addition to interacting external faces and inboard locomotion. When immersed in water, these smartlets can move up and down by buoyancy forces created by bubble generating engines that fill the hollow interior of the smartlet with gas. They can also emit pulses of optical signals to broadcast instructions to other smartlets nearby. This setup enables multi-robotic interactions in water, including stimulus-driven movement, synchronization, and coordination among multiple smartlets. For example, when one unit receives a light signal, it can decode the information using its onboard processor, triggering a coordinated motion or behavior in others. “The idea of using light as both energy and information opens up a compact and scalable way to create distributed robotic systems,” adds Dr. Vineeth Bandari, co-corresponding author and research group leader at MAIN.

One of the key innovations lies in the smartlets’ use of a “wireless communication loop” that does not require any external cameras, magnets, or antennas. Optical messages are interpreted locally on each robot using custom-coded logic stored on their microchips. The smartlets make use of innovative soft-bonding to origami-films to attach custom microscopic silicon chiplets, called lablets, which were developed in an earlier European Union funded project led by Prof. Dr. John McCaskill, a co-corresponding author and member of MAIN. This permits decentralized control and collaboration—an essential foundation for creating robotic collectives that behave in a coordinated yet flexible way.

Beyond the laboratory, the potential applications of such microrobots are wide-ranging. Because they are untethered, biocompatible, and able to respond to environmental cues, these devices could one day assist in tasks such as monitoring water quality, performing minimally invasive medical diagnostics, or probing confined biological environments. Their ability to form interactive, stimulus-responsive colonies could also be used in soft robotics, autonomous inspection systems, or distributed sensing networks. Dr. Yeji Lee, co-author and specialist in active multi-layer microfabrication, whose recently completed PhD research provided vital contributions, emphasizes that this work is just the beginning. “We’re exploring ways to further increase autonomy by adding chemical and acoustic sensing modules. These smartlets could evolve into multifunctional platforms that sense, act, and adapt in complex fluidic environments.”

Looking forward, the team envisions the progressive evolution of these microrobots into dynamic systems that resemble colonies of digital organisms. Much like zooids in colonial animals such as siphonophores, each smartlet can serve a specialized function—sensing, communicating, moving—and together form an emergent robotic organism. “We’re still far from creating artificial life,” cautions Prof. John McCaskill, who was a founding Director of the European Center for Living Technology in Venice, “but we are starting to see how distributed intelligence and modular hardware can build systems that begin to mirror the adaptive, communicative behaviors of living collectives.” By building such self-contained, communicative microrobots, the Chemnitz team is not only addressing fundamental challenges in microrobotics but also laying the groundwork for future systems that operate, evolve, and perhaps even self-organize—inside water droplets, tissue scaffolds, or miniature ecosystems.

Publication: Si chiplet–controlled 3D modular microrobots with smart communication in natural aqueous environments, Yeji Lee, Vineeth K. Bandari, John S. McCaskill, Pranathi Adluri, Daniil Karnaushenko, Dmitriy D. Karnaushenko, Oliver G. Schmidt, Science Robotics (20 Aug 2025)

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/scirobotics.adu6007

For further information please contact Prof. Dr. Oliver G. Schmidt, Scientific Director of the Research Center MAIN and Chair of the Professorship of Material Systems for Nanoelectronics at the TU Chemnitz, E-Mail oliver.schmidt@main....

Scientists from the Professorships of Experimental Physics with focus Technical Physics (Head: Prof. Dr. Thomas Seyller) and Theoretical Physics of Quantum Mechanical Processes and Systems (Head: Prof. Dr. Sibylle Gemming) at Chemnitz University of Technology are investigating the functionalization of low-dimensional electron gases as part of the research unit “Proximity-induced correlation effects in low-dimensional structures (FOR 5242)” (Spokesperson: Prof. Dr. Christoph Tegenkamp).

In their latest publication in the renowned journal “Nature Communications”, the research team led by Dr. Philip Schädlich, scientific associate at the Chair of Experimental Physics with focus Technical Physics, has demonstrated the synthesis of bismuthene, protected by graphene, in close cooperation with the Peter Grünberg Institute at Forschungszentrum Jülich. The synthesis is based on the process of intercalation - the introduction of bismuth atoms at the interface between graphene and the substrate material silicon carbide. However, this initially produces an electronically inactive “precursor” layer of bismuth atoms, which can be reversibly activated by additional intercalation of hydrogen to the quantum spin Hall insulator bismuthene.

The position is crucial

For a long time, the hydrogen-induced “switching on” of the quantum material was a mystery to researchers, but it is now clear: "The adsorption site, i.e. the position of the bismuth atoms in relation to the substrate, plays a decisive role. While in the “precursor” state each bismuth atom has bonds to three atoms of the substrate, in the bismuthene state it is only one atom," explains Niclas Tilgner, who played a key role in advancing the study as a PhD student. In this way, the characteristic in-plane bonds can form the honeycomb structure of bismuthene.

The solution was found with the help of the synchrotron-based measurement method of “X-ray standing wave imaging”, which the researchers used at the Diamond Light Source in Didcot, UK. The partners from Jülich are proven experts in this field. Prof. Dr. Christian Kumpf, group leader at Forschungszentrum Jülich, explains: "In this measurement technique, the superposition of incident and diffracted X-rays forms a standing wave whose phase can be varied via the photon energy used. In this way, photoelectrons are preferentially emitted from certain areas of the unit cell, enabling the atomic structure to be determined element-specifically and with a spatial resolution of less than a hundredth of a nanometer."

