Project acronym 3D-QUEST
Project 3D-Quantum Integrated Optical Simulation
Researcher (PI) Fabio Sciarrino
Host Institution (HI) UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI ROMA LA SAPIENZA
Country Italy
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), PE2, ERC-2012-StG_20111012
Summary "Quantum information was born from the merging of classical information and quantum physics. Its main objective consists of understanding the quantum nature of information and learning how to process it by using physical systems which operate by following quantum mechanics laws. Quantum simulation is a fundamental instrument to investigate phenomena of quantum systems dynamics, such as quantum transport, particle localizations and energy transfer, quantum-to-classical transition, and even quantum improved computation, all tasks that are hard to simulate with classical approaches. Within this framework integrated photonic circuits have a strong potential to realize quantum information processing by optical systems.
The aim of 3D-QUEST is to develop and implement quantum simulation by exploiting 3-dimensional integrated photonic circuits. 3D-QUEST is structured to demonstrate the potential of linear optics to implement a computational power beyond the one of a classical computer. Such ""hard-to-simulate"" scenario is disclosed when multiphoton-multimode platforms are realized. The 3D-QUEST research program will focus on three tasks of growing difficulty.
A-1. To simulate bosonic-fermionic dynamics with integrated optical systems acting on 2 photon entangled states.
A-2. To pave the way towards hard-to-simulate, scalable quantum linear optical circuits by investigating m-port interferometers acting on n-photon states with n>2.
A-3. To exploit 3-dimensional integrated structures for the observation of new quantum optical phenomena and for the quantum simulation of more complex scenarios.
3D-QUEST will exploit the potential of the femtosecond laser writing integrated waveguides. This technique will be adopted to realize 3-dimensional capabilities and high flexibility, bringing in this way the optical quantum simulation in to new regime."
Summary
"Quantum information was born from the merging of classical information and quantum physics. Its main objective consists of understanding the quantum nature of information and learning how to process it by using physical systems which operate by following quantum mechanics laws. Quantum simulation is a fundamental instrument to investigate phenomena of quantum systems dynamics, such as quantum transport, particle localizations and energy transfer, quantum-to-classical transition, and even quantum improved computation, all tasks that are hard to simulate with classical approaches. Within this framework integrated photonic circuits have a strong potential to realize quantum information processing by optical systems.
The aim of 3D-QUEST is to develop and implement quantum simulation by exploiting 3-dimensional integrated photonic circuits. 3D-QUEST is structured to demonstrate the potential of linear optics to implement a computational power beyond the one of a classical computer. Such ""hard-to-simulate"" scenario is disclosed when multiphoton-multimode platforms are realized. The 3D-QUEST research program will focus on three tasks of growing difficulty.
A-1. To simulate bosonic-fermionic dynamics with integrated optical systems acting on 2 photon entangled states.
A-2. To pave the way towards hard-to-simulate, scalable quantum linear optical circuits by investigating m-port interferometers acting on n-photon states with n>2.
A-3. To exploit 3-dimensional integrated structures for the observation of new quantum optical phenomena and for the quantum simulation of more complex scenarios.
3D-QUEST will exploit the potential of the femtosecond laser writing integrated waveguides. This technique will be adopted to realize 3-dimensional capabilities and high flexibility, bringing in this way the optical quantum simulation in to new regime."
Max ERC Funding
1 474 800 €
Duration
Start date: 2012-08-01, End date: 2017-07-31
Project acronym 4TH-NU-AVENUE
Project Search for a fourth neutrino with a PBq anti-neutrino source
Researcher (PI) Thierry Michel Rene Lasserre
Host Institution (HI) COMMISSARIAT A L ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES
Country France
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), PE2, ERC-2012-StG_20111012
Summary Several observed anomalies in neutrino oscillation data can be explained by a hypothetical fourth neutrino separated from the three standard neutrinos by a squared mass difference of a few eV2. This hypothesis can be tested with a PBq (ten kilocurie scale) 144Ce antineutrino beta-source deployed at the center of a large low background liquid scintillator detector, such like Borexino, KamLAND, and SNO+. In particular, the compact size of such a source could yield an energy-dependent oscillating pattern in event spatial distribution that would unambiguously determine neutrino mass differences and mixing angles.
