We explore new materials in the nanoworld, nanomaterials that behave different from what we know from daily life. For the first time we exploit the beautiful symmetry of crystal lattices with the rich diversity of molecular building blocks. Linked together in framework materials or two-dimensional polymers they form a new class of hybrid materials and offer the implementation of new concepts for catalysis without precious metals, high-efficiency hydrogen generation, and precision sensing, to name just a few. These developments have been made possible by the enormous power of the high-performance computing facilities at ZIH Dresden.

Accurate parameter-free calculations of optical response functions for real materials and nanostructures still represent a major challenge for computational materials science. Our project focusses on the development and application of efficient but accurate ab-initio methods that give access to the linear and nonlinear optical spectra. We explore, on the atomistic level, how the material structure, its composition and defects, but also external parameters like stress, temperature or magnetic fields influence the optical response. It thus leads to a better understanding of existing materials and contributes to the design of new photonic materials.

The spin-dependent transport phenomena in magnetic materials can provide spin-polarized charge current and large pure spin current, which could be achieved premised on two fundamental properties, i.e., anomalous Hall conductivity (AHC) and spin Hall conductivity [1]. The AHC is characterized as a generation of transverse voltage drop or current density (depending on the boundary conditions) originating from the longitudinal electric currents. The existence of finite AHC in noncollinear antiferromagnets has attracted noticeable attention due to possible applications in antiferromagnetic spintronics for information storage and data processing [2], where the kagome lattice turns out to be an intriguing prototypical lattice to host giant AHC

One approach to the realization of safer batteries relies on all solid-state batteries (ASSB) which use a non-flammable solid electrolyte (SE) instead of the commercial flammable liquid organic electrolytes. While many obstacles to the successful production of these batteries have already been overcome, the inner and outer interfaces in a real battery setup remain a major challenge. Thus, a thorough understanding of the interfacial atomistic processes is crucial, highlighting the value of interface simulations on the atomic scale. Currently, these are only possible via ab-initio methods, such as density functional theory (DFT) calculations, because no classical interatomic potentials exist, which can simultaneously describe the SE and