Construction of a new scientific facility for Science City
The Hamburg Fundamental Interactions Laboratory (HAFUN) is set to become a new research hub in the city, serving as a workplace for the Hamburg Excellence Cluster Quantum Universe. This exciting development was approved by the Hamburg Senate and has been included in the 2025/26 budget, with federal co-financing of over 34 million euros.
Located in the Science City Hamburg Bahrenfeld, HAFUN will directly connect to other research institutions such as DESY and the physics department of the University of Hamburg (UHH). Prof. Michael Grefe, the head of the Hamburg Excellence Cluster Quantum Universe, will collaborate with HAFUN in its research endeavours.
HAFUN's goal is to answer central questions in particle and astroparticle physics using state-of-the-art infrastructure. It will provide space for around 200 scientists from experimental physics, including particle and astroparticle physics, and nonlinear quantum optics. The laboratory will also serve as an instrument for gravitational wave research and cosmic radiation.
In addition to HAFUN, the DESY Innovation Factory 2 is also under construction in Science City Bahrenfeld. While the DESY Innovation Factory 2 does not receive federal co-financing for its construction, it is expected to facilitate interdisciplinary cooperation. However, it is not explicitly stated to create another "hub for internationally visible top research" like HAFUN.
The construction of the DESY Innovation Factory 2 has already begun, but its specific goal or connection to gravitational wave research or cosmic radiation is not provided in the information available.
With the addition of HAFUN, the Science City Bahrenfeld is poised to become another hub for internationally visible top research. The new building for the Physics department of the University of Hamburg is also being built in this area, further enhancing its research capabilities.
As these new research facilities take shape, the city of Hamburg continues to demonstrate its commitment to scientific progress and discovery. The Hamburg Excellence Cluster Quantum Universe and the DESY Innovation Factory 2, along with HAFUN, are set to make significant contributions to the understanding of fundamental interactions in physics.
