Project acronym ACOPS
Project Advanced Coherent Ultrafast Laser Pulse Stacking
Researcher (PI) Jens Limpert
Host Institution (HI) FRIEDRICH-SCHILLER-UNIVERSITAT JENA
Country Germany
Call Details Consolidator Grant (CoG), PE2, ERC-2013-CoG
Summary "An important driver of scientific progress has always been the envisioning of applications far beyond existing technological capabilities. Such thinking creates new challenges for physicists, driven by the groundbreaking nature of the anticipated application. In the case of laser physics, one of these applications is laser wake-field particle acceleration and possible future uses thereof, such as in collider experiments, or for medical applications such as cancer treatment. To accelerate electrons and positrons to TeV-energies, a laser architecture is required that allows for the combination of high efficiency, Petawatt peak powers, and Megawatt average powers. Developing such a laser system would be a challenging task that might take decades of aggressive research, development, and, most important, revolutionary approaches and innovative ideas.
The goal of the ACOPS project is to develop a compact, efficient, scalable, and cost-effective high-average and high-peak power ultra-short pulse laser concept.
The proposed approach to this goal relies on the spatially and temporally separated amplification of ultrashort laser pulses in waveguide structures, followed by coherent combination into a single train of pulses with increased average power and pulse energy. This combination can be realized through the coherent addition of the output beams of spatially separated amplifiers, combined with the pulse stacking of temporally separated pulses in passive enhancement cavities, employing a fast-switching element as cavity dumper.
Therefore, the three main tasks are the development of kW-class high-repetition-rate driving lasers, the investigation of non-steady state pulse enhancement in passive cavities, and the development of a suitable dumping element.
If successful, the proposed concept would undoubtedly provide a tool that would allow researchers to surpass the current limits in high-field physics and accelerator science."
Summary
"An important driver of scientific progress has always been the envisioning of applications far beyond existing technological capabilities. Such thinking creates new challenges for physicists, driven by the groundbreaking nature of the anticipated application. In the case of laser physics, one of these applications is laser wake-field particle acceleration and possible future uses thereof, such as in collider experiments, or for medical applications such as cancer treatment. To accelerate electrons and positrons to TeV-energies, a laser architecture is required that allows for the combination of high efficiency, Petawatt peak powers, and Megawatt average powers. Developing such a laser system would be a challenging task that might take decades of aggressive research, development, and, most important, revolutionary approaches and innovative ideas.
The goal of the ACOPS project is to develop a compact, efficient, scalable, and cost-effective high-average and high-peak power ultra-short pulse laser concept.
The proposed approach to this goal relies on the spatially and temporally separated amplification of ultrashort laser pulses in waveguide structures, followed by coherent combination into a single train of pulses with increased average power and pulse energy. This combination can be realized through the coherent addition of the output beams of spatially separated amplifiers, combined with the pulse stacking of temporally separated pulses in passive enhancement cavities, employing a fast-switching element as cavity dumper.
Therefore, the three main tasks are the development of kW-class high-repetition-rate driving lasers, the investigation of non-steady state pulse enhancement in passive cavities, and the development of a suitable dumping element.
If successful, the proposed concept would undoubtedly provide a tool that would allow researchers to surpass the current limits in high-field physics and accelerator science."
Max ERC Funding
1 881 040 €
Duration
Start date: 2014-02-01, End date: 2019-01-31
Project acronym MYCOTHIOLOME
Project Protein S-mycothiolation and real-time redox imaging in Corynebacterium diphtheriae during ROS stress and infection conditions
Researcher (PI) Haike Antelmann
Host Institution (HI) FREIE UNIVERSITAET BERLIN
Country Germany
Call Details Consolidator Grant (CoG), LS2, ERC-2013-CoG
Summary Glutathione serves as the major thiol-redox buffer in the defense against Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) in eukaryotes. Firmicutes bacteria utilize as thiol redox buffer bacillithiol (Cys-GlcN-Mal, BSH) and Actinomycetes produce the related redox buffer mycothiol (AcCys-GlcN-Ins, MSH). In eukaryotes, proteins are post-translational modified to S-glutathionylated proteins in response to oxidative stress. S-glutathionylation has emerged as major redox-regulatory mechanism and protects cysteine residues against overoxidation to sulfonic acids. Using thiol-redox proteomics and mass spectrometry (MS) we have recently discovered protein S-bacillithiolations as mixed BSH protein disulfides in response to oxidative stress in Firmicutes bacteria. Protein S-bacillithiolation controls the activity of the redox-sensing OhrR repressor and protects active site cysteine residues of metabolic enzymes, antioxidant function proteins and translation factors. However, it is unknown if ROS and infection conditions cause protein S-mycothiolations and affect the cellular MSH redox potential in pathogenic Mycobacteria and Corynebacteria. Here we aim to explore the comprehensive mycothiolome in the major respiratory pathogen Corynebacterium diphtheriae.
