EXC 3112:  Center for Chiral Electronics

• Subject Area: Condensed Matter Physics ; Materials Science
• Term: since 2026
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 533767171

Chirality, the property that makes an object distinct from its mirror image, is ubiquitous in nature. It is found in elementary particles, in molecules and biological structures, and manifests itself in many physical phenomena. In particular, it gives rise to a remarkable intrinsic stability against external perturbations that has spurred a strong worldwide interest in chiral materials. Our mission is to exploit the advantages of structural and electronic chirality in condensed-matter systems, where the interplay of the electron spin, orbital angular momentum, and chirality gives rise to new functionalities. We will explore chiral molecular, spintronic and superconducting systems, and demonstrate their potential for electronic devices operating at ultrahigh speed, with low energy consumption and with high stability against external disturbances. Thus, our research will create the scientific foundation of the field of chiral electronics. This proposal focuses on three promising research directions. A) Structural chirality: We will engineer chiral structures of interfaces and solids to gain spin selectivity, spin control, and spin transport down to the atomic scale. B) Emergent chirality: We will explore chiral order in magnetic and superconducting phases to conceive low-loss devices for chiral spintronics. C) Ultrafast chirality: We will investigate chirality induced under conditions far from equilibrium and develop chiral lightwave electronics, where we use chirality to control electron flow for information processing at the ultimate speed limit. The broad expertise needed for this research program requires the joint effort of optimally complementing partners: MLU Halle/MPI Halle have world-leading expertise in a large variety of chiral materials (molecules, semimetals, and antiferromagnets). FU Berlin developed cutting-edge techniques on ultrafast spin dynamics (spin-charge conversion and spin-resolved band structure determination). U Regensburg is home to leading experts on coherent strong-field control (manipulation of band structure and electronic states at optical clock rates). The team benefits from tight collaborations and will further be strengthened by appointments of new faculty. Our research will be enriched by early-career researchers, who will benefit from effective support structures, excellent infrastructure, and collaborations within our network. We will set up a recruiting program for international students and a dedicated graduate center, thereby enabling the education of the next generation of researchers working in novel technologies for electronics. Our outreach program will focus on science education in schools, foster diversity of the workforce, and enhance the societal appeal of the physical sciences. The planned Center for Chiral Electronics (CCE) will form an integrated research unit with international visibility and will spearhead innovative concepts for future electronics.

• DFG Programme: Clusters of Excellence (ExStra)
• Applicant Institution: Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg
• Co-Applicant Institution: Freie Universität Berlin; Universität Regensburg
• Participating Institution: Max-Planck-Institut für Mikrostrukturphysik; Technische Universität Dortmund
• Spokespersons: Professorin Dr. Katharina Franke; Professor Dr. Christoph Strunk; Professor Dr. Georg Woltersdorf
• Participating Researchers: Professor Dr. Robert Bittl; Professor Dr. Kirill Bolotin; Professor Dr. Piet W. Brouwer; Professor Dr. Ferdinand Evers; Professor Dr. Jaroslav Fabian; Professor Dr. Xinliang Feng; Professorin Dr. Isabella Gierz-Pehla; Professorin Dr. Milena Grifoni; Professor Dr. Rupert Huber; Professorin Dr. Annika Johansson; Professor Dr. Tobias Kampfrath; Professor Dr. Samir Lounis; Professorin Dr. Ingrid Mertig; Wenhui Niu; Professor Dr. Felix von Oppen; Professor Dr. Stuart Parkin; Professor Dr. Jascha Repp; Professor Dr. Georg Schmidt; Professor Dr. Niels Schröter; Professorin Sangeeta Sharma, Ph.D.; Professor Dr. Martin Weinelt; Professor Dr. Jörg Wunderlich