In this study, the researchers funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) are also relying on a combination of experimental data and results from density functional theory (DFT). "The collaboration of partners from both experimental and theoretical physics makes it possible to reliably describe the complexity of such a system. Experimental structural data enables the modeling of the band structure, which in turn helps to interpret the results of photoelectron spectroscopy," says Dr. Philip Schädlich.

Topologically protected edge channels have the potential for dissipation-less current flow

With their research results, the scientists are making an important contribution to a highly topical issue in solid-state physics: the question of whether all materials with a band gap - i.e. electrical insulators - exhibit the same quantum physical properties as the vacuum - i.e. a state without any conductive structure. The surprising answer is: no. Because there is a whole class of new materials that behave completely differently despite their band gap - so-called topological insulators. Like ordinary insulators, these also have a band gap in their bulk and therefore do not conduct electricity. However, an astonishing effect occurs at their surfaces or edges - conductive channels are created here in which electrons can flow without dissipation. These edge channels are robust against perturbations such as impurities or small defects. They are therefore referred to as topologically protected states.

“Topology is not about shapes, but about the basic structure - for example, how many holes an object has,” explains Niclas Tilgner. An orange, for example, has zero holes, whereas a donut has one. This number - known as the genus - cannot be changed without fundamentally restructuring the object. In solid-state physics, there is a similar distinction between ordinary and topological insulators. When a material changes from one type to the other - metaphorically speaking from a donut to an orange - its band structure must change. This creates a transition region in which electrons can suddenly flow freely: the metallic edge channel. Quantum spin Hall insulators such as bismuthene are particularly fascinating. Their conductive edge channels are not only stable, but also spin-polarized: In this case, the electron spin determines the direction of movement of the electrons. These properties open up far-reaching prospects for current research in electronics and quantum physics.

Background: DFG research unit “Proximity-induced correlation effects in low dimensional structures” under the leadership of Chemnitz University of Technology

Phenomena such as the one described above are at the heart of the DFG research unit headed by Prof. Dr. Tegenkamp. The research unit, which has received over four million euros in funding, is dedicated to investigating correlation effects in 2D materials and is now looking forward to a second funding period. The objective is to manipulate 2D materials in a targeted manner in order to investigate exotic effects such as superconductivity, charge density waves, Mott states, the quantum Hall effect and Klein tunneling.

Publication: Niclas Tilgner, Christian Kumpf, Philip Schädlich et al: Reversible Switching of the environment-protected quantum spin Hall insulator bismuthene at the graphene/SiC interface, Nature Communications (2025).

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60440-x

For further information, please contact Dr. Philip Schädlich, e-mail philip.schaedlich@physik.tu-chemnitz.de.

(Authors: Niclas Tilgner, Dr. Philip Schädlich, Christian Kumpf)

Since the university-wide ethics committee was established in 2021, researchers at Chemnitz University of Technology (TUC) have been supported by an innovative, dialogue-oriented software when preparing their ethics applications. Based on the experience with this software and with financial support by the Volkswagen Foundation, a new “Ethiktool” has been developed by a project team led by Prof. Dr. Alexandra Bendixen (head of Professorship Structure and Function of Cognitive Systems and chair of the ethics committee). This browser-based, platform-independent software can be used on virtually any device without the need for installation. In addition to a substantially modernized user interface, the new Ethiktool encompasses a series of new functions, including a live preview of the automatically generated application form and participant documents as well as extended options to capture studies with multiple groups and multiple timepoints. The generation of consistent texts for the participant documents from the information queried during the user dialogue has also been extended substantially. Importantly, the Ethiktool is now bilingual: Both the user dialogue and the automatically generated documents are available in English and German language. Bendixen explains the tool’s advantages: “Even more than the previous version, the new Ethiktool allows applicants and members of ethics committees to focus on core issues of content and ethics considerations, while the software takes care of standard phrases, consistency checks and document generation. The Ethiktool also provides persons who so far have had limited ethics-application experience with step-by-step guidance through all ethically relevant aspects of research on and with humans. Last but not least, it will relieve the ethics committee, which handles more than 200 applications per year at TU Chemnitz. And this, in turn, benefits applicants, whose applications will be processed faster and more efficiently.”

The current Ethiktool project team consists of members from TUC, Bielefeld University and the Leibniz Institute for Psychology (ZPID). From now on, ZPID will provide the Ethiktool to all interested research institutes indefinitely and free of charge. “I am delighted that we are already in touch with many more ethics committees to adapt the tool for their use. By introducing software-guided ethics applications four years ago for the TUC ethics committee, we have been pioneers. Now we can use our experience to support ethics committees at other sites and thereby contribute to the advancement of digital research infrastructure”, Bendixen adds.

At TUC, the new Ethiktool is now available to all researchers to generate their ethics proposals. For a transition period, applications with the previous software will still be accepted, but it will eventually be entirely replaced by the new Ethiktool. In due time, the Ethiktool will be evaluated with a structured user survey. Independent of this evaluation, the Ethiktool project team will gladly receive any user feedback at ethiktool@tu-chemnitz.de at any time. As it has been the case with the previous Ethiktool, all feedback will directly foster the further development of the software.

More information is available from Prof. Dr. Alexandra Bendixen, phone +49 371 531-31681, email alexandra.bendixen@physik.tu-chemnitz.de