Helmholtz Virtual Institute MiCo: Article selected as journal highlight for 2017
First author is the mathematician Sibylle Bergmann, whose PhD work is funded by MiCo. © WIAS
The Helmholtz Virtual Institute MiCo offers a platform through which the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin conducts joint research with universities and other partners on the topic of microstructures for thin-film solar cells. The journal Modelling and Simulation in Materials Science and Engineering recently selected an article produced through MiCo as the highlight of those published by the journal during 2017.
The paper deals with the modelling of liquid/solid interface kinetics in silicon, the most common material used for solar cells. First author is mathematician Sibylle Bergmann, a researcher at the Weierstrass Institute who is funded by the Helmholtz Virtual Institute MiCo (Microstructure Control for thin-film solar cells).
The scientific article was evaluated by the reviewers as outstanding and was retrieved over 900 times, a particularly high number for a technical article from this subject area. The publication is available through Open Access.
Published in Modelling and Simulation in Materials Science and Engineering: „Anisotropic Solid–Liquid Interface Kinetics in Silicon: An Atomistically Informed Phase-Field Model“; S. Bergmann, K. Albe, E. Flegel, D. A. Barragan-Yani & B. Wagner
DOI: 10.1088/1361-651X/aa7862
More information on Helmholtz Virtuelle Institut "Microstructure Control for thin-film solar cells"
arö
https://www.helmholtz-berlin.de/pubbin/news_seite?nid=14820;sprache=en
- Copy link
-
Key technology for a future without fossil fuels
In June and July 2025, catalyst researcher Nico Fischer spent some time at HZB. It was his sabbatical, he was relieved of his duties as Director of the Catalysis Institute in Cape Town for several months and was able to focus on research only. His institute is collaborating with HZB on two projects that aim to develop environmentally friendly alternatives using innovative catalyst technologies. The questions were asked by Antonia Rötger, HZB.
-
5000th patient treated with protons for eye tumours
For more than 20 years, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin and the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) have been jointly offering proton radiation therapy for eye tumours. The HZB operates a proton accelerator in Berlin-Wannsee for this purpose, while Charité provides medical care for the patients. The 5000th patient was treated at the beginning of August.
-
Iridium-free catalysts for acid water electrolysis investigated
Hydrogen will play an important role, both as a fuel and as a raw material for industry. However, in order to produce relevant quantities of hydrogen, water electrolysis must become feasible on a multi-gigawatt scale. One bottleneck is the catalysts required, with iridium in particular being an extremely rare element. An international collaboration has therefore investigated iridium-free catalysts for acidic water electrolysis based on the element cobalt. Through investigations with various methods, among them experiments at the LiXEdrom at the BESSY II X-ray source in Berlin, they were able to elucidate processes that take place during water electrolysis in a cobalt-iron-lead oxide material as the anode. The study is published in Nature Energy.