The proposed program aims to perform the necessary research and developments to produce and deploy an intense antineutrino source in a large liquid scintillator detector. Our program will address the definition of the production process of the neutrino source as well as its experimental characterization, the detailed physics simulation of both signal and backgrounds, the complete design and the realization of the thick shielding, the preparation of the interfaces with the antineutrino detector, including the safety and security aspects.
Summary
Several observed anomalies in neutrino oscillation data can be explained by a hypothetical fourth neutrino separated from the three standard neutrinos by a squared mass difference of a few eV2. This hypothesis can be tested with a PBq (ten kilocurie scale) 144Ce antineutrino beta-source deployed at the center of a large low background liquid scintillator detector, such like Borexino, KamLAND, and SNO+. In particular, the compact size of such a source could yield an energy-dependent oscillating pattern in event spatial distribution that would unambiguously determine neutrino mass differences and mixing angles.
The proposed program aims to perform the necessary research and developments to produce and deploy an intense antineutrino source in a large liquid scintillator detector. Our program will address the definition of the production process of the neutrino source as well as its experimental characterization, the detailed physics simulation of both signal and backgrounds, the complete design and the realization of the thick shielding, the preparation of the interfaces with the antineutrino detector, including the safety and security aspects.
Max ERC Funding
1 500 000 €
Duration
Start date: 2012-10-01, End date: 2018-09-30
Project acronym AdS-CFT-solvable
Project Origins of integrability in AdS/CFT correspondence
Researcher (PI) Vladimir Kazakov
Host Institution (HI) CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRS
Country France
Call Details Advanced Grant (AdG), PE2, ERC-2012-ADG_20120216
Summary Fundamental interactions in nature are well described by quantum gauge fields in 4 space-time dimensions (4d). When the strength of gauge interaction is weak the Feynman perturbation techniques are very efficient for the description of most of the experimentally observable consequences of the Standard model and for the study of high energy processes in QCD.
But in the intermediate and strong coupling regime, such as the relatively small energies in QCD, the perturbation theory fails leaving us with no reliable analytic methods (except the Monte-Carlo simulation). The project aims at working out new analytic and computational methods for strongly coupled gauge theories in 4d. We will employ for that two important discoveries: 1) the gauge-string duality (AdS/CFT correspondence) relating certain strongly coupled gauge Conformal Field
Theories to the weakly coupled string theories on Anty-deSitter space; 2) the solvability, or integrability of maximally supersymmetric (N=4) 4d super Yang-Mills (SYM) theory in multicolor limit. Integrability made possible pioneering exact numerical and analytic results in the N=4 multicolor SYM at any coupling, effectively summing up all 4d Feynman diagrams. Recently, we conjectured a system of functional equations - the AdS/CFT Y-system – for the exact spectrum of anomalous dimensions of all local operators in N=4 SYM. The conjecture has passed all available checks. My project is aimed at the understanding of origins of this, still mysterious integrability. Deriving the AdS/CFT Y-system from the first principles on both sides of gauge-string duality should provide a long-awaited proof of the AdS/CFT correspondence itself. I plan to use the Y-system to study the systematic weak and strong coupling expansions and the so called BFKL limit, as well as for calculation of multi-point correlation functions of N=4 SYM. We hope on new insights into the strong coupling dynamics of less supersymmetric gauge theories and of QCD.
Summary
Fundamental interactions in nature are well described by quantum gauge fields in 4 space-time dimensions (4d). When the strength of gauge interaction is weak the Feynman perturbation techniques are very efficient for the description of most of the experimentally observable consequences of the Standard model and for the study of high energy processes in QCD.
