Helmholtz Investigator Group on magnons
Dr Hebatalla Elnaggar is setting up a new Helmholtz Investigator Group at HZB. At BESSY II, the materials scientist will investigate so-called magnons in magnetic perovskite thin films. Her goal is to create the foundations for a new extremely efficient information technology. © HZB
Dr Hebatalla Elnaggar is setting up a new Helmholtz Investigator Group at HZB. At BESSY II, the materials scientist will investigate so-called magnons in magnetic perovskite thin films. The aim is to lay the foundations for future terahertz magnon technology: magnonic devices operating in the terahertz range could process data using a fraction of the energy required by the most advanced semiconductor devices, and at speeds up to a thousand times faster.
Today's semiconductor technology relies on the transport of electrically charged particles. The densely packed semiconductor devices on microchips generate a lot of unwanted heat, which must be dissipated at great expense. The energy requirements of information technology are immense and increasing steeply.
However, in principle, information could be processed without the transport of electrons. The key to this are magnetic patterns, either the spins of charged particles (spintronics) or spin waves in magnetic materials, known as magnons. Such magnons can propagate through a magnetic medium without moving particles, basically frictionless.
Dr Hebatalla Elnaggar is investigating magnetic thin films with a perovskite structure in which magnons can be detected. The materials scientist earned her doctorate from Utrecht University in the Netherlands and worked as a permanent researcher and head of a working group at Sorbonne University and the CNRS in Paris until recently.
Since october 2025 she has started establishing her own Helmholtz Investigator Group at HZB. “My research goal aligns with HZB's mission to discover new materials and advance technologies for a climate-neutral energy future. Here, I have access to BESSY II and its range of state of the art spectroscopic instruments, clean room facilities, and a high-performance computer cluster,” she says.
Helmholtz Investigator Group: Multi-magnons: A platform for next generation THz magnons
- The future of corals – what X-rays can tell usThis summer, it was all over the media. Driven by the climate crisis, the oceans have now also passed a critical point, the absorption of CO2 is making the oceans increasingly acidic. The shells of certain sea snails are already showing the first signs of damage. But also the skeleton structures of coral reefs are deteriorating in more acidic conditions. This is especially concerning given that corals are already suffering from marine heatwaves and pollution, which are leading to bleaching and finally to the death of entire reefs worldwide. But how exactly does ocean acidification affect reef structures?
Prof. Dr. Tali Mass, a marine biologist from the University of Haifa, Israel, is an expert on stony corals. Together with Prof. Dr. Paul Zaslansky, X-ray imaging expert from Charité Berlin, she investigated at BESSY II the skeleton formation in baby corals, raised under different pH conditions. Antonia Rötger spoke online with the two experts about the results of their recent study and the future of coral reefs.
- Susanne Nies appointed to EU advisory group on Green DealDr. Susanne Nies heads the Green Deal Ukraina project at HZB, which aims to support the development of a sustainable energy system in Ukraine. The energy expert has now also been appointed to the European Commission's scientific advisory group to comment on regulatory burdens in connection with the net-zero target (DG GROW).
- HZB wins HR Energy Award 2025 for recruitment campaignThe Helmholtz Centre Berlin (HZB) is breaking new ground in attracting talented young people to IT training. HZB was presented with this year's HR Energy Award for its "Go for IT! Recruitainment for IT training" campaign. Gamification elements make the application process more attractive and fairer for young people.