Mission and Vision
The core of our mission and vision is rooted in the PGI history of fundamental physics of electronic materials and phenomena, surfaces, interfaces, thin films and devices. We still see and honor our eponym Peter Grünberg as a role model for researchers and consider his innovative spirit as fundamental for the PGI research culture and strategy.
Our vision is to contribute significantly to the new disruptive computing technologies which are Quantum Computing and Neuromorphic Computing by an integrative approach starting from basic research on novel materials and phenomena reaching up to systems development. We are convinced that innovations in these future technologies carry the potential to have an impact on the energy consumption and carbon footprint of information technology. Furthermore, the PGI supports the strategic development of greater technological independence for Europe in this ethically and economically sensitive area.
Our mission is the discovery and interpretation of new phenomena in solid state matter, the development of novel materials and functional nanostructures, and the innovation in both experimental and theoretical methods, all with a particular focus on potential long-term applications in information technology. For this purpose the PGI has been complemented by research in exploiting quantum phenomena for the development of Quantum Computing systems and bio-inspired concepts of the human brain for the development of Neuromorphic Computing systems, and related software.
Our unique core competence is the entanglement of strong fundamental research in functional materials and emergent phenomena with research and technology development in the area of devices, circuits, systems and software in Quantum Computing and Neuromorphic Computing which we summarise as physics of information processing. An essential element of this core competence is an excellent scientific infrastructure, including integration technology, sophisticated characterization techniques and multiscale modelling & theory.