Project acronym ACB
Project The Analytic Conformal Bootstrap
Researcher (PI) Luis Fernando ALDAY
Host Institution (HI) THE CHANCELLOR, MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD
Country United Kingdom
Call Details Advanced Grant (AdG), PE2, ERC-2017-ADG
Summary The aim of the present proposal is to establish a research team developing and exploiting innovative techniques to study conformal field theories (CFT) analytically. Our approach does not rely on a Lagrangian description but on symmetries and consistency conditions. As such it applies to any CFT, offering a unified framework to study generic CFTs analytically. The initial implementation of this program has already led to striking new results and insights for both Lagrangian and non-Lagrangian CFTs.
The overarching aims of my team will be: To develop an analytic bootstrap program for CFTs in general dimensions; to complement these techniques with more traditional methods and develop a systematic machinery to obtain analytic results for generic CFTs; and to use these results to gain new insights into the mathematical structure of the space of quantum field theories.
The proposal will bring together researchers from different areas. The objectives in brief are:
1) Develop an alternative to Feynman diagram computations for Lagrangian CFTs.
2) Develop a machinery to compute loops for QFT on AdS, with and without gravity.
3) Develop an analytic approach to non-perturbative N=4 SYM and other CFTs.
4) Determine the space of all CFTs.
5) Gain new insights into the mathematical structure of the space of quantum field theories.
The outputs of this proposal will include a new way of doing perturbative computations based on symmetries; a constructive derivation of the AdS/CFT duality; new analytic techniques to attack strongly coupled systems and invaluable new lessons about the space of CFTs and QFTs.
Success in this research will lead to a completely new, unified way to view and solve CFTs, with a huge impact on several branches of physics and mathematics.
Summary
The aim of the present proposal is to establish a research team developing and exploiting innovative techniques to study conformal field theories (CFT) analytically. Our approach does not rely on a Lagrangian description but on symmetries and consistency conditions. As such it applies to any CFT, offering a unified framework to study generic CFTs analytically. The initial implementation of this program has already led to striking new results and insights for both Lagrangian and non-Lagrangian CFTs.
The overarching aims of my team will be: To develop an analytic bootstrap program for CFTs in general dimensions; to complement these techniques with more traditional methods and develop a systematic machinery to obtain analytic results for generic CFTs; and to use these results to gain new insights into the mathematical structure of the space of quantum field theories.
The proposal will bring together researchers from different areas. The objectives in brief are:
1) Develop an alternative to Feynman diagram computations for Lagrangian CFTs.
2) Develop a machinery to compute loops for QFT on AdS, with and without gravity.
3) Develop an analytic approach to non-perturbative N=4 SYM and other CFTs.
4) Determine the space of all CFTs.
5) Gain new insights into the mathematical structure of the space of quantum field theories.
The outputs of this proposal will include a new way of doing perturbative computations based on symmetries; a constructive derivation of the AdS/CFT duality; new analytic techniques to attack strongly coupled systems and invaluable new lessons about the space of CFTs and QFTs.
Success in this research will lead to a completely new, unified way to view and solve CFTs, with a huge impact on several branches of physics and mathematics.
Max ERC Funding
2 171 483 €
Duration
Start date: 2018-12-01, End date: 2024-05-31
Project acronym AGEnTh
Project Atomic Gauge and Entanglement Theories
Researcher (PI) Marcello DALMONTE
Host Institution (HI) SCUOLA INTERNAZIONALE SUPERIORE DI STUDI AVANZATI DI TRIESTE
Country Italy
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), PE2, ERC-2017-STG
Summary AGEnTh is an interdisciplinary proposal which aims at theoretically investigating atomic many-body systems (cold atoms and trapped ions) in close connection to concepts from quantum information, condensed matter, and high energy physics. The main goals of this programme are to:
I) Find to scalable schemes for the measurements of entanglement properties, and in particular entanglement spectra, by proposing a shifting paradigm to access entanglement focused on entanglement Hamiltonians and field theories instead of probing density matrices;
II) Show how atomic gauge theories (including dynamical gauge fields) are ideal candidates for the realization of long-sought, highly-entangled states of matter, in particular topological superconductors supporting parafermion edge modes, and novel classes of quantum spin liquids emerging from clustering;
III) Develop new implementation strategies for the realization of gauge symmetries of paramount importance, such as discrete and SU(N)xSU(2)xU(1) groups, and establish a theoretical framework for the understanding of atomic physics experiments within the light-from-chaos scenario pioneered in particle physics.