We apply gel-based and novel MS-based thiol-redox proteomic approaches for the quantitative analysis of the S-mycothiolome in C. diphtheriae under oxidative stress conditions (e.g. NEM-Biotin-Switch-Assay). Novel genetically encoded redox biosensors (Mrx1-roGFP2 and roGFP2-Orp1) will be developed for real-time imaging of the MSH redox potential and ROS production during infections in C. diphtheriae. The role of S-mycothiolated proteins for redox regulation, fitness, stress resistance and virulence mechanisms will be investigated. Our studies provide leads to understand the physiological role of thiol-redox switches in the defense against the host immune system and in the regulation of virulence mechanisms in Gram-positive pathogens.
Summary
Glutathione serves as the major thiol-redox buffer in the defense against Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) in eukaryotes. Firmicutes bacteria utilize as thiol redox buffer bacillithiol (Cys-GlcN-Mal, BSH) and Actinomycetes produce the related redox buffer mycothiol (AcCys-GlcN-Ins, MSH). In eukaryotes, proteins are post-translational modified to S-glutathionylated proteins in response to oxidative stress. S-glutathionylation has emerged as major redox-regulatory mechanism and protects cysteine residues against overoxidation to sulfonic acids. Using thiol-redox proteomics and mass spectrometry (MS) we have recently discovered protein S-bacillithiolations as mixed BSH protein disulfides in response to oxidative stress in Firmicutes bacteria. Protein S-bacillithiolation controls the activity of the redox-sensing OhrR repressor and protects active site cysteine residues of metabolic enzymes, antioxidant function proteins and translation factors. However, it is unknown if ROS and infection conditions cause protein S-mycothiolations and affect the cellular MSH redox potential in pathogenic Mycobacteria and Corynebacteria. Here we aim to explore the comprehensive mycothiolome in the major respiratory pathogen Corynebacterium diphtheriae.
We apply gel-based and novel MS-based thiol-redox proteomic approaches for the quantitative analysis of the S-mycothiolome in C. diphtheriae under oxidative stress conditions (e.g. NEM-Biotin-Switch-Assay). Novel genetically encoded redox biosensors (Mrx1-roGFP2 and roGFP2-Orp1) will be developed for real-time imaging of the MSH redox potential and ROS production during infections in C. diphtheriae. The role of S-mycothiolated proteins for redox regulation, fitness, stress resistance and virulence mechanisms will be investigated. Our studies provide leads to understand the physiological role of thiol-redox switches in the defense against the host immune system and in the regulation of virulence mechanisms in Gram-positive pathogens.
Max ERC Funding
1 958 314 €
Duration
Start date: 2014-04-01, End date: 2019-03-31
Project acronym NAUTILUS
Project Neutron cAptUres consTraIning steLlar nUcleosynthesiS
Researcher (PI) Rene Reifarth
Host Institution (HI) JOHANN WOLFGANG GOETHE-UNIVERSITATFRANKFURT AM MAIN
Country Germany
Call Details Consolidator Grant (CoG), PE2, ERC-2013-CoG
Summary "NAUTILUS will investigate the nucleosynthesis of the chemical elements during the evolution of stars, which is the basis for understanding the chemical history of the Universe. The vast majority of the elements heavier than iron are produced by neutron capture reactions. The precise knowledge of the involved neutron capture cross sections for certain isotopes sets tight limits for stellar parameters and puts strong constraints on the age of the Universe.
