TU Dresden and Leibniz IWF: Topping-out Ceremony for New Research Building for Materials and Quantum Sciences

     

The building is being constructed on the Südvorstadt campus of the Technical University of Dresden (TUD) on Nöthnitzer Straße and will house high-tech laboratories, offices, and common areas for researchers. Their work focuses on the research and development of novel materials, including materials for energy-efficient quantum chips and highly sensitive quantum sensors. The inauguration of the completed building is scheduled for mid-2029. The construction costs, which are being financed by the Free State of Saxony and the federal government, total approximately 70 million euros.

At the topping-out ceremony for the joint research building of the IFW Dresden and TU Dresden. From left to right: Sebastian Gemkow, Saxony’s Minister of Science; Dr. Andreas Handschuh, Head of the Saxon State Chancellery; Dr.-Ing. E. h. Thomas Reiter, Head of the Aerospace and Security Division at the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Aerospace (BMFTR); Dirk Hilbert, Mayor of Dresden; Falk Reinhardt, Technical Managing Director of the Saxon Real Estate and Construction Management Agency (SIB); Juliane Schmidt, Administrative Director of IFW Dresden; Jan Gerken, Chancellor of TU Dresden; Prof. Bernd Büchner, Scientific Director of IFW Dresden; and Prof. Matthias Vojta, Spokesperson for the ctd.qmat Cluster of Excellence. Photo: Ben Gierig

Dorothee Bär, Federal Minister for Research, Technology, and Space:

“The economic and societal potential of quantum technologies and the associated quantum materials is enormous. That is why, as part of its High-Tech Agenda for Germany, the federal government is consistently focusing on quantum technologies as one of the key technologies of the future. Our goal is to make Germany a world-leading hub for the development and application of quantum technologies. The joint research facility of the IFW and TU Dresden, where the underlying material technology for quantum and semiconductor materials is researched and developed, will contribute to this goal.”

Sebastian Gemkow, Saxony’s Minister of State for Science, Culture, and Tourism:

“This highly complex and state-of-the-art infrastructure project will become Saxony’s new center for quantum materials and research into entirely new semiconductor technologies. Semiconductors, superconductors, and magnetic materials are fundamentally changing our understanding of technology. This involves robust microelectronics, ultra-fast and energy-efficient quantum computers, innovative solutions for energy generation and storage, as well as highly sensitive sensors. This forward-looking research will strengthen Saxony’s position as a world-leading hub for microelectronics and quantum electronics in the long term. And bringing IFW and ctd.qmat together under one roof—closer than ever before—also embodies the idea of short communication channels and pooled expertise—interdisciplinary exchange is actively promoted here.”

Dr. Andreas Handschuh, Head of the Saxon State Chancellery and State Secretary for Federal and European Affairs:

“The new joint research building for IFW Dresden and TU Dresden is successfully taking shape. This demonstrates that taking on greater responsibility as a project sponsor helps advance cutting-edge research in Saxony. In the future, the new building will also highlight the close collaboration between the two institutions through their shared research infrastructure. The fact that the Leibniz Institute IFW Dresden, as the project sponsor, has assumed responsibility for the planning and implementation of a research building to be used jointly with the ctd.qmat Cluster of Excellence represents a new model of cooperation in Germany.”

Prof. Dr. Bernd Büchner, Scientific Director of the IFW Dresden:

“The shared research infrastructure opens up excellent opportunities for us to study quantum materials both theoretically and experimentally. It creates ideal conditions for close scientific exchange and new joint research approaches. We look forward to working even more closely together under one roof in the future.”

Prof. Dr. Matthias Vojta, Spokesperson for the ctd.qmat Cluster of Excellence:

“Anyone who wants to conduct quantum physics at the highest international level must rely on collaboration. A shared building is therefore more than just a place where two strong partners share laboratories and offices. The new research building brings our expertise together, unites our strengths, and facilitates exchange—from the moment you enter the building to casual conversations over a cup of coffee. This is becoming a hub for cutting-edge research on quantum materials in Saxony.”

Background: Facts and Figures on the New Research Building

In a space covering more than 8,000 square meters, researchers will investigate the extraordinary properties that quantum materials exhibit under extreme conditions—such as at extremely low temperatures—as well as the potential these properties offer for novel components. The goal is to develop quantum materials that enable new green energy technologies, energy-efficient electronics, or robust quantum bits. The new building will thus become a center for international cutting-edge research in the field of quantum materials.

From the outset, IFW Dresden has assumed responsibility for the planning, coordination, and implementation of the joint research building. IFW Dresden’s responsibility for constructing a research building shared with TUD represents an exceptional model of collaboration in Germany between a non-university research institution and a university. At the same time, the new building creates space for expanding existing collaborations and for new joint research initiatives between the two institutions.

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Related Links

👉 https://www.ifw-dresden.de/  
👉 https://www.ctdqmat.de/  

Photo: Ben Gierig, TU Dresden, and Leibniz IFW