TU Darmstadt-led study published in “Nature Communications”

Tiny manufacturing imperfections in optical components normally go unnoticed. Yet they can alter light in surprisingly significant ways. An international research team led by TU Darmstadt has shown that such imperfections can affect not only polarization – the direction in which light oscillates – but also the spatial shape of a light beam. The findings, now published in “Nature Communications”, could help make sensitive optical measurements even more precise in the future.

Research team led by TU Darmstadt publishes findings in *Nature Communications*

Tiny, soft polymer particles – known as microgels – can help to stabilize extremely thin liquid jets. How this works is the finding of a study led by researchers at TU Darmstadt, which has now been published in the prestigious journal “Nature Communications”. The findings could be of interest for e.g. the development of needle-free medical injection systems.

Professor Regine von Klitzing has been appointed as the first honorary member of the Australasian Colloid and Interface Society (ACIS). The honour is a great privilege and means a great deal to her, von Klitzing explained in a message of thanks to the ACIS.

Study led by the Department of Physics at TU Darmstadt published in “Nature Communications”

The properties of ultra-thin magnets can be specifically altered by a minimal twist between two atomic monolayers. This is the conclusion reached by an international research team led by TU Darmstadt in a study that has now been published in the prestigious journal “Nature Communications”. The findings open up new prospects for future memory devices.

The Department of Physics at TU Darmstadt is coordinating the new LOEWE priority area “QuEnergy”

Through a new research consortium led by TU Darmstadt, scientists aim to lay new foundations for energy-efficient quantum technologies. The LOEWE “QuEnergy” research initiative is being funded by the State of Hesse with 4.8 million euros over four years from 2027 on. This is a close collaboration between TU Darmstadt and Philipps University of Marburg.

Studie in Zusammenarbeit der Fachbereiche Physik und Biologie in „Nature“ veröffentlicht

Können sich gerodete Regenwälder erholen und verschwundene Tierarten zurückkehren? Diesen Fragen ging ein Forschungsteam im von der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) geförderten Konsortium „Reassembly“ nach – mit erfreulichen Ergebnissen.

Vier Tage voller Neugier, Wellen und Entdeckungen!

Beim TUdiscover-Girls' Camp 2026 haben 22 Mädchen der Klassen 5 bis 7 gemeinsam geforscht, experimentiert und gestaunt und sind dabei tief in die Welt der Wellen und Schwingungen vorgestoßen.

TU researchers investigate independent decision-making of droplets

Tiny droplets can navigate their way through unknown environments like living cells – without sensors, computers or external control. This finding by researchers led by TU Darmstadt has now been published in the renowned journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

In this interview, she talks about her innovative bachelor lab course that introduces students early on to hands-on research in quantum materials.

In Sai Shradha's internship, bachelor's students dive straight into the world of quantum technologies – exciting, practical and early on in their studies. In 2025, she was awarded the Athene Prize for Good Teaching for her innovative experiment on two-dimensional materials.

Wir haben ihr zum Start ein paar Fragen zu ihrem Forschungsgebiet und ihrer neuen Position als Doktorandin gestellt.

Professor Dr Regine von Klitzing has been awarded the Lectureship Award 2025 by the Chemical Society of Japan. The award ceremony took place at the end of September during this year's Divisional Meeting on Colloid and Interface Chemistry in Chiba (Japan).

Veröffentlichung in ACS Nano bietet Ansätze für neuartige Speicherelemente

Ein internationales Forschungsteam unter Beteiligung des Institutes für Physik kondensierter Materie (IPKM) der TU Darmstadt hat den zweidimensionalen, magnetischen Halbleiter Chrom-Sulfid-Bromid (CrSBr) experimentell untersucht. Die Studie zeigt, wie sich die Magnetisierung einzelner atomar dünner Schichten gezielt beeinflussen und optisch auslesen lässt – ein Ansatz mit Potenzial für künftige Speichertechnologien. Veröffentlicht wurden die Ergebnisse im renommierten Fachjournal ACS Nano.

Researchers at TU Darmstadt present new approaches to a problem of statistical physics

Whether bacteria in search of food or microrobots that automatically collect toxins or waste, again and again this is a problem in statistical physics that has not yet been clarified satisfactorily: how does an “agent” have to move in order to collect randomly distributed targets as skilfully as possible? Researchers at TU Darmstadt have now presented an approach in the renowned journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) that can be used to systematically determine efficient search strategies. It could help to intelligently design tasks such as the search for cancer cells or environmental rehabilitations in the future.

Interaction between soft matter and ultrasound investigated

In the journal “Advanced Science”, researchers from TU Darmstadt describe how ultrasound affects soft matter. This could lead to new medical and industrial applications.

Publication in “Nature Physics”

Physicists in Darmstadt are investigating ageing processes in materials. For the first time, they have measured the ticking of an internal clock in glass. When evaluating the data, they discovered a surprising phenomenon.

Studies on foams stabilised with soft particles and polymers awarded

Regine von Klitzing and her team at the Institute for Condensed Matter Physics have received the ECIS Solvay Award 2023 for their recent pioneering studies on foams stabilised with soft particles and polymers. The award was presented at the European Colloid and Interface Society (ECIS) conference in Naples, Italy.

Assembling lines of colloidal particles with an ion-exchange bead

Researchers at TU Darmstadt, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) and Wuhan University have developed an approach that can be used to arrange ink particles in water to form lines and letters. The theoretical model for this was developed by TU professor Benno Liebchen. The research results have now been published in the renowned journal “Small”.

Focus on interaction between light and ultrathin materials

Since september, Bernhard Urbaszek has taken up a professorship in hybrid quantum systems at the department of physics. Previously, the 48-year-old was research director at the CNRS in Toulouse, France. We asked Professor Urbaszek a few questions on his debut.