Accurate measurements of the key nuclear reactions in the mass region around the radioactive 85Kr will lead to the improvements needed to characterize the production processes of the elements in stars. The respective high-accuracy abundance patterns in single stars can then be interpreted as diagnostic tools for the deep stellar interior and the isobaric 87Sr/87Rb chronometer constraints the history of the Universe.
The neutron capture cross section of radioactive isotopes for neutron energies in the keV region will be measured by a time-of-flight (TOF) experiment. NAUTILUS will provide a unique facility realizing the TOF technique with an ultra-short flight path at the FRANZ setup at Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Germany. A highly optimized spherical photon calorimeter will be built and installed at an ultra-short flight path.
NAUTILUS opens new horizons in the area of neutron-induced reaction research, as smallest samples like of 85Kr - which will be produced as an isotopically pure radioactive sample - will become measureable in reasonable times.
Future applications include the study of neutron capture cross sections important for next generation nuclear reactors: For the first time the high neutron fluxes needed to study the mass region of interest in the keV energy range will be available."
Summary
"NAUTILUS will investigate the nucleosynthesis of the chemical elements during the evolution of stars, which is the basis for understanding the chemical history of the Universe. The vast majority of the elements heavier than iron are produced by neutron capture reactions. The precise knowledge of the involved neutron capture cross sections for certain isotopes sets tight limits for stellar parameters and puts strong constraints on the age of the Universe.
Accurate measurements of the key nuclear reactions in the mass region around the radioactive 85Kr will lead to the improvements needed to characterize the production processes of the elements in stars. The respective high-accuracy abundance patterns in single stars can then be interpreted as diagnostic tools for the deep stellar interior and the isobaric 87Sr/87Rb chronometer constraints the history of the Universe.
The neutron capture cross section of radioactive isotopes for neutron energies in the keV region will be measured by a time-of-flight (TOF) experiment. NAUTILUS will provide a unique facility realizing the TOF technique with an ultra-short flight path at the FRANZ setup at Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Germany. A highly optimized spherical photon calorimeter will be built and installed at an ultra-short flight path.
NAUTILUS opens new horizons in the area of neutron-induced reaction research, as smallest samples like of 85Kr - which will be produced as an isotopically pure radioactive sample - will become measureable in reasonable times.
Future applications include the study of neutron capture cross sections important for next generation nuclear reactors: For the first time the high neutron fluxes needed to study the mass region of interest in the keV energy range will be available."
Max ERC Funding
1 871 596 €
Duration
Start date: 2014-04-01, End date: 2019-03-31
Project acronym NEARFIELDATTO
Project Attosecond physics at nanoscale metal tips - strong field physics in the near-field optics regime
Researcher (PI) Jens Peter Hommelhoff
Host Institution (HI) FRIEDRICH-ALEXANDER-UNIVERSITAET ERLANGEN-NUERNBERG
Country Germany
Call Details Consolidator Grant (CoG), PE2, ERC-2013-CoG
Summary Electron dynamics in metals and nanostructures take place on attosecond timescales. Until today, these extremely fast processes are little understood let alone utilized. With NearFieldAtto, strong-field driven phenomena at nanoscale metal structures will be explored to elucidate collective electron dynamics and to induce optical-field-driven currents -- on attosecond timescales. We will investigate the near-field of a nanotip, resulting from the collective dynamics, both in amplitude and phase. Conversely, we will use the tip as a nanometric sensor to map out the electric field inside the focus of a pulsed laser beam and will directly measure the local phase. In two-tip and molecular junctions, we will explore the ultrafast steering of electronic currents by optical fields, both over a nanometric gap and inside a molecule, taking advantage of the large near-field enhancement the systems offer.
My group has recently shown that attosecond physics phenomena can be observed at solids, namely at nanoscale tips [Krüger et al., Nature 2011]. Hence, in NearFieldAtto we will employ techniques well known from attosecond physics with isolated objects, like gas-phase atoms and molecules, to steer laser-emitted electrons with the electric field of few-cycle laser pulses. We will use these electrons as nanometric probes to investigate optical properties of the solid state system and compare the results with those of isolated objects in gas-phase measurements. With two tips facing each other, we will realize a nanometric junction over which we will steer electrons with the optical field. A molecule placed between two tips will enable the investigation of a novel, ultrafast switching mechanism.
