Pursuit of Partnership in a Field of Strategic Importance to Europe: Representatives of Prestigious German Institute IKZ Visit FTMC

FTMC is strengthening its cooperation with the Leibniz Institute for Crystal Growth (IKZ) in Germany. Representatives of the institute – Deputy Director Prof. Dr Matthias Bickermann and scientist Dr Hiroki Tanaka – visited FTMC.

The guests were welcomed by FTMC Director Prof. Dr Ramūnas Skaudžius and Dr Martynas Misevičius, Head of the Crystal Growth Laboratory at FTMC’s Department of Chemical Engineering and Technology, who also showed them several of the Centre’s laboratories.

IKZ is one of Europe’s leading centres specialising in single-crystal growth. These crystals are used in electronics, laser technologies, optical lenses and prisms. This was not the first meeting between the institutions – in January 2025, FTMC representatives visited IKZ in Berlin.

“During the visit to Vilnius, we discussed the prospects for crystal growth in Lithuania and broader opportunities for cooperation. We also presented FTMC’s ambition to strengthen its expertise and infrastructure in crystal growth. This field is strategically important not only for Lithuania, but for Europe as a whole, as it seeks greater technological self-reliance and reduced dependence on external supply chains,” says FTMC Director Prof. Dr Ramūnas Skaudžius.

Lithuania is taking its first steps in the field of single-crystal growth. In 2023, FTMC established the Crystal Growth Laboratory, which has already secured several European Space Agency projects and actively collaborates with industry. The laboratory currently operates three crystal growth furnaces.

“We were very impressed by the laboratories here. They are not only new, but also provide excellent opportunities for conducting highly interesting crystal growth research. The equipment and instruments are outstanding and provide a strong foundation for applied crystal synthesis and related activities.

For us as an institute, it is very important to understand the expertise and capabilities of other research organisations and explore opportunities for cooperation. It is particularly important to identify how different tasks could be distributed within European-funded projects and other joint initiatives. We want to understand how we can contribute together to building the entire value chain.

It is especially interesting to see that FTMC conducts applied research and maintains direct links with industry. This could be very valuable for us, as it would open up opportunities to jointly support businesses,” emphasises IKZ Deputy Director Dr Mathias Bickermann.

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