Welcome to the

Regensburg Center for Ultrafast
Nanoscopy

© Images people: Dragan/UR, Building images: Müller-Naumann

Open Ph.D. positions available

We are hiring Ph.D. students for the recently funded research training group RTG 2905 (german: GRK 2905) on the topic of “Ultrafast Nanoscopy – from single particle dynamics to cooperative processes”

Selected publications

Vertical voyage in metal halide perovskites

We have developed an approach based on ultrafast near-field microscopy that has allowed us to probe the nanoscale topography, crystallographic phase and chemical composition of metal halide perovskite films, while simultaneously extracting the ultrafast vertical carrier dynamics from femtosecond shifts in the pump-induced response following photoexcitation.

Atomic-scale telegraphy with light


We have discovered an entirely unforeseen quantum-mechanical contrast mechanism that finally enables all-optical microscopy to achieve atomic resolution while retaining subcycle temporal precision. This new concept allows us to directly trace the quantum flow of electrons on their intrinsic length and time scales.

Quantum dance to the beat of a drum

Researchers at the RUN have directly observed how a spin-orbit-split energy level of an isolated chalcogen vacancy in a Moiré-distorted WSe2 monolayer adiabatically shifts upon excitation of a drum-like phonon mode.

Tracing the wonders of oxygen

Novel microscope traces the first steps of achemical reaction by measuring the interaction of oxygen with a single molecule with unprecedented resolution.

Unravelling the conformational heterogeneity of human Argonaute2

To gain an in-depth understanding of the mechanistic complexity and dynamics of hAgo2 researchers at the RUN performed time-resolved single-molecule FRET measurements – a method that allows distance measurements in the subnanometer range. Combining biochemical and biophysical expertise in one lab ultimately allowed the team led by Prof. Dina Grohmann and Dr. Sarah Willkomm to monitor conformational changes of hAgo2 in real-time with millisecond time resolution.

A lightning-fast atomic hand

Researchers at the RUN have found a fascinating way to push a select atom with controlled forces so quickly that we can choreograph the motion of a single molecule within less than a trillionth of a second.

Unleashing the prowess of picosecond time-resolved photon antibunching

Researchers unveil the unprecedented capability to precisely gauge the authentic count of chromophores and track exciton diffusion in DNA origami and conjugated polymer aggregates at mind-boggling ultrafast time scales.

Upcoming events

Impressions of the RUN building

© Fotos: Stefan Müller-Naumann, München

A full archive of all images of the construction as well as a time lapse of the progress can be found here:

More information on the construction progress and potential disruptions to nearby faculties on the timeframe of a few weeks are listed here:

Key data RUN

The RUN is a research facility dedicated to combine biology, chemistry and physics in understanding dynamics at the smalles length scales

Investment volume: up to 58 Mio. Euro

Opening year: 2023

Funding: German Federal Republic and Free state of Bavaria according to Art. 91b Abs. 1 Satz 1 GG

Builder: Free state of Bavaria, represented by the state planning and building control office Regensburg

Design: Fritsch + Tschaidse Architekten GmbH, Munich

Supporting Agencies