Research Infrastructures

The supercomputing facility of the Jülich Supercomputing Centre (JSC) at FZJ serves as a national facility, which provides high-end HPC (High-Performance-Computing) and the by today largest German data capacities for scientists at FZJ, in the Helmholtz Association, at universities and at research laboratories in Germany and all over Europe (via EuroHPC JU) as well as for industrial partners. The facility is contributing to the development of modular supercomputing and future data center technology.

With its selection as the first EuroHPC JU exascale hosting site, the facility will soon be extended by the JUPITER system, which will reach exascale supercomputing and data management capabilities, offering a unique computing platform for scientists in Germany and Europe. The facility is carrying out and will enhance its research and development for advanced computing architectures such as quantum computers, quantum annealers, digital annealers and neuromorphic computing. It will focus on integrating quantum (JUNIQ) and neuromorphic systems into its modular supercomputing and data analytics environment.

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The Jülich UNified Infrastructure for Quantum computing (JUNIQ) at JSC, established in 2019,  is a quantum computer user infrastructure), offering European users support and access to quantum computer emulators and quantum computing technologies of different types and levels of technological maturity. JUNIQ will also integrate quantum computers in the form of quantum-classical hybrid computing systems into the modular HPC environment of the Jülich Supercomputing Centre.

The infrastructure is funded by BMBF and NRW-MKW. As of November 2022, JUNIQ provides access to the D-Wave Advantage™ System JUPSI, to the quantum emulators JUQCS and Atos QLM-30 as well as the OpenSuperQ Quantum Computer prototype via the JUNIQ Cloud platform. The facility will soon be enhanced by a Pasqal quantum simulator. JUNIQ also organizes training courses, summer schools and international workshops, with the goal of creating a German and a European user community from industry and science for the application of quantum computing.

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The Karlsruhe Nano Micro Facility for Information-driven Material Structuring and Characterization (KNMFi) is a high-tech platform for information-driven structuring and characterizing a multitude of functional materials at the micro- and nanoscale. KNMFi offers access to a uniquely complete set of fabrication, characterization and information technologies. External users from academia and industry, either national or international, can apply for open and – if the results are published – free access.

Annual deadlines for the submission of proposals are January 15 and June 15 (the call deadline does not apply for proposals from Helmholtz users. Helmholtz proposals can be submitted at any time and will be continuously reviewed). The highly qualified KNMFi staff will guide users through the relevant processes and techniques to address their processing goals and characterization needs. KNMFi encourages the early discussion of planned projects and scientific goals and is open for long-term collaborations.

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The Ernst Ruska-Centre (ER-C) for Microscopy and Spectroscopy with Electrons is a national user facility open to universities, research institutions and research laboratories in industry. It is run conjointly by  Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University. The facility is located on the campus of Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH.

The Ernst Ruska-Centre houses some of the world’s most advanced electron microscopes and tools for nanocharacterisation, several of which have been funded by the German Research Foundation and the Helmholtz Association. The operational services of the ER-C can be engaged by submission of a brief proposal,  and are based on the guiding principle that external users are accompanied by experienced scientists and technical support staff.

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The Helmholtz Nano Facility (HNF) is a user facility of Forschungszentrum Jülich and comprises a network of facilities, processes and systems for research, production and characterization of micro- and nanostructures. It is a state-of-the-art cleanroom facility of approx. ~1100 m² (classes of DIN ISO 1-3) are operated according ISO 9000ff, Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and equivalent to Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) standards. HNF meets the basic supply of micro- and nanostructures for nanoelectronics, fluidics, micromechanics, biology, neutron and energy science, etc.

The task of HNF is rapid progress in nanostructures and their technology, offering efficient access to infrastructure and equipment. HNF gives access to expertise and provides resources in production, synthesis, characterization and integration of structures, devices and circuits. HNF covers the range from basic research to application-oriented research facilitating for a broad variety of different materials and different sample sizes.

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BESSY II is a third-generation synchrotron light source operated by HZB in the research field Matter which produces extremely bright X-ray light. With its focus on soft X-rays, BESSY II is unique in Germany and has users from all over the world. For a future low-power information technology as well as quantum and neuromorphic computing, BESSY II enables the investigation of novel materials and devices.

The key to the required disruptive IT concepts and the respective materials is in understanding their electronic properties, and spectroscopy with soft x-rays is a unique tool for this. To study topologically protected and strongly correlated materials, usually referred to as quantum materials, it is needed to study the electronic states and excitations at surfaces, interfaces and in the volume. Lowest temperature, highest energy resolution as well as element specific and magnetic imaging at high spatial and time resolution are essential for unique insights in candidate materials and devices.

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