These objectives are at the cutting-edge of fundamental science, and represent a coherent effort aimed at underpinning unprecedented regimes of strongly interacting quantum matter by addressing the basic aspects of probing, many-body physics, and implementations. The results are expected to (i) build up and establish qualitatively new synergies between the aforementioned communities, and (ii) stimulate an intense theoretical and experimental activity focused on both entanglement and atomic gauge theories.
In order to achieve those, AGEnTh builds: (1) on my background working at the interface between atomic physics and quantum optics from one side, and many-body theory on the other, and (2) on exploratory studies which I carried out to mitigate the conceptual risks associated with its high-risk/high-gain goals.
Summary
AGEnTh is an interdisciplinary proposal which aims at theoretically investigating atomic many-body systems (cold atoms and trapped ions) in close connection to concepts from quantum information, condensed matter, and high energy physics. The main goals of this programme are to:
I) Find to scalable schemes for the measurements of entanglement properties, and in particular entanglement spectra, by proposing a shifting paradigm to access entanglement focused on entanglement Hamiltonians and field theories instead of probing density matrices;
II) Show how atomic gauge theories (including dynamical gauge fields) are ideal candidates for the realization of long-sought, highly-entangled states of matter, in particular topological superconductors supporting parafermion edge modes, and novel classes of quantum spin liquids emerging from clustering;
III) Develop new implementation strategies for the realization of gauge symmetries of paramount importance, such as discrete and SU(N)xSU(2)xU(1) groups, and establish a theoretical framework for the understanding of atomic physics experiments within the light-from-chaos scenario pioneered in particle physics.
These objectives are at the cutting-edge of fundamental science, and represent a coherent effort aimed at underpinning unprecedented regimes of strongly interacting quantum matter by addressing the basic aspects of probing, many-body physics, and implementations. The results are expected to (i) build up and establish qualitatively new synergies between the aforementioned communities, and (ii) stimulate an intense theoretical and experimental activity focused on both entanglement and atomic gauge theories.
In order to achieve those, AGEnTh builds: (1) on my background working at the interface between atomic physics and quantum optics from one side, and many-body theory on the other, and (2) on exploratory studies which I carried out to mitigate the conceptual risks associated with its high-risk/high-gain goals.
Max ERC Funding
1 055 317 €
Duration
Start date: 2018-05-01, End date: 2023-04-30
Project acronym AMPLITUDES
Project Manifesting the Simplicity of Scattering Amplitudes
Researcher (PI) Jacob BOURJAILY
Host Institution (HI) KOBENHAVNS UNIVERSITET
Country Denmark
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), PE2, ERC-2017-STG
Summary I propose a program of research that may forever change the way that we understand and use quantum field theory to make predictions for experiment. This will be achieved through the advancement of new, constructive frameworks to determine and represent scattering amplitudes in perturbation theory in terms that depend only on observable quantities, make manifest (all) the symmetries of the theory, and which can be efficiently evaluated while minimally spoiling the underlying simplicity of predictions. My research has already led to the discovery and development of several approaches of this kind.
This proposal describes the specific steps required to extend these ideas to more general theories and to higher orders of perturbation theory. Specifically, the plan of research I propose consists of three concrete goals: to fully characterize the discontinuities of loop amplitudes (`on-shell functions') for a broad class of theories; to develop powerful new representations of loop amplitude {\it integrands}, making manifest as much simplicity as possible; and to develop new techniques for loop amplitude {integration} that are compatible with and preserve the symmetries of observable quantities.
Progress toward any one of these objectives would have important theoretical implications and valuable practical applications. In combination, this proposal has the potential to significantly advance the state of the art for both our theoretical understanding and our computational reach for making predictions for experiment.
