News from the Institute

The Cluster of Excellence “Munich Center for Quantum Science and Technology”, jointly proposed by LMU and TUM, has been approved for a second seven-year funding phase starting in 2026. MPQ is one of the partner institutions, alongside LMU, TUM, WMI, and the Deutsches Museum. MPQ Directors Immanuel Bloch and Ignacio Cirac serve as speakers of the Cluster and have played a key role in its inception and development. more

Johannes Zeiher has accepted a tenure-track W2 professorship at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. His group “Artificial Quantum Matter” is part of the Faculty of Physics’ Quantum Optics chair. At LMU, the researcher will expand the work of his independent research group, originally established at the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics (MPQ), while continuing to collaborate closely with the institute. more

At the nationwide Girls’Day, girls have the chance to explore careers where women are still underrepresented. The Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics has been part of the initiative for many years – and once again this year, the participants enjoyed a wide-ranging programme. Through talks, hands-on experiments and tours of a lab and the mechanical workshop, the fifteen students gained insight into the diverse everyday work of a quantum optics researcher. more

In the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology, the member institutes of the Munich Quantum Valley Initiative open their doors to the public. The first regular event in the series “MQV-Einblicke” took place at the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics. During an introductory lecture and a subsequent tour of the quantum optics laboratories, the audience gained insights into quantum simulation and quantum computing with neutral atoms. more

Philipp Preiss, independent research group leader, has secured an ERC Proof of Concept grant. These grants aim to bridge the gap between fundamental research and practical applications, helping to transform new scientific insights into tangible societal or commercial benefits. With his project, FermiChem, Preiss and his team will further explore the use of quantum simulators based on ultracold fermions to tackle complex problems in quantum chemistry.  more