But in the intermediate and strong coupling regime, such as the relatively small energies in QCD, the perturbation theory fails leaving us with no reliable analytic methods (except the Monte-Carlo simulation). The project aims at working out new analytic and computational methods for strongly coupled gauge theories in 4d. We will employ for that two important discoveries: 1) the gauge-string duality (AdS/CFT correspondence) relating certain strongly coupled gauge Conformal Field
Theories to the weakly coupled string theories on Anty-deSitter space; 2) the solvability, or integrability of maximally supersymmetric (N=4) 4d super Yang-Mills (SYM) theory in multicolor limit. Integrability made possible pioneering exact numerical and analytic results in the N=4 multicolor SYM at any coupling, effectively summing up all 4d Feynman diagrams. Recently, we conjectured a system of functional equations - the AdS/CFT Y-system – for the exact spectrum of anomalous dimensions of all local operators in N=4 SYM. The conjecture has passed all available checks. My project is aimed at the understanding of origins of this, still mysterious integrability. Deriving the AdS/CFT Y-system from the first principles on both sides of gauge-string duality should provide a long-awaited proof of the AdS/CFT correspondence itself. I plan to use the Y-system to study the systematic weak and strong coupling expansions and the so called BFKL limit, as well as for calculation of multi-point correlation functions of N=4 SYM. We hope on new insights into the strong coupling dynamics of less supersymmetric gauge theories and of QCD.
Max ERC Funding
1 456 140 €
Duration
Start date: 2013-11-01, End date: 2018-10-31
Project acronym ANTINEUTRINONOVA
Project Probing Fundamental Physics with Antineutrinos at the NOvA Experiment
Researcher (PI) Jeffrey Hartnell
Host Institution (HI) THE UNIVERSITY OF SUSSEX
Country United Kingdom
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), PE2, ERC-2012-StG_20111012
Summary "This proposal addresses major questions in particle physics that are at the forefront of experimental and theoretical physics research today. The results offered would have far-reaching implications in other fields such as cosmology and could help answer some of the big questions such as why the universe contains so much more matter than antimatter. The research objectives of this proposal are to (i) make world-leading tests of CPT symmetry and (ii) discover the neutrino mass hierarchy and search for indications of leptonic CP violation.
The NOvA long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment will use a novel ""totally active scintillator design"" for the detector technology and will be exposed to the world's highest power neutrino beam. Building on the first direct observation of muon antineutrino disappearance (that was made by a group founded and led by the PI at the MINOS experiment), tests of CPT symmetry will be performed by looking for differences in the mass squared splittings and mixing angles between neutrinos and antineutrinos. The potential to discover the mass hierarchy is unique to NOvA on the timescale of this proposal due to the long 810 km baseline and the well measured beam of neutrinos and antineutrinos.
This proposal addresses several key challenges in a long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment with the following tasks: (i) development of a new approach to event energy reconstruction that is expected to have widespread applicability for future neutrino experiments; (ii) undertaking a comprehensive calibration project, exploiting a novel technique developed by the PI, that will be essential to achieving the physics goals; (iii) development of a sophisticated statistical analyses.
The results promised in this proposal surpass the sensitivity to antineutrino oscillation parameters of current 1st generation experiments by at least an order of magnitude, offering wide scope for profound discoveries with implications across disciplines."
Summary
"This proposal addresses major questions in particle physics that are at the forefront of experimental and theoretical physics research today. The results offered would have far-reaching implications in other fields such as cosmology and could help answer some of the big questions such as why the universe contains so much more matter than antimatter. The research objectives of this proposal are to (i) make world-leading tests of CPT symmetry and (ii) discover the neutrino mass hierarchy and search for indications of leptonic CP violation.
The NOvA long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment will use a novel ""totally active scintillator design"" for the detector technology and will be exposed to the world's highest power neutrino beam. Building on the first direct observation of muon antineutrino disappearance (that was made by a group founded and led by the PI at the MINOS experiment), tests of CPT symmetry will be performed by looking for differences in the mass squared splittings and mixing angles between neutrinos and antineutrinos. The potential to discover the mass hierarchy is unique to NOvA on the timescale of this proposal due to the long 810 km baseline and the well measured beam of neutrinos and antineutrinos.
This proposal addresses several key challenges in a long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment with the following tasks: (i) development of a new approach to event energy reconstruction that is expected to have widespread applicability for future neutrino experiments; (ii) undertaking a comprehensive calibration project, exploiting a novel technique developed by the PI, that will be essential to achieving the physics goals; (iii) development of a sophisticated statistical analyses.