To achieve these goals, I will pursue a data-driven, `phenomenological' approach—involving the construction of new computational tools, developed in pursuit of concrete computational targets. For this work, my suitability and expertise is amply demonstrated by my research. I have not only played a key role in many of the most important theoretical developments in the past decade, but I have personally built the most powerful computational tools for their
Summary
I propose a program of research that may forever change the way that we understand and use quantum field theory to make predictions for experiment. This will be achieved through the advancement of new, constructive frameworks to determine and represent scattering amplitudes in perturbation theory in terms that depend only on observable quantities, make manifest (all) the symmetries of the theory, and which can be efficiently evaluated while minimally spoiling the underlying simplicity of predictions. My research has already led to the discovery and development of several approaches of this kind.
This proposal describes the specific steps required to extend these ideas to more general theories and to higher orders of perturbation theory. Specifically, the plan of research I propose consists of three concrete goals: to fully characterize the discontinuities of loop amplitudes (`on-shell functions') for a broad class of theories; to develop powerful new representations of loop amplitude {\it integrands}, making manifest as much simplicity as possible; and to develop new techniques for loop amplitude {integration} that are compatible with and preserve the symmetries of observable quantities.
Progress toward any one of these objectives would have important theoretical implications and valuable practical applications. In combination, this proposal has the potential to significantly advance the state of the art for both our theoretical understanding and our computational reach for making predictions for experiment.
To achieve these goals, I will pursue a data-driven, `phenomenological' approach—involving the construction of new computational tools, developed in pursuit of concrete computational targets. For this work, my suitability and expertise is amply demonstrated by my research. I have not only played a key role in many of the most important theoretical developments in the past decade, but I have personally built the most powerful computational tools for their
Max ERC Funding
1 499 695 €
Duration
Start date: 2018-02-01, End date: 2023-01-31
Project acronym CFT-MAP
Project Charting the space of Conformal Field Theories: a combined nuMerical and Analytical aPproach
Researcher (PI) Alessandro VICHI
Host Institution (HI) UNIVERSITA DI PISA
Country Italy
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), PE2, ERC-2017-STG
Summary Conformal Field Theory (CFT) was originally conceived in four and three dimensions, with applications to particle physics and critical phenomena in mind. However, it is in two dimensions that the most spectacular results have been obtained. In higher dimensions, there used to be a general feeling that the constraining power of conformal symmetry by itself is insufficient to tell nontrivial things about the dynamics. Hence the interest in various additional assumptions. This is not fully satisfactory, since there are likely many CFTs that do not fulfill any of them.
The main focus of this proposal is to take a fresh look at the idea that the mathematical structure of CFTs is instead such a strong constraint that it can allow for a complete solution of the theory. This program, known as conformal bootstrap, has provided a new element in the quantum field theory toolbox to describe genuine non-perturbative cases.
This project aims to explore new directions and push forward the frontiers of conformal filed theories, with the ultimate objective of a detailed classification and understanding of scale invariant systems and their properties.
CFT-MAP will develop more efficient numerical techniques and complementary analytical tools making use of two main methods: by studying correlation functions of operators present in any quantum field theory, such as global symmetry conserved currents and the energy momentum tensor; by inspecting the analytical structure of correlation functions.
The project will scan the landscape of CFTs, identifying where and how they exist. By significantly improving over the methods at disposal, this proposal will be able to study theories currently are out of reach.
Besides the innovative methodologies, a fundamental outcome of CFT-MAP will be a word record determination of critical exponents in second phase transition, together with additional information that allows an approximate reconstruction of the QFT in the neighborhood of fixed points.
Summary
Conformal Field Theory (CFT) was originally conceived in four and three dimensions, with applications to particle physics and critical phenomena in mind. However, it is in two dimensions that the most spectacular results have been obtained. In higher dimensions, there used to be a general feeling that the constraining power of conformal symmetry by itself is insufficient to tell nontrivial things about the dynamics. Hence the interest in various additional assumptions. This is not fully satisfactory, since there are likely many CFTs that do not fulfill any of them.
The main focus of this proposal is to take a fresh look at the idea that the mathematical structure of CFTs is instead such a strong constraint that it can allow for a complete solution of the theory. This program, known as conformal bootstrap, has provided a new element in the quantum field theory toolbox to describe genuine non-perturbative cases.
