Researchers from the QR.N Consortium actively involved –
The QR.N consortium congratulates the four Clusters of Excellence whose extensions were announced at the end of May 2025. These clusters are closely linked to QR.N’s research objectives. The funding decisions within the Excellence Strategy of the Federal and State Governments recognize outstanding scientific achievements and further strengthen Germany’s position in international Quantum Research. The extended Clusters of Excellence include:
QuantumFrontiers (QF) – Hannover/Braunschweig
The Cluster of Excellence QuantumFrontiers has successfully prevailed in the second funding round of the Excellence Strategy and will receive continued funding for another seven years starting in 2026. More than 400 researchers from seven institutions in Lower Saxony are working together at the limits of precision measurement in the quantum world. QuantumFrontiers focuses on high-precision atomic clocks, innovative developments in Quantum Computing, and practical applications in areas such as navigation and Earth observation.
QR.N paricipants:
- Christian Deppe (Technische Universität Braunschweig)
- Fei Ding (Leibniz Universität Hannover)
- Stefan Kück (Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt)
Munich Center for Quantum Science and Technology (MCQST) – Munich
The Cluster of Excellence Munich Center for Quantum Science and Technology (MCQST) will also enter its second funding period starting in 2026. The cluster unites seven research institutions spanning disciplines such as physics, mathematics, computer science, electrical engineering, materials science, and chemistry. Its goal is to establish a world-leading center for Quantum Technologies with a distinctly interdisciplinary profile – ranging from fundamental research to industrial applications.
QR.N participants:
- Holger Boche (Technische Universität München)
- Harald Weinfurter (Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
Matter and Light for Quantum Computing (ML4Q) – Aachen/Cologne/Bonn
The Matter and Light for Quantum Computing (ML4Q) Cluster of Excellence will also be extended. Researchers from Aachen, Bonn, Cologne, and Forschungszentrum Jülich combine their expertise to develop novel Quantum Hardware, Software, and Architectures. The focus lies on technologies with long-term innovation potential in Quantum Computing. The cluster is also actively engaged in training early-career scientists, thereby strengthening the sustainability of the research field.
QR.N participants:
- Michael Köhl (Universität Bonn)
- Kooperation im Bereich Theorie mit Andreas Winter (Universität zu Köln)
Complexity, Topology and Dynamics in Quantum Matter (ctd.qmat) – Würzburg/Dresden
The physics cluster ctd.qmat – Complexity, Topology and Dynamics in Quantum Matter focuses on exploring novel Quantum Materials. This research alliance is a joint project of the University of Würzburg and the Technical University of Dresden, bringing together more than 300 researchers from over 30 countries since 2019. ctd.qmat was already funded in the previous phase of the Excellence Strategy – at that time under the name „ct.qmat“. The researchers are developing materials that will form an essential foundation for future technologies. Moving forward, the focus will be expanded to include Quantum Dynamics, a central topic in solid-state physics.
QR.N participant:
- Sven Höfling (Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg)
Author: © Christian Deppe