The results promised in this proposal surpass the sensitivity to antineutrino oscillation parameters of current 1st generation experiments by at least an order of magnitude, offering wide scope for profound discoveries with implications across disciplines."
Max ERC Funding
1 415 848 €
Duration
Start date: 2012-10-01, End date: 2018-09-30
Project acronym Attoclock
Project Clocking fundamental attosecond electron dynamics
Researcher (PI) Ursula Keller
Host Institution (HI) EIDGENOESSISCHE TECHNISCHE HOCHSCHULE ZUERICH
Country Switzerland
Call Details Advanced Grant (AdG), PE2, ERC-2012-ADG_20120216
Summary The attoclock is a powerful, new, and unconventional tool to study fundamental attosecond dynamics on an atomic scale. We established its potential by using the first attoclock to measure the tunneling delay time in laser-induced ionization of helium and argon atoms, with surprising results. Building on these first proof-of-principle measurements, I propose to amplify and expand this tool concept to explore the following key questions: How fast can light liberate electrons from a single atom, a single molecule, or a solid-state system? Related are more questions: How fast can an electron tunnel through a potential barrier? How fast is a multi-photon absorption process? How fast is single-photon photoemission? Many of these questions will undoubtedly spark more questions – revealing deeper and more detailed insights on the dynamics of some of the most fundamental and relevant optoelectronic processes.
There are still many unknown and unexplored areas here. Theory has failed to offer definitive answers. Simulations based on the exact time-dependent Schrödinger equation have not been possible in most cases. Therefore one uses approximations and simpler models to capture the essential physics. Such semi-classical models potentially will help to understand attosecond energy and charge transport in larger molecular systems. Indeed the attoclock provides a unique tool to explore different semi-classical models.
For example, the question of whether electron tunneling through an energetically forbidden region takes a finite time or is instantaneous has been subject to ongoing debate for the last sixty years. The tunnelling process, charge transfer, and energy transport all play key roles in electronics, energy conversion, chemical and biological reactions, and fundamental processes important for improved information, health, and energy technologies. We believe the attoclock can help refine and resolve key models for many of these important underlying attosecond processes.
Summary
The attoclock is a powerful, new, and unconventional tool to study fundamental attosecond dynamics on an atomic scale. We established its potential by using the first attoclock to measure the tunneling delay time in laser-induced ionization of helium and argon atoms, with surprising results. Building on these first proof-of-principle measurements, I propose to amplify and expand this tool concept to explore the following key questions: How fast can light liberate electrons from a single atom, a single molecule, or a solid-state system? Related are more questions: How fast can an electron tunnel through a potential barrier? How fast is a multi-photon absorption process? How fast is single-photon photoemission? Many of these questions will undoubtedly spark more questions – revealing deeper and more detailed insights on the dynamics of some of the most fundamental and relevant optoelectronic processes.
There are still many unknown and unexplored areas here. Theory has failed to offer definitive answers. Simulations based on the exact time-dependent Schrödinger equation have not been possible in most cases. Therefore one uses approximations and simpler models to capture the essential physics. Such semi-classical models potentially will help to understand attosecond energy and charge transport in larger molecular systems. Indeed the attoclock provides a unique tool to explore different semi-classical models.
For example, the question of whether electron tunneling through an energetically forbidden region takes a finite time or is instantaneous has been subject to ongoing debate for the last sixty years. The tunnelling process, charge transfer, and energy transport all play key roles in electronics, energy conversion, chemical and biological reactions, and fundamental processes important for improved information, health, and energy technologies. We believe the attoclock can help refine and resolve key models for many of these important underlying attosecond processes.
