On a three-day trip to Armenia, a delegation from DESY intensified the scientific relations between DESY and research institutions in Armenia. Two joint declarations were signed in the fields of accelerator physics, particle and astroparticle physics and the training of young scientists. In addition, the scientists discussed possible cooperation in photon science and in the field of radiation biology. 

A highlight of the trip was a meeting with the Armenian President, Armen Sarkissian. During his visit to DESY in Zeuthen last year, the President had issued an invitation to DESY Director Helmut Dosch to visit Armenia. In addition, a reception for Armenian research partners and members of the DESY delegation was held in Yerevan at the invitation of the German Ambassador.

DESY has maintained close scientific relations with the A. Alikhanyan National Laboratory (AANL) and the CANDLE Synchrotron Research Institute for decades. What began in the 1960s with the former Yerevan Physics Institute was sealed in 1993 with a first official cooperation agreement. In the meantime, the institute has changed its name to A. Alikhanyan National Laboratory, and the collaborations were further intensified - especially in the fields of particle and astroparticle physics. DESY and AANL are involved in the large-scale experiments CMS at CERN in Geneva and Belle II in Japan and work together on data analysis. The two institutes are also developing measuring instruments and data analysis for the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA).  

DESY scientists are also collaborating closely with the CANDLE accelerator laboratory, which is setting up its own accelerator-based radiation sources. For example, CANDLE has contributed accelerator and magnetic structures to the European XFEL, the REGAE accelerator and the PITZ photo injector test facility. The newly signed Memorandum of Understanding with CANDLE will also enable future cooperation for DESY's future project PETRA IV and open up the potential for cooperation in future laser plasma acceleration.

Wim Leemans, DESY's Director of the Accelerator Division, was deeply impressed by the joint discussions and the potential for future cooperation: "With regard to DESY´s flagship project PETRA IV, I was excited about the investments that CANDLE is making to modernise fabrication equipment and build compact accelerator systems that provide a training ground for the next generation of accelerator scientists and technicians.“ Accelerators that are planned and are jointly being built with help from DESY, will be used for the generation of THz (terahertz) flashes, which has relevance for activities at DESY as well as the European X-ray Free-Electron Laser (XFEL). In addition, future accelerator projects at DESY in Hamburg can potentially benefit from a capable and enthusiastic new generation of accelerator staff that CANDLE is developing. "We are also excited about the activities related to understanding radiation biology with ultra-short and intense electron beams that CANDLE is studying as it can have great benefits to society. We are eager to collaborate with them on this and organise a joint international workshop,“  Leemans added.