In this paper we present our new video features. Most smartphone experiments come in one of two ways: either by collecting live sensor data or by analyzing video recordings afterward. Our new feature now brings these two approaches together by enabling real-time experiments directly through the phone’s camera. Users can simply point their camera at an experiment, select a region of the image, and instantly track properties such as brightness, relative luminance, or color values based on the HSV color model (hue, saturation, and value). With frame rates reaching up to 240 frames per second, you can capture fast processes with impressive temporal precision. Because the camera data feeds directly into phyphox’s flexible analysis tools, users can create and customize a wide range of experiment configurations. This opens up new possibilities for measurements over large distances, improved data analysis in existing classic experiments, and highly accurate timing applications — all using nothing more than a smartphone camera.

On Thursday, 07 May 2026, Katrin Hecker successfully defended her PhD thesis. We warmly congratulate Dr. Katrin Hecker on this great achievement! A big thank-you and congratulations also go to the entire team for the fantastic "Doktorhut" and Corinne for unique cake!

Phys. Rev. Applied 25, 044028 (2026)
Proximity coupling of bilayer graphene (BLG) to transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) offers a promising route to engineer gate-tunable spin-orbit coupling (SOC) while preserving BLG’s exceptional electronic properties. This tunability arises from the layer-asymmetric electronic structure of gapped BLG, where SOC acts predominantly on the layer in contact with the TMD. Here, we present a high-quality BLG/⁢WSe₂ device with a proximity-induced SOC gap and excellent electrostatic control. Operating in a quasiballistic regime, our double-gated heterostructure allows a gate-defined p-n-p cavity to be formed and clear weak antilocalization (WAL) features to be shown consistent with Rashba-type SOC. At lower hole densities, a transition to a pronounced weak-localization (WL) feature is observed, signaling transport through a single spin-split valence band. These findings – in agreement with calculations – provide direct spectroscopic evidence of a proximity-induced spin-split band in BLG and underscore the potential of BLG/TMD heterostructures for spintronics and spin-based quantum technologies.

Great start to the QuantenMOCVD project with our kick-off meeting today.
The project, funded by the BMFTR, brings together strong partners from academia and industry to advance quantum materials and device platforms based on MOCVD-grown 2D materials for quantum technologies.
It was exciting to see the full consortium align on key goals, exchange first ideas, and define the roadmap for the coming months. This connects very well with our ongoing activities in the Aachen Graphene & 2D Materials Center and ML4Q. Looking forward to the collaboration ahead!

The Söllerhaus-Workshop 2026 from the 13th to the 19th of March 2026 of the 2nd Institute of Physics A , B and C focusing on interesting (partly cross-sectional) topics was great fun with many interesting talks and discussions, skiing and slippery snow hiking.