Max ERC Funding
2 319 796 €
Duration
Start date: 2013-03-01, End date: 2018-02-28
Project acronym ATTOCO
Project Attosecond tracing of collective dynamics
in clusters and nanoparticles
Researcher (PI) Matthias Friedrich Kling
Host Institution (HI) LUDWIG-MAXIMILIANS-UNIVERSITAET MUENCHEN
Country Germany
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), PE2, ERC-2012-StG_20111012
Summary Collective electron motion can unfold on attosecond time scales in nanoplasmonic systems, as defined by the inverse spectral bandwidth of the plasmonic resonant region. Similarly, in dielectrics or semiconductors, the laser-driven collective motion of electrons can occur on this characteristic time scale. Until now, such collective electron dynamics has not been directly observed on its natural, attosecond timescale. In ATTOCO, the attosecond, sub-cycle dynamics of strong-field driven collective electron dynamics in clusters and nanoparticles will be explored. Moreover, we will explore field-dependent processes induced by strong laser fields in nanometer sized matter, such as the metallization of dielectrics, which has been recently proposed theoretically.
In order to map the collective electron motion we will apply the attosecond nanoplasmonic streaking technique, which has been proposed and developed theoretically. In this approach, the temporal resolution is achieved by limiting the emission of high energetic, direct photoelectrons to a sub-cycle time window using attosecond XUV pulses phase-locked to a driving few-cycle near-infrared field. Kinetic energy spectra of the photoelectrons recorded for different delays between the excitation field and the ionizing XUV pulse will allow extracting the spatio-temporal electron dynamics. ATTOCO offers the capability to measure field-induced material changes in real-time and to gain novel insight into collective electron dynamics. In particular, we aim to learn from ATTOCO in detail, how the collective electron motion is established, how the collective motion is driven by the strong external field and over which pathways and timescale the collective motion decays.
ATTOCO provides also a major step in the development of lightwave (nano-)electronics, which may push the frontiers of electronics from multi-gigahertz to petahertz frequencies. If successfully accomplished, this development will herald the potential scalability of electron-based information technologies to lightwave frequencies, surpassing the speed of current computation and communication technology by many orders of magnitude.
Summary
Collective electron motion can unfold on attosecond time scales in nanoplasmonic systems, as defined by the inverse spectral bandwidth of the plasmonic resonant region. Similarly, in dielectrics or semiconductors, the laser-driven collective motion of electrons can occur on this characteristic time scale. Until now, such collective electron dynamics has not been directly observed on its natural, attosecond timescale. In ATTOCO, the attosecond, sub-cycle dynamics of strong-field driven collective electron dynamics in clusters and nanoparticles will be explored. Moreover, we will explore field-dependent processes induced by strong laser fields in nanometer sized matter, such as the metallization of dielectrics, which has been recently proposed theoretically.
In order to map the collective electron motion we will apply the attosecond nanoplasmonic streaking technique, which has been proposed and developed theoretically. In this approach, the temporal resolution is achieved by limiting the emission of high energetic, direct photoelectrons to a sub-cycle time window using attosecond XUV pulses phase-locked to a driving few-cycle near-infrared field. Kinetic energy spectra of the photoelectrons recorded for different delays between the excitation field and the ionizing XUV pulse will allow extracting the spatio-temporal electron dynamics. ATTOCO offers the capability to measure field-induced material changes in real-time and to gain novel insight into collective electron dynamics. In particular, we aim to learn from ATTOCO in detail, how the collective electron motion is established, how the collective motion is driven by the strong external field and over which pathways and timescale the collective motion decays.
ATTOCO provides also a major step in the development of lightwave (nano-)electronics, which may push the frontiers of electronics from multi-gigahertz to petahertz frequencies. If successfully accomplished, this development will herald the potential scalability of electron-based information technologies to lightwave frequencies, surpassing the speed of current computation and communication technology by many orders of magnitude.
Max ERC Funding
1 498 500 €
Duration
Start date: 2013-06-01, End date: 2018-05-31
Project acronym CGR2011TPS
Project Challenging General Relativity
Researcher (PI) Thomas Sotiriou
Host Institution (HI) THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM
Country United Kingdom
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), PE2, ERC-2012-StG_20111012
Summary General relativity, Einstein's celebrated theory, has been very successful as a theory of the gravitational interaction. However, within the course of the last decades several issues have been pointed out as indicating its limitations: the inevitable existence of spacetime singularities and the fact that it is not a renormalizable theory manifest as shortcomings at very small scales. The inability of the theory to explain the late time accelerated expansion of the universe or the rotational curves of galaxies without the need of unobserved, mysterious forms of matter/energy can be interpreted as shortcomings at large scales. These riddles make gravity by far the most enigmatic of interactions nowadays. Therefore, the understanding of gravity beyond general relativity seems to be more pertinent than ever.