NearFieldAtto will bring attosecond physics a leap forward as compared to the state-of-the-art, will introduce strong-field physics into (quantum-)plasmonics, and will open the door towards lightwave or petahertz nano-electronics in metallic and molecular nano-systems.
Summary
Electron dynamics in metals and nanostructures take place on attosecond timescales. Until today, these extremely fast processes are little understood let alone utilized. With NearFieldAtto, strong-field driven phenomena at nanoscale metal structures will be explored to elucidate collective electron dynamics and to induce optical-field-driven currents -- on attosecond timescales. We will investigate the near-field of a nanotip, resulting from the collective dynamics, both in amplitude and phase. Conversely, we will use the tip as a nanometric sensor to map out the electric field inside the focus of a pulsed laser beam and will directly measure the local phase. In two-tip and molecular junctions, we will explore the ultrafast steering of electronic currents by optical fields, both over a nanometric gap and inside a molecule, taking advantage of the large near-field enhancement the systems offer.
My group has recently shown that attosecond physics phenomena can be observed at solids, namely at nanoscale tips [Krüger et al., Nature 2011]. Hence, in NearFieldAtto we will employ techniques well known from attosecond physics with isolated objects, like gas-phase atoms and molecules, to steer laser-emitted electrons with the electric field of few-cycle laser pulses. We will use these electrons as nanometric probes to investigate optical properties of the solid state system and compare the results with those of isolated objects in gas-phase measurements. With two tips facing each other, we will realize a nanometric junction over which we will steer electrons with the optical field. A molecule placed between two tips will enable the investigation of a novel, ultrafast switching mechanism.
NearFieldAtto will bring attosecond physics a leap forward as compared to the state-of-the-art, will introduce strong-field physics into (quantum-)plasmonics, and will open the door towards lightwave or petahertz nano-electronics in metallic and molecular nano-systems.
Max ERC Funding
2 012 733 €
Duration
Start date: 2014-04-01, End date: 2019-03-31
Project acronym TopCoup
Project Determination of top couplings in associated top pair events using ATLAS data
Researcher (PI) Markus Cristinziani
Host Institution (HI) RHEINISCHE FRIEDRICH-WILHELMS-UNIVERSITAT BONN
Country Germany
Call Details Consolidator Grant (CoG), PE2, ERC-2013-CoG
Summary The discovery of a new particle, compatible with the Higgs boson, at the Large Hadron Collider, marked a major triumph of the Standard Model of particle physics. However, many fundamental questions remain and direct or indirect evidence of new physics can be probed with the large number of proton-proton collision data, collected in 2011 and 2012 at 7 and 8 TeV centre-of-mass energy.
With this proposal we plan to exploit the large sample of top-quark pair events that is already recorded, and the sample that will be collected from 2015 onwards, at the ultimate energy of 14 TeV. In particular we plan to study the coupling of top quarks to neutral bosons, by measuring the production of associated tt̄γ, tt̄Z and tt̄H. Anomalous electromagnetic or weak couplings could be uncovered by studying kinematic properties of the resulting photon or Z-boson, once the signal is established. By studying the tt̄H production in detail the mechanism of Yukawa coupling of the Higgs boson to fermions will be tested, possibly providing important confidence in the characterisation of the new boson.
In all measurements we plan to include the tt̄ dilepton channel, that, despite the smaller branching fraction has typically superior signal-to-noise ratios. An essential part of the programme will be the calibration of the b-tagging algorithms, where we plan to use tt̄ events. For associated Higgs production we will explore the decays H→ bb̄ and H→ γγ.
Summary
The discovery of a new particle, compatible with the Higgs boson, at the Large Hadron Collider, marked a major triumph of the Standard Model of particle physics. However, many fundamental questions remain and direct or indirect evidence of new physics can be probed with the large number of proton-proton collision data, collected in 2011 and 2012 at 7 and 8 TeV centre-of-mass energy.
With this proposal we plan to exploit the large sample of top-quark pair events that is already recorded, and the sample that will be collected from 2015 onwards, at the ultimate energy of 14 TeV. In particular we plan to study the coupling of top quarks to neutral bosons, by measuring the production of associated tt̄γ, tt̄Z and tt̄H. Anomalous electromagnetic or weak couplings could be uncovered by studying kinematic properties of the resulting photon or Z-boson, once the signal is established. By studying the tt̄H production in detail the mechanism of Yukawa coupling of the Higgs boson to fermions will be tested, possibly providing important confidence in the characterisation of the new boson.
