Research up close! The Long Night of Science at HZB
Before entering the experimental hall and the tunnel, guests explore the BESSY II light source model. © Bildschön / Tom Maelsa
On 28 June, it's that time again: the Long Night of Science will take place from 5 pm to midnight in Berlin and also in Adlershof! Come around and take a look behind the scenes of our exciting research.
We will open the doors of our laboratories and BESSY II light source to you, your families and friends. Meet scientists who will tell you about the latest breakthroughs in energy and materials research: batteries, solar cells and catalysts are the focus of our work at HZB!
Children of all ages will also have lots to discover. An extra programme with experiments in our school laboratory awaits you.
> Please find here the programme (BESSY II light source and Kekuléstraße)
And last but not least, some great news: the Long Night of Science is celebrating its 25th anniversary. To mark the occasion, there is a special gift: all tickets cost just 5 euros this year! Info Tickets
We cannot wait to see you at Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin!
- BESSY II: How intrinsic oxygen shortens the lifespan of solid-state batteriesAlthough solid-state batteries (SSBs) demonstrate high performance and are intrinsically safe, their capacity currently declines rapidly. A team from the TU Wien, Humboldt-University Berlin and HZB has now analysed a TiS₂|Li₃YCl₆ solid-state half-cell in operando at BESSY II using a special sample environment that allows for non-destructive investigation under real operating conditions. Data obtained by combination of soft and hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS and HAXPES) revealed a new degradation mechanism that had not previously been identified in solid-state batteries. They have gained some surprising insights, particularly regarding the harmful role played by intrinsic oxygen. This study provides valuable information for improving design and handling of such batteries.
- Spintronics at BESSY II: Real-time analysis of magnetic bilayer systemsSpintronic devices enable data processing with significantly lower energy consumption. They are based on the interaction between ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic layers. Now, a team from Freie Universität Berlin, HZB and Uppsala University has succeeded in tracking, for each layer separately, how the magnetic order changes after a short laser pulse has excited the system. They were also able to identify the main cause of the loss of antiferromagnetic order in the oxide layer: the excitation is transported from the hot electrons in the ferromagnetic metal to the spins in the antiferromagnet.
- Environmental Chemistry at BESSY II: Radicals in waterwaysHow do radicals form in aqueous solutions when exposed to UV light? This question is important for health research and environmental protection, for example with regard to the overfertilisation of water bodies by intensive agriculture. A team at BESSY II has now developed a new method of investigating hydroxyl radicals in solution. By using a clever trick, the scientists gained surprising insights into the reaction pathway.