PHOTON SCIENCE

An expert opinion published today by the German Science Council ('Wissenschaftsrat' WR) highlights the exceptional relevance of the large-scale research facility for Germany and Europe. The highly positive evaluation by the expert panel serves as a basis for decision-making by the German federal research ministry.

DESY’s future project PETRA IV has reached another milestone in the national prioritization process for major research infrastructures: In its assessment, the German Science Council recommends PETRA IV “as a scientifically highly relevant, internationally outstanding, and strategically significant project for Germany’s science and innovation landscape.”

Prof. Beate Heinemann, Chair of the DESY Directorate, commented: “The German Science Council has taken a very clear stance, and I am absolutely delighted! The report underscores the fundamental importance of PETRA IV for Germany’s scientific landscape and makes it clear how crucial the facility is for maintaining Germany’s and Europe’s competitiveness in key future fields such as semiconductor technology, climate protection, sustainable mobility, and precision medicine. My thanks go to all DESY staff who contributed to this success, as well as to the Federal Ministry for Research, Technology, and Space, and the Office for Science, Research, and Equality of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg research authority for their long-standing support in preparing the project.”

How the process has progressed so far: Last year, the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space (BMFTR) compiled a shortlist of major research infrastructures classified as nationally significant through a prioritization process—among them, PETRA IV. In December 2025, a 12-member working group appointed by the German Science Council visited DESY in Hamburg to conduct an on-site review of the project. The Science Council’s assessment, based on this review, has now been published. The BMFTR will make a final decision on funding the PETRA IV project based on this report.

As a fourth-generation X-ray light source, PETRA IV will offer globally unique research opportunities to analyze processes at the nanoscale. Its highly brilliant X-ray beam will produce 3D structural images with 500 times greater detail than the current PETRA III facility. The high spatial resolution will be complemented by the fourth dimension of time, enabling scientists to observe natural phenomena in materials, biological systems, and chemical reactions down to the molecular level in their natural environment—and even “film” them in real time.

Prof. Britta Redlich, DESY Director for Photon Science, says: “The Science Council’s excellent report gives me great confidence that the decision will be in favour of PETRA IV. In December, during in-depth discussions, we were able to present our research facility and discuss the relevance of PETRA IV for science and innovation. Its visionary approach and transformative service model will enable a whole new class of experiments addressing a wide range of research questions.”

The German Science Council’s report confirms PETRA IV’s potential to drive breakthroughs with significant economic and societal impact—such as in the development and improvement of sustainable energy materials and batteries, green catalytic processes for a climate-neutral chemical industry, high-resolution insights into biological structures for combating diseases, and non-destructive 3D characterization of modern microelectronics for secure and energy-efficient information technologies.

A key strategic innovation highlighted by the German Science Council is the development of a laser-plasma injector for PETRA IV. This technology would enable particle acceleration to nearly the speed of light with significantly lower energy and space requirements than comparable facilities. The planning of this globally unique feature also contributed to the project’s outstanding evaluation.

Prof. Wim Leemans, Director of DESY’s Accelerator Division, says: “Our ‘moonshot’ project—an innovative plasma injector for PETRA IV—represents a decisive step forward in the worldwide development of this accelerator technology. With DESY’s unique know-how, we are in an outstanding position to make this vision reality and to anchor a groundbreaking technology within PETRA IV.”

Beyond its high research and innovation potential, the Science Council’s report was particularly impressed by the well-founded and detailed project planning. If the BMFTR makes a swift positive decision, the ambitious project could begin as early as 2027 and start providing X-ray light for scientific experiments by around 2032. The total project implementation is estimated at approximately 1.8 billion euros (based on 2025 figures), spread over nine years. The facility is expected to operate for more than three decades, with around 10,000 researchers conducting experiments at PETRA IV annually.

Scientists and staff at DESY have been preparing for the project’s launch for nearly a decade. As part of a preparatory project, initial prototypes have already been developed, and extensive plans for construction, technical implementation, and scientific execution have been drawn up. A major priority has been establishing an agile and flexible working approach for the large-scale project in collaboration with the relevant authorities. “We are ready for takeoff and are waiting eagerly for the approval from the ministry. It will be an exciting time—we are well-prepared, and I am looking forward to getting the construction started,” says PETRA IV Project Leader Harald Reichert.

(from DESY News)


Further information
Report of the German Science Council on PETRA IV
Press Release of the German Science Council (WR) 27 March 2026 (in German)