In all measurements we plan to include the tt̄ dilepton channel, that, despite the smaller branching fraction has typically superior signal-to-noise ratios. An essential part of the programme will be the calibration of the b-tagging algorithms, where we plan to use tt̄ events. For associated Higgs production we will explore the decays H→ bb̄ and H→ γγ.
Max ERC Funding
1 964 088 €
Duration
Start date: 2014-01-01, End date: 2018-12-31
Project acronym UpFermi
Project Unconventional pairing in ultracold Fermi gases
Researcher (PI) Michael Karl Koehl
Host Institution (HI) RHEINISCHE FRIEDRICH-WILHELMS-UNIVERSITAT BONN
Country Germany
Call Details Consolidator Grant (CoG), PE2, ERC-2013-CoG
Summary We explore unconventional ways how ultracold fermions pair and form collective quantum phases exhibiting long-range order, such as superfluidity and magnetically order. Specifically, we plan to realize and study pairing with orbital angular momentum and pairing induced by long-range interaction. Besides the fundamental interest in unravelling unconventional pairing mechanisms and the interplay between superfluidity and quantum magnetism, our project will also lead to gaining experimental control over topologically protected quantum states. This will pave the way for future topological quantum computers, which are particularly robust to environmental decoherence.
Our project addresses three different aspects: (1) We plan to realize p-wave superfluids in two dimensions. This quantum phase exhibits topological excitations (vortices) with anyonic statistics and an isomorphism to the fractional quantum-Hall effect. We will investigate the unusual properties of p-wave superfluids, such as Majorana fermions, i.e. quasiparticles being their own anti-particles, which are predicted to be localized at vortices. This will boost the long-standing efforts in the cold atoms and condensed matter communities to understand topological states of matter. (2) We aim to realize d-wave pairing in optical lattices using a novel experimental approach. d-wave pairing is closely related to high-Tc superconductivity in the cuprates and we are interested in exploring its interplay with magnetic order. Superfluidity and magnetic order are antagonistic phenomena from a conventional BCS-theory point-of-view and hence several fundamental questions will be answered. (3) We plan to induce long-range interactions using a high-finesse optical cavity leading to a light-induced pairing mechanism. We will search for Cooper pairing in spin-polarized Fermi gases mediated by the interaction of Fermions with a quantized light field. This provides access to a new class of combined light-matter quantum states.
Summary
We explore unconventional ways how ultracold fermions pair and form collective quantum phases exhibiting long-range order, such as superfluidity and magnetically order. Specifically, we plan to realize and study pairing with orbital angular momentum and pairing induced by long-range interaction. Besides the fundamental interest in unravelling unconventional pairing mechanisms and the interplay between superfluidity and quantum magnetism, our project will also lead to gaining experimental control over topologically protected quantum states. This will pave the way for future topological quantum computers, which are particularly robust to environmental decoherence.
Our project addresses three different aspects: (1) We plan to realize p-wave superfluids in two dimensions. This quantum phase exhibits topological excitations (vortices) with anyonic statistics and an isomorphism to the fractional quantum-Hall effect. We will investigate the unusual properties of p-wave superfluids, such as Majorana fermions, i.e. quasiparticles being their own anti-particles, which are predicted to be localized at vortices. This will boost the long-standing efforts in the cold atoms and condensed matter communities to understand topological states of matter. (2) We aim to realize d-wave pairing in optical lattices using a novel experimental approach. d-wave pairing is closely related to high-Tc superconductivity in the cuprates and we are interested in exploring its interplay with magnetic order. Superfluidity and magnetic order are antagonistic phenomena from a conventional BCS-theory point-of-view and hence several fundamental questions will be answered. (3) We plan to induce long-range interactions using a high-finesse optical cavity leading to a light-induced pairing mechanism. We will search for Cooper pairing in spin-polarized Fermi gases mediated by the interaction of Fermions with a quantized light field. This provides access to a new class of combined light-matter quantum states.