This project aims to explore new directions and push forward the frontiers of conformal filed theories, with the ultimate objective of a detailed classification and understanding of scale invariant systems and their properties.
CFT-MAP will develop more efficient numerical techniques and complementary analytical tools making use of two main methods: by studying correlation functions of operators present in any quantum field theory, such as global symmetry conserved currents and the energy momentum tensor; by inspecting the analytical structure of correlation functions.
The project will scan the landscape of CFTs, identifying where and how they exist. By significantly improving over the methods at disposal, this proposal will be able to study theories currently are out of reach.
Besides the innovative methodologies, a fundamental outcome of CFT-MAP will be a word record determination of critical exponents in second phase transition, together with additional information that allows an approximate reconstruction of the QFT in the neighborhood of fixed points.
Max ERC Funding
1 500 000 €
Duration
Start date: 2018-03-01, End date: 2023-02-28
Project acronym CHAOS-PIQUANT
Project Universality and chaos in PT-symmetric quantum systems
Researcher (PI) Eva-Maria GRAEFE
Host Institution (HI) IMPERIAL COLLEGE OF SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND MEDICINE
Country United Kingdom
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), PE2, ERC-2017-STG
Summary The world of our daily experiences, described by classical physics, is built out of fundamental particles, governed by the laws of quantum mechanics. The striking difference between quantum and classical behaviour becomes most apparent in the realm of chaos, an extreme sensitivity to initial conditions, which is common in classical systems but impossible under quantum laws. The investigation of characteristic features of quantum systems whose classical counterparts are chaotic has illuminated foundational problems and led to a variety of technological applications. Traditional quantum theory focuses on the description of closed systems without losses. Every realistic system, however, contains unwanted losses and dissipation, but the idea to engineer them to generate desirable effects has recently come into the focus of scientific attention. The surprising properties of quantum systems with balanced gain and loss (PT-symmetric systems) have sparked much interest. The first experiments on PT-symmetry in optics have been identified as one of the top ten physics discoveries of the past decade in Nature Physics. New experimental areas are rapidly emerging. Our understanding of PT-symmetric quantum systems, however, is still limited. One major shortcoming is that the emergence of chaos and universality in these systems is hitherto nearly unexplored. I propose to investigate PT-symmetric quantum chaos to establish this new research area and overturn some common perceptions in the existing fields of PT-symmetry and quantum chaos. Ultimately this will lead to new experimental applications and quantum technologies. Building on recent conceptual breakthroughs I have made, I will a) identify spectral and dynamical features of chaos in PT-symmetric quantum systems, b) establish new universality classes, c) provide powerful semiclassical tools for the simulation of generic quantum systems, and d) facilitate experimental applications in microwave cavities and cold atoms.
Summary
The world of our daily experiences, described by classical physics, is built out of fundamental particles, governed by the laws of quantum mechanics. The striking difference between quantum and classical behaviour becomes most apparent in the realm of chaos, an extreme sensitivity to initial conditions, which is common in classical systems but impossible under quantum laws. The investigation of characteristic features of quantum systems whose classical counterparts are chaotic has illuminated foundational problems and led to a variety of technological applications. Traditional quantum theory focuses on the description of closed systems without losses. Every realistic system, however, contains unwanted losses and dissipation, but the idea to engineer them to generate desirable effects has recently come into the focus of scientific attention. The surprising properties of quantum systems with balanced gain and loss (PT-symmetric systems) have sparked much interest. The first experiments on PT-symmetry in optics have been identified as one of the top ten physics discoveries of the past decade in Nature Physics. New experimental areas are rapidly emerging. Our understanding of PT-symmetric quantum systems, however, is still limited. One major shortcoming is that the emergence of chaos and universality in these systems is hitherto nearly unexplored. I propose to investigate PT-symmetric quantum chaos to establish this new research area and overturn some common perceptions in the existing fields of PT-symmetry and quantum chaos. Ultimately this will lead to new experimental applications and quantum technologies. Building on recent conceptual breakthroughs I have made, I will a) identify spectral and dynamical features of chaos in PT-symmetric quantum systems, b) establish new universality classes, c) provide powerful semiclassical tools for the simulation of generic quantum systems, and d) facilitate experimental applications in microwave cavities and cold atoms.
