Focus on quantum materials research

The IFW's research strategy is based on the motto "Materials for the technologies of the day after tomorrow" and aims to gain new scientific insights and develop new functionalities and applications.

The Leibniz Institute IFW is one of the leading research institutes in the field of quantum materials research. Scientists and engineers work together here. They research the physics and chemistry of substances that could be suitable for new materials. Many disciplines come together at IFW Dresden for this purpose: Experimental physics, theoretical solid-state physics, chemistry, materials research and electrical engineering.

The research area "QUANTUM: Quantum Materials" focuses on materials that exhibit special quantum phenomena. These are caused by unconventional spin interactions, electronic correlations, electron-photon interactions and / or topological band structures. Examples are superconductivity and magnetism. Quantum effects also play an important role in nanoscale systems.

These electronic properties can

• result from a complex interplay and ordering of electronic spin, orbital, charge and lattice degrees of freedom,
• in a more general sense, arise from the presence of strong electronic correlations,
• occur due to strongly frustrated magnetic interactions or
• observed in the context of topologically protected spin and charge states.

Research into these intrinsic quantum phenomena aims, on the one hand, to make scientific discoveries that may ultimately pave the way to new functionalities, devices and applications. On the other hand, already known quantum materials and their functionalities are to be further developed and improved.