We propose to address this difficult issue by considering a synthetic approach towards the understand of the limitations of general relativity and the study of phenomenology which is usually considered to be outsides its realm. The proposed directions include, but are not limited to: the study of quantum gravity candidates and their phenomenology; extensions or modifications of general relativity which may address renormalizability issues or cosmological observations; explorations of fundamental principles of general relativity and the possible violation of such principles; the study of the implications of deviations from Einstein's theory for astrophysics and cosmology and the possible ways to constrain such deviations; and the study of effects within the framework of general relativity which lie at the limit of its validity as a gravity theory. The deeper understanding of each of these issues will provide an important piece to the puzzle. The synthesis of this pieces is most likely to significantly aid our understanding of gravity, and this is our ultimate goal.
Summary
General relativity, Einstein's celebrated theory, has been very successful as a theory of the gravitational interaction. However, within the course of the last decades several issues have been pointed out as indicating its limitations: the inevitable existence of spacetime singularities and the fact that it is not a renormalizable theory manifest as shortcomings at very small scales. The inability of the theory to explain the late time accelerated expansion of the universe or the rotational curves of galaxies without the need of unobserved, mysterious forms of matter/energy can be interpreted as shortcomings at large scales. These riddles make gravity by far the most enigmatic of interactions nowadays. Therefore, the understanding of gravity beyond general relativity seems to be more pertinent than ever.
We propose to address this difficult issue by considering a synthetic approach towards the understand of the limitations of general relativity and the study of phenomenology which is usually considered to be outsides its realm. The proposed directions include, but are not limited to: the study of quantum gravity candidates and their phenomenology; extensions or modifications of general relativity which may address renormalizability issues or cosmological observations; explorations of fundamental principles of general relativity and the possible violation of such principles; the study of the implications of deviations from Einstein's theory for astrophysics and cosmology and the possible ways to constrain such deviations; and the study of effects within the framework of general relativity which lie at the limit of its validity as a gravity theory. The deeper understanding of each of these issues will provide an important piece to the puzzle. The synthesis of this pieces is most likely to significantly aid our understanding of gravity, and this is our ultimate goal.
Max ERC Funding
1 375 226 €
Duration
Start date: 2012-08-01, End date: 2018-01-31
Project acronym ColDSIM
Project Cold gases with long-range interactions:
Non-equilibrium dynamics and complex simulations
Researcher (PI) Guido Pupillo
Host Institution (HI) CENTRE INTERNATIONAL DE RECHERCHE AUX FRONTIERES DE LA CHIMIE FONDATION
Country France
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), PE2, ERC-2012-StG_20111012
Summary Cold gases of electronically excited Rydberg atoms and groundstate polar molecules have generated considerable interest in cold matter physics, by introducing for the first time many-body systems with interactions which are both long-range and tunable with external fields. The overall objective of this proposal is (i) the development of theoretical ideas and tools for the understanding and control of non-equilibrium dynamics in these diverse systems and in their mixtures, including dissipative effects leading to cooling, and (ii) to analyse emerging fundamental phenomena in the classical and quantum regimes of strong interactions, leading to innovative simulations and experiments of complex classical and quantum systems. The project is divided into three parts, with strong overlap:
1) Rydberg atom dynamics: The study of complex open-system dynamics in gases of laser-driven Rydberg atoms, including the study of the effects and control of dissipation and decoherence from spontaneous emission in strongly interacting gases.
2) Cooling of complex molecules in atom-molecule mixtures: The theoretical investigation of novel ways to perform cooling towards quantum degeneracy of generic, comparatively complex molecules, beyond bialkali ones, in mixtures of groundstate molecules and of Rydberg-excited atoms.
3) Simulations of strongly interacting many-body systems at the quantum/classical crossover: Atomistic characterization of formation and dynamics of formation of strongly correlated phases with long-range interactions.
