“FRM II is of great importance”: Member of the Bundestag pays a visit

Christian Moser (centre) took a look around the Neutron Guide Hall West, together with Janina Pflügl and Bastian Denk (2nd from right), accompanied by FRM II Administrative Director Dr Jürgen Neuhaus (right) and Technical Director Dr Axel Pichlmaier (2nd from left). © FRM II / TUM

Christian Moser (centre) took a look around the Neutron Guide Hall West, together with Janina Pflügl and Bastian Denk (2nd from right), accompanied by FRM II Administrative Director Dr Jürgen Neuhaus (right) and Technical Director Dr Axel Pichlmaier (2nd from left). © FRM II / TUM

Christian Moser, environmental policy spokesperson for the CSU regional group in the Bundestag and Member of Parliament for the Freising constituency, has now visited FRM II. During the tour, Christian Moser said he was “very impressed by the portfolio and potential” of the research neutron source.

Technical Director Dr Axel Pichlmaier and Administrative Director Dr Jürgen Neuhaus introduced Christian Moser and his colleagues to the operation, research, as well as industrial and medical applications of the neutron source in Garching.

Standing in front of the Castor MTR-3 container, Technical Director Dr Axel Pichlmaier (r.) explains to Christian Moser and Janina Pflügl how the spent fuel elements are transported. © FRM II / TUM

Standing in front of the Castor MTR-3 container, Technical Director Dr Axel Pichlmaier (r.) explains to Christian Moser and Janina Pflügl how the spent fuel elements are transported. © FRM II / TUM

Doped silicon for ICEs

The fact that, when in operation, the FRM II can produce up to ten per cent of the global market’s supply of extremely homogeneously doped silicon made a great impression on the guests. “Neutron-doped silicon is used for regulating high currents, for example in ICEs or in electric vehicles,” explained Jürgen Neuhaus.

During the tour of the research reactor, including the reactor pool and the Neutron Guide Hall West, current challenges were also touched upon, such as the upcoming transport of spent fuel elements. Christian Moser is now taking a number of topics back to Berlin with him: “I can see that the FRM II is of great importance. And not only in research, industry and medicine, but also in maintaining expertise in nuclear technology.”