The laboratory of astrophysics consists of space telescopes, the laboratory of space instruments, and the dispersion research laboratory. The telescopes are situated at Kumpula campus, the Tähtitorninmäki observatory in Southern Helsinki, and the Metsähovi observatory in Kirkkonummi, and they are mainly used in teaching. We carry out scientific and technological research in the laboratory of space instruments with building, testing, and characterising instrument electronics and sensors related to space-equipment projects.
The electronics research laboratory (ETLA) specialises in studying the physics of sound and light. The main focus is on developing methods to be applied in R&D and the industries. The work in the laboratory belongs to many different areas of physics, the primary ones being ultrasound research, photo-acoustics, and optical interferometric imaging.
Helsinki Accelerator Laboratory specialises in experimental and computational material physics. The research at the laboratory focuses on the materials essential to nanotechnology, micro- and optoelectronics, spintronics, fusion technology, and particle detectors. Their characteristics are studied with the help of different techniques based on ion beams, positron annihilation spectrometry, and computational methods.
The Detector laboratory is shared between Helsinki Institute of Physics and the Department of Physics at the University of Helsinki. The laboratory offers diverse facilities, instruments, and know-how for research projects that develop radiation detectors for international test stations for particle and nuclear physics.
The X-ray Laboratory specialises in studying materials with the help of x-rays. The laboratory has a long history in the field of x-ray spectroscopy and material sciences. Its wide range of research methods includes x-ray imaging, x-ray spectroscopy, scattering, combinations of these, and computational modelling.