For each of these subjects, the objectives are at the cutting edge of fundamental atomic and molecular science and technology.
Summary
Cold gases of electronically excited Rydberg atoms and groundstate polar molecules have generated considerable interest in cold matter physics, by introducing for the first time many-body systems with interactions which are both long-range and tunable with external fields. The overall objective of this proposal is (i) the development of theoretical ideas and tools for the understanding and control of non-equilibrium dynamics in these diverse systems and in their mixtures, including dissipative effects leading to cooling, and (ii) to analyse emerging fundamental phenomena in the classical and quantum regimes of strong interactions, leading to innovative simulations and experiments of complex classical and quantum systems. The project is divided into three parts, with strong overlap:
1) Rydberg atom dynamics: The study of complex open-system dynamics in gases of laser-driven Rydberg atoms, including the study of the effects and control of dissipation and decoherence from spontaneous emission in strongly interacting gases.
2) Cooling of complex molecules in atom-molecule mixtures: The theoretical investigation of novel ways to perform cooling towards quantum degeneracy of generic, comparatively complex molecules, beyond bialkali ones, in mixtures of groundstate molecules and of Rydberg-excited atoms.
3) Simulations of strongly interacting many-body systems at the quantum/classical crossover: Atomistic characterization of formation and dynamics of formation of strongly correlated phases with long-range interactions.
For each of these subjects, the objectives are at the cutting edge of fundamental atomic and molecular science and technology.
Max ERC Funding
1 496 400 €
Duration
Start date: 2013-02-01, End date: 2018-01-31
Project acronym DropletControl
Project Controlling the orientation of molecules inside liquid helium nanodroplets
Researcher (PI) Henrik Stapelfeldt
Host Institution (HI) AARHUS UNIVERSITET
Country Denmark
Call Details Advanced Grant (AdG), PE2, ERC-2012-ADG_20120216
Summary In this project I will develop and exploit experimental methods, based on short and intense laser pulses, to control the spatial orientation of molecules dissolved in liquid helium nanodroplets. This idea is, so far, completely unexplored but it has the potential to open a multitude of new opportunities in physics and chemistry. The main objectives are:
1) Complete control and real time monitoring of molecular rotation inside liquid helium droplets, exploring superfluidity of the droplets, the possible formation of quantum vortices, and rotational dephasing due to interaction of the dissolved molecules with the He solvent.
2) Ultrafast imaging of molecules undergoing chemical reaction dynamics inside liquid helium droplets, exploring rapid energy dissipation from reacting molecules to the helium solvent, transition between mirror forms of chiral molecules, strong laser field processes in He-solvated molecules, and structure determination of non crystalizable proteins by electron or x-ray diffraction.
I will achieve the objectives by combining liquid helium droplet technology, ultrafast laser pulse methods and advanced electron and ion imaging detection. The experiments will both rely on existing apparatus in my laboratories and on new vacuum and laser equipment to be set up during the project.
The ability to control how molecules are turned in space is of fundamental importance because interactions of molecules with other molecules, atoms or radiation depend on their spatial orientation. For isolated molecules in the gas phase laser based methods, developed over the past 12 years, now enable very refined and precise control over the spatial orientation of molecules. By contrast, orientational control of molecules in solution has not been demonstrated despite the potential of being able to do so is enormous, notably because most chemistry occurs in a solvent rather than in a gas of isolated molecules.
Summary
In this project I will develop and exploit experimental methods, based on short and intense laser pulses, to control the spatial orientation of molecules dissolved in liquid helium nanodroplets. This idea is, so far, completely unexplored but it has the potential to open a multitude of new opportunities in physics and chemistry. The main objectives are:
1) Complete control and real time monitoring of molecular rotation inside liquid helium droplets, exploring superfluidity of the droplets, the possible formation of quantum vortices, and rotational dephasing due to interaction of the dissolved molecules with the He solvent.
2) Ultrafast imaging of molecules undergoing chemical reaction dynamics inside liquid helium droplets, exploring rapid energy dissipation from reacting molecules to the helium solvent, transition between mirror forms of chiral molecules, strong laser field processes in He-solvated molecules, and structure determination of non crystalizable proteins by electron or x-ray diffraction.
