Events

Research & Mission

Transfer to Helmholtz Association sealed

On June 22, 2009, another step was done in the process of the FZD’s transfer to the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centers by Federal Minister of Education and Research, Prof. Annette Schavan, and the Prime Minister of Saxony, Stanislaw Tillich, signing the contract that regulates the transfer. The responsibility for the FZD, also in terms of funding, will be passed over from the Free State of Saxony to the German federal government. The Free State is generously supporting this process of change, providing considerable sums of money to be invested in new experimental facilities at the FZD campus in Rossendorf, but also in the FZD’s labs and offices in Leipzig, which were integrated into the research center on January 1, 2010.

First laser-accelerated proton beam

In January, the first protons were accelerated at the FZD’s high-power laser Draco, which started operation in June 2008. The scientists of the laser-particle acceleration department aim at making laser-accelerated proton beams available for cancer therapy, and, with regard to their results, they are one of the leading groups in this area on the international scale.

European record of highest magnetic fields

The High-Magnetic Field Laboratory is one of two labs in the world where pulsed magnetic fields as high as 85 Tesla can be produced for materials research. In March, the scientists applied a new magnet which generated a magnetic field strength of 87,2 Tesla - this is unique on the European level.

Flow sensor innovations

The flow sensors developed at the FZD to investigate multiphase flows can have great benefits mainly for power and chemical process engineering. The Federal Ministry of Education and Research is convinced of the potential of these technologies, providing funding for further development and marketing activities to the amount of more than 2 Million euros. The decision was made in June 2009.

Improved steel due to magnetic fields

FZD scientists presented a new facility for continuous casting of steel at the EPM conference held in Dresden in October, which focuses on electromagnetic processing of materials. The facility enables the researchers to investigate the casting of steel under realistic conditions and to develop recommendations for improving the process by application of magnetic fields.

Cooling trick enables smart measurements

A young team led by FZD scientist Dr. Kay Großmann is developing innovative measuring methods based on fluorescence signals in the low-temperature range which are supposed to detect substances more easily and precisely. Last year, the team founded their own company called „NanoscopiX“.

Networking

This is a selection of projects started last year, in which FZD scientists participate.

Network of European ion-beam facilities founded

Eleven leading ion-beam facilities in Europe joined in the SPIRIT network, which was launched at a kickoff meeting at the FZD in March. The network is funded by the European Union with 7 million euros and has the aim to facilitate the access to ion-beam technologies for European scientists engaged in materials research. The SPIRIT network is coordinated by the FZD.

New “OncoRay“ research center planned

Representatives of the TU Dresden, the university hospital Dresden and the FZD signed a contract of cooperation in August, which outlines the construction of a joint research center for radiation research in oncology “OncoRay”. The center will be built on the campus of the university hospital. The name refers to another Dresden-based research institute for radiation research in oncology “OncoRay“, which also goes back to a joint initiative by the above mentioned partners. In June, this institute was granted further funding to the amount of 12 million euros in the next five years by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

Joint research project dedicated to safety of nuclear power plants

Major German research institutes involved in nuclear technology research, including the FZD, the TU München and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology KIT, joined in a new project in order to push forward the development of simulation models for boiling processes in pressurized water reactors.

AREVA funds chair at TU Dresden and FZD

Representatives of the TU Dresden, the company AREVA and the FZD signed an agreement on establishing an endowed chair on imaging technologies in power and process engineering. The chair is initially funded by AREVA with up to 260,000 euros per annum for five years. The chair holder will be appointed jointly by the TU Dresden and FZD and will do research mainly at the FZD.

Support of technology transfer

The transfer of the FZD’s knowhow into society, be it through commercial products or via services for industry, is to be improved. This is a reason why three new application labs were established last year in three selected areas (ion-beam technologies, flow control of liquid metals, measurement technology for multiphase flows). Application labs are an initiative of the Leibniz Association and bundle measures for technology transfer.

Research campus news

New face

Saxony’s Prime Minister Stanislaw Tillich was among the 200 guests invited to the annual reception of the FZD on March 24. On that occasion, he inaugurated the new entrance and logistics building, the FZD’s new face to the public.

Environment Minister visited FZD

Saxony’s Environment Minister Frank Kupfer handed over the radiation safety permission for a new positron lab located in the radiation source ELBE building on July 31. It was the first visit of the minister, who got himself informed about selected research and deconstruction projects.

First company on FZD premises

Last year, the drugmaker ROTOP began construction works for their new production and office building. It is the first company to settle on FZD premises.

New accelerator

A new 6 megavolt ion accelerator was inaugurated at the Institute of Ion Beam Physics and Materials Research in December. The new facility improves the experimental conditions for material analysis and modification as well as allowing accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) to be established as a new method at the FZD.

Conferences

Jahrestagung Kerntechnik / Annual Nuclear Technology Meeting

May 12-14, 2009, Dresden
Participants: ca. 1,400
The 40th meeting in this conference series - one of the world’s biggest trade fairs in nuclear technology - took place in the International Congress Center in Dresden last year. Scientists of the Nuclear Safety Research program were present with their own stand. They carry out research for instance on potential accidents in the primary circuits of nuclear power plants.

9th International Conference on Research in High Magnetic Fields

July 22-25, 2009, Dresden
Participants: ca. 220
The city of Dresden was the center of the international magnetic field research. Organized by the High Magnetic Field Laboratory Institute, the conference dealt with current research in high magnetic fields. The highest magnetic fields in Europe are generated in the Dresden lab.

14th International Conference on RF Superconductivity

September 20-25, 2009, Berlin and Dresden
Participants: ca. 300
Prior to the conference, which was organized by the Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin and the FZD, seminars for beginners in superconducting accelerator technology were hosted at the FZD. The electron accelerator ELBE at the FZD is based on this technology.

Tagung der Arbeitsgemeinschaft Radiochemie/Radiopharmazie / Radiochemistry/Radiopharmacy Working Group Meeting

September 24-26, 2009, Altenberg/Schellerhau
Participants: ca. 175
The Radiochemistry/Radiopharmacy Working Group Meeting is the main event of the German, Austrian and Suisse societies. Organized by the Institute of Radiopharmacy, last year's meeting highlighted again top results in the area of radiopharmacy.

Conference on Electromagnetic Processing of Materials

October 19-23, 2009, Dresden
Participants: ca. 280
This meeting has become the leading conference series on application of magnetic fields in research and industry. It was successfully organized by the FZD last year, drawing as many guests as never before in its history.

For the public

Teacher training

February 13, 2009, 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
That year’s teacher training supplied the participants with current theories and applications in the area of nanotechnology.

Science Day on the Rossendorf research site

May 9, 2009, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Around 2,500 visitors came to get informed about current research in the area of cancer diagnosis and therapy, which was in the focus of that Science Day, or to get a glimpse of the numerous labs and facilities which were open that day.

Dresden Long Night of Sciences

June 19, 2009, 6 p.m. - 1 a.m.
FZD scientists teamed up with the nuclear and particle physicists of TU Dresden, offering the public a wide spectrum of information which ranged from the search for new particles at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) of the European nuclear research center CERN to applications of particle radiation, for instance in medicine.

Leibniz week of biodiversity // Science Train in Dresden

September 14-19, 2009
Dresden was the main venue of the week of biodiversity organized by the Leibniz Association to support the Science Year 2009. The FZD was represented there by the “NanoBio“ young investigators’ group that aims at adopting the characteristics of surface proteins of certain bacteria for applications in technology. Their research has for instance enabled the production of nano particles made of palladium. An image of these particles was exhibited in the Science Train that stopped in Dresden in September.