© ESA/Euclid/Euclid Consortium/NASA, Bildbearbeitung durch J.-C. Cuillandre, G. Anselmi; CC BY-SA 3.0 IGOAlle Rechte vorbehalten!

Research

Here you can find more details of our main areas of research and the research institutions based in Bonn as well as an overview of successful third-party-funded projects and their funding providers.

News
© ESO/M. Kornmesser/H. Jin
Chemical Fingerprints Reveal Hidden Histories of Massive Stars
Many massive stars were once part of binary systems, but their exciting past is often lost – at least it was so far. A new study at the University of Bonn and at the Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics has now found a new method to identify stars that once gained mass from a companion – stars that now appear as single objects but carry the chemical scars of their binary youth. Using a unique “chemical fingerprint” – independent of specific evolutionary models – they were able to reconstruct the binary histories of massive stars. The method has already reclassified the well-studied star γ Columbae as a former mass gainer – challenging long-held assumptions about its origin– and offered new insight into Supernova SN 1987A’s progenitor. The findings have now been published in “Nature Astronomy.”
Aug 19, 2026
© Kristian Plenge
Successful test beam campaign at DESY
After two intensive weeks at DESY in Hamburg, the participating research groups draw a positive conclusion: During a joint test beam campaign, scientists from the Universities of Bonn, Dortmund and Heidelberg successfully tested new silicon pixel sensors for the Mighty Tracker, the future tracking detector system of the LHCb experiment, under realistic conditions. The sensors are a key component of the planned LHCb Upgrade II, which will prepare the experiment for Run 5 in the era of the HiLumi LHC.
Aug 14, 2026
© IAXO Collaboration
Hunting for the Axion with a Huge Magnet
The search for an as-yet undiscovered elementary particle has been given fresh momentum as the German Research Foundation (DFG) has now greenlit the construction of a special €6 million magnet system in the Color meets Flavor Cluster of Excellence at the University of Bonn, University of Siegen and TU Dortmund University. Dubbed “BabyIAXO,” it is being built to hunt for the axion, a hitherto undetected elementary particle that could unlock one of the biggest unsolved mysteries in particle physics.
Aug 12, 2026
© Jakob Dietl/Uni Bonn
Homing In on the X-Ray Sky
The German eROSITA consortium (eROSITA-DE), which also includes the University of Bonn and which is being led by the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics (MPE), has released its second major public dataset, the “eROSITA Data Release 2” (DR2). Built from the first three all-sky surveys done by the eROSITA telescope aboard the Spectrum-Roentgen-Gamma (SRG) mission, DR2 provides the most sensitive and comprehensive catalogue of the X-ray sky currently available to the public. Spearheaded by the University of Bonn, the analysis of a massive galaxy cluster has shown that the theoretical models for how the Universe formed largely match the observations made, albeit with some interesting discrepancies in the finer details.
Aug 03, 2026

Research focus

Our research focuses on hadron and particle physics, condensed matter/photonics, astrophysics and other fields.

Hadronen- und Teilchenphysik Platzhalter
© CERN

Hadron and particle physics

Researchers of our faculty investigate the fundamental building blocks of matter in theory and with experiments.

Kondensierte Materie/Photonik Platzhalter
© Volker Lannert / Universität Bonn

Photonics/Condensed matter

Our working groups conduct research in this area and teach a structured curriculum to students looking to specialize in this field.

Eine Wissenschaftlerin und ein Wissenschaftler arbeiten hinter einer Glasfassade und mischen Chemikalien mit Großgeräten.
© NASA

Astronomy/Astrophysics

The research groups of the Argelander Institute focus on theoretical and observational astronomy.

Further research fields

MR Physics

The MR Physics research group studies innovative medical imaging techniques for preclinical biomarkers in patients with neurodegenerative diseases.

Neurophysics

Neurophysics is geared toward opening up new diagnosis, treatment and intervention options for people with epilepsy and other neurological conditions.

Research facilities

Numerous research facilities offer the physicists in the specialist group a unique environment for cutting-edge research in both experimental and theoretical physics.

Bethe Center
© Florian Loebbert/Universität Bonn

Bethe Center for Theoretical Physics BCTP

In the spirit of Hans Bethe the Bethe Center for Theoretical Physics fosters research activities over a wide range of theoretical and mathematical physics.

Eine Wissenschaftlerin und ein Wissenschaftler arbeiten hinter einer Glasfassade und mischen Chemikalien mit Großgeräten.
© Paul Steinmann / Universität Bonn

Bonn Fiber Lab

The Bonn Fiber Lab manufactures miniaturized optical cavities for applications in quantum optics and spectroscopy, and it provides them to research groups in Bonn and to collaborating groups around the world.

Eine Wissenschaftlerin und ein Wissenschaftler arbeiten hinter einer Glasfassade und mischen Chemikalien mit Großgeräten.
© Marcus Grüner / Fachgruppe Physik/Astronomie

Bonn Isochronous Cyclotron

The Bonn Isochronous Cyclotron was built by the Großwelzheim-based AEG-Beschleunigerbau between 1968 and 1970. It is the third machine of its kind, following in the footsteps of others in Karlsruhe and Jülich.

Massentrenner
© Marcus Grüner / Fachgruppe Physik/Astronomie

Bonn Isotope Separator

The Bonn Radio Isotope Separator gives many research units a unique opportunity to produce isotopes, separate them by mass and implant them into specially prepared samples.

Eine Wissenschaftlerin und ein Wissenschaftler arbeiten hinter einer Glasfassade und mischen Chemikalien mit Großgeräten.
© ELSA-Gruppe

Electron Stretcher Accelerator (ELSA)

The Electron Stretcher Accelerator (ELSA) features an electron accelerator as well as experimental facilities for studying the resonance structure of protons, neutrons and mesons.

Eine Wissenschaftlerin und ein Wissenschaftler arbeiten hinter einer Glasfassade und mischen Chemikalien mit Großgeräten.
© Volker Lannert / Universität Bonn

Research and Technology Center for Detector Physics (FTD)

FTD will serve as a hub for research units at the University of Bonn that are working on developing new detectors for proving the existence of the smallest particles in the universe.

Projects and networks

The Department of Physics and Astronomy conducts innovative top-level research in various different fields that are tackled from both experimental and theoretical angles and that are supported financially by the associations and networks listed below.

  DFG associations and networks

Projects funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG).

BMBF associations and networks

Projects funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).

EU/ERC Projects

Projects funded by the European Union (EU).

© Volker Lannert / Universität Bonn

Transdisciplinary Research Area

Building Blocks of Matter and Fundamental Interactions (TRA Matter)

Involvement in the Cluster of Excellence

The Matter and Light for Quantum Computing (ML4Q) Cluster is geared toward creating new computer and network architectures based on the principles of quantum mechanics.

Industry Liaison

Eine Wissenschaftlerin und ein Wissenschaftler arbeiten hinter einer Glasfassade und mischen Chemikalien mit Großgeräten.
© AG Ketzer/Universität Bonn

The Industry Liaison for the Department of Physics and Astronomy facilitates partnerships between industry and the university’s physics research community. Their role is to connect faculty, students, and external organizations to foster collaboration, innovation, and technology transfer.