I will achieve the objectives by combining liquid helium droplet technology, ultrafast laser pulse methods and advanced electron and ion imaging detection. The experiments will both rely on existing apparatus in my laboratories and on new vacuum and laser equipment to be set up during the project.
The ability to control how molecules are turned in space is of fundamental importance because interactions of molecules with other molecules, atoms or radiation depend on their spatial orientation. For isolated molecules in the gas phase laser based methods, developed over the past 12 years, now enable very refined and precise control over the spatial orientation of molecules. By contrast, orientational control of molecules in solution has not been demonstrated despite the potential of being able to do so is enormous, notably because most chemistry occurs in a solvent rather than in a gas of isolated molecules.
Max ERC Funding
2 409 773 €
Duration
Start date: 2013-05-01, End date: 2018-04-30
Project acronym DualitiesHEPTH
Project Dualities in Super-symmetric Gauge Theories, String Theory and Conformal Field Theories
Researcher (PI) Luis Fernando Alday
Host Institution (HI) THE CHANCELLOR, MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD
Country United Kingdom
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), PE2, ERC-2012-StG_20111012
Summary The aim of the present proposal is to establish a research team developing and exploiting dualities arising in super-symmetric gauge theories, string theory and conformal field theories. These will also have many applications outside these fields. The overarching aims of the team will be: To develop established dualities into computational tools for physical quantities such as the S-matrix, correlation functions and partition functions. The construction of explicit examples of new dualities. To use such dualities to gain new insights into the mathematical structure of the theories involved.
The proposal brings together researchers with different areas of expertise: super-symmetric gauge theories, string theories, conformal field theories, integrable systems and special functions. We divide it into two strands:
Strand I. Deals with the AdS/CFT correspondence, scattering amplitudes and correlation functions. The main objectives are to compute scattering amplitudes of planar maximally-super symmetric Yang-Mills to all values of the coupling; extend these computations to the non-planar case; compute efficiently correlation functions in this theory.
Strand II. Deals with new and exciting correspondences between four dimensional super-symmetric theories and two dimensional conformal field theories. We aim to find more examples of 4d/2d correspondences and to develop the established ones (and new ones) into efficient computational tools which will be used, for instance, to compute correlation functions in 2d Conformal Toda theories and other CFT's and even physical quantities in theories that do not admit a Lagrangian description. Progress in the first part of this strand will be used to understand the elusive 6d (2,0) theory. Furthermore, we will actively look for common mathematical structures between strands I and II.
Summary
The aim of the present proposal is to establish a research team developing and exploiting dualities arising in super-symmetric gauge theories, string theory and conformal field theories. These will also have many applications outside these fields. The overarching aims of the team will be: To develop established dualities into computational tools for physical quantities such as the S-matrix, correlation functions and partition functions. The construction of explicit examples of new dualities. To use such dualities to gain new insights into the mathematical structure of the theories involved.
The proposal brings together researchers with different areas of expertise: super-symmetric gauge theories, string theories, conformal field theories, integrable systems and special functions. We divide it into two strands:
Strand I. Deals with the AdS/CFT correspondence, scattering amplitudes and correlation functions. The main objectives are to compute scattering amplitudes of planar maximally-super symmetric Yang-Mills to all values of the coupling; extend these computations to the non-planar case; compute efficiently correlation functions in this theory.
Strand II. Deals with new and exciting correspondences between four dimensional super-symmetric theories and two dimensional conformal field theories. We aim to find more examples of 4d/2d correspondences and to develop the established ones (and new ones) into efficient computational tools which will be used, for instance, to compute correlation functions in 2d Conformal Toda theories and other CFT's and even physical quantities in theories that do not admit a Lagrangian description. Progress in the first part of this strand will be used to understand the elusive 6d (2,0) theory. Furthermore, we will actively look for common mathematical structures between strands I and II.
Max ERC Funding
1 414 258 €
Duration
Start date: 2012-12-01, End date: 2017-11-30
