Hi-Acts partner projects on Germany’s national research infrastructure shortlist

On 8 July 2025, the Federal Ministry for Education, Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) announced the shortlist for the National Prioritisation Process for Large-Scale Research Infrastructures. This competitive process identifies outstanding, strategically important and technologically groundbreaking projects for implementation in the years ahead.

Four projects involving Hi-Acts partners have made the cut: PETRA IV (DESY), DALI (HZDR), IceCube-Gen2 (DESY) and HBS-I (Hereon).

PETRA IV – The ultimate 4D X-ray microscope

DESY’s PETRA IV represents a quantum leap for materials science. A new 2.3 km storage ring will replace the existing PETRA III facility, delivering the brightest X-ray source in the world for decades to come. With an ultra-low horizontal emittance of just 20 pm rad, PETRA IV will enable high-resolution 3D visualisation of materials – enhanced by time-resolved capabilities for a true 4D X-ray microscope. This will allow real-time observation of biological, chemical and physical processes down to the atomic scale. The resulting high-precision data will pave the way for AI-driven materials design and the development of innovative pharmaceuticals.

DALI – Dresden Advanced Light Infrastructure

Led by the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, DALI will provide a new generation of terahertz light sources for exploring matter under extreme electromagnetic fields. By combining high field strengths, tunable frequencies and ultrashort electron and positron pulses, DALI will open unique opportunities in materials science, semiconductor research and quantum communication. It is designed as an international hub, attracting researchers worldwide and fostering technological breakthroughs.

Other Hi-Acts partner projects on the shortlist

• IceCube-Gen2 (DESY, KIT): Expansion of the South Pole neutrino observatory with greatly enhanced sensitivity – a key initiative in astroparticle physics.
• HBS-I (Forschungszentrum Jülich, Hereon): Development of a compact, accelerator-driven neutron source to support research in materials, life and environmental sciences, as well as medical applications.

Being shortlisted marks an important milestone towards realisation and underscores the outstanding scientific excellence and global relevance of Hi-Acts partners in shaping the research infrastructures of tomorrow.