Max ERC Funding
1 925 525 €
Duration
Start date: 2014-10-01, End date: 2019-09-30
Project acronym X-MUSIC
Project XUV/X-ray Multidimensional Spectroscopy of Fundamental Electron Dynamics and Impulsive Control of X-ray Light
Researcher (PI) Thomas Pfeifer
Host Institution (HI) Klinik Max Planck Institut für Psychiatrie
Country Germany
Call Details Consolidator Grant (CoG), PE2, ERC-2013-CoG
Summary "Interaction of extreme&controlled light fields with matter is driving an ongoing revolution in our understanding of quantum physics. Controlled—pulsed—visible lasers have enabled time-dependent two-dimensional (2D) spectroscopy currently transforming chemistry, and led to key milestones such as frequency combs.
Despite progress on coherent soft- and hard-x-ray pulsed sources during the last 10 years—e.g. x-ray free-electron lasers (FELs) or high-harmonic generation of laser light, nonlinear (e.g. 2D) spectroscopy or phase control of x-ray light remained a major challenge.
Here, I propose to experimentally realize
- (a) x-ray two- and multi-dimensional spectroscopy
- (b) resonant gain without inversion and spectral control of x rays
for the scientific goals
- (a) time- and quantum-state-resolved measurement of fundamental few- and many-electron dynamics
- (b) generation of soft-(electronic) and hard-x-ray (nuclear) frequency combs
For (a), a 4-quadrant x-ray time-delay unit will generate coherently-timed pulses out of one spatially coherent beam. For (b) a new physical mechanism relating Fano to Lorentz resonances and absorption to gain by a single temporal phase will be harvested.
Scientific impact:
(a): Site-specific 2D-x-ray spectroscopy will phase-sensitively test&promote theory and allow to understand fundamental processes: excitation, ionization, and few-electron dynamics in atoms and molecular bonding orbitals.
(b): Impulsive phase control of resonant gain and absorption represents a disruptive key technology rivalling the LASER especially in the hard-x-ray domain, where long-lived population inversion in dense media seems impossible. Frequency combs around a well-defined (5 neV) hard-x-ray Mössbauer Fe57 nuclear transition (14.4 keV) will be demonstrated. Such combs (at >10 keV), will in the future allow the most sensitive tests of fundamental physics, e.g. quantum-electrodynamics (QED) in highly-charged ions and the variation of physical 'constants'."
Summary
"Interaction of extreme&controlled light fields with matter is driving an ongoing revolution in our understanding of quantum physics. Controlled—pulsed—visible lasers have enabled time-dependent two-dimensional (2D) spectroscopy currently transforming chemistry, and led to key milestones such as frequency combs.
Despite progress on coherent soft- and hard-x-ray pulsed sources during the last 10 years—e.g. x-ray free-electron lasers (FELs) or high-harmonic generation of laser light, nonlinear (e.g. 2D) spectroscopy or phase control of x-ray light remained a major challenge.
Here, I propose to experimentally realize
- (a) x-ray two- and multi-dimensional spectroscopy
- (b) resonant gain without inversion and spectral control of x rays
for the scientific goals
- (a) time- and quantum-state-resolved measurement of fundamental few- and many-electron dynamics
- (b) generation of soft-(electronic) and hard-x-ray (nuclear) frequency combs
For (a), a 4-quadrant x-ray time-delay unit will generate coherently-timed pulses out of one spatially coherent beam. For (b) a new physical mechanism relating Fano to Lorentz resonances and absorption to gain by a single temporal phase will be harvested.
Scientific impact:
(a): Site-specific 2D-x-ray spectroscopy will phase-sensitively test&promote theory and allow to understand fundamental processes: excitation, ionization, and few-electron dynamics in atoms and molecular bonding orbitals.
(b): Impulsive phase control of resonant gain and absorption represents a disruptive key technology rivalling the LASER especially in the hard-x-ray domain, where long-lived population inversion in dense media seems impossible. Frequency combs around a well-defined (5 neV) hard-x-ray Mössbauer Fe57 nuclear transition (14.4 keV) will be demonstrated. Such combs (at >10 keV), will in the future allow the most sensitive tests of fundamental physics, e.g. quantum-electrodynamics (QED) in highly-charged ions and the variation of physical 'constants'."
Max ERC Funding
1 983 863 €
Duration
Start date: 2014-01-01, End date: 2018-12-31