Max ERC Funding
1 293 023 €
Duration
Start date: 2018-02-01, End date: 2023-01-31
Project acronym CoMoQuant
Project Correlated Molecular Quantum Gases in Optical Lattices
Researcher (PI) Hanns-Christoph NAEGERL
Host Institution (HI) UNIVERSITAET INNSBRUCK
Country Austria
Call Details Advanced Grant (AdG), PE2, ERC-2017-ADG
Summary In a quantum engineering approach we aim to create strongly correlated molecular quantum gases for polar molecules confined in an optical lattice to two-dimensional geometry with full quantum control of all de-grees of freedom with single molecule control and detection. The goal is to synthesize a high-fidelity molec-ular quantum simulator with thousands of particles and to carry out experiments on phases and dynamics of strongly-correlated quantum matter in view of strong long-range dipolar interactions. Our choice of mole-cule is the KCs dimer, which can either be a boson or a fermion, allowing us to prepare and probe bosonic as well as fermionic dipolar quantum matter in two dimensions. Techniques such as quantum-gas microscopy, perfectly suited for two-dimensional systems, will be applied to the molecular samples for local control and local readout.
The low-entropy molecular samples are created out of quantum degenerate atomic samples by well-established coherent atom paring and coherent optical ground-state transfer techniques. Crucial to this pro-posal is the full control over the molecular sample. To achieve near-unity lattice filling fraction for the mo-lecular samples, we create two-dimensional samples of K-Cs atom pairs as precursors to molecule formation by merging parallel planar systems of K and Cs, which are either in a band-insulating state (for the fermions) or in Mott-insulating state (for the bosons), along the out-of-plane direction.
The polar molecular samples are used to perform quantum simulations on ground-state properties and dy-namical properties of quantum many-body spin systems. We aim to create novel forms of superfluidity, to investigate into novel quantum many-body phases in the lattice that arise from the long-range molecular dipole-dipole interaction, and to probe quantum magnetism and its dynamics such as spin transport with single-spin control and readout. In addition, disorder can be engineered to mimic real physical situations.
Summary
In a quantum engineering approach we aim to create strongly correlated molecular quantum gases for polar molecules confined in an optical lattice to two-dimensional geometry with full quantum control of all de-grees of freedom with single molecule control and detection. The goal is to synthesize a high-fidelity molec-ular quantum simulator with thousands of particles and to carry out experiments on phases and dynamics of strongly-correlated quantum matter in view of strong long-range dipolar interactions. Our choice of mole-cule is the KCs dimer, which can either be a boson or a fermion, allowing us to prepare and probe bosonic as well as fermionic dipolar quantum matter in two dimensions. Techniques such as quantum-gas microscopy, perfectly suited for two-dimensional systems, will be applied to the molecular samples for local control and local readout.
The low-entropy molecular samples are created out of quantum degenerate atomic samples by well-established coherent atom paring and coherent optical ground-state transfer techniques. Crucial to this pro-posal is the full control over the molecular sample. To achieve near-unity lattice filling fraction for the mo-lecular samples, we create two-dimensional samples of K-Cs atom pairs as precursors to molecule formation by merging parallel planar systems of K and Cs, which are either in a band-insulating state (for the fermions) or in Mott-insulating state (for the bosons), along the out-of-plane direction.
The polar molecular samples are used to perform quantum simulations on ground-state properties and dy-namical properties of quantum many-body spin systems. We aim to create novel forms of superfluidity, to investigate into novel quantum many-body phases in the lattice that arise from the long-range molecular dipole-dipole interaction, and to probe quantum magnetism and its dynamics such as spin transport with single-spin control and readout. In addition, disorder can be engineered to mimic real physical situations.
Max ERC Funding
2 356 117 €
Duration
Start date: 2019-01-01, End date: 2023-12-31
Project acronym CounterLIGHT
Project Interaction and Symmetry Breaking of Counterpropagating Light
Researcher (PI) Pascal Del Haye
Host Institution (HI) MAX-PLANCK-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FORDERUNG DER WISSENSCHAFTEN EV
Country Germany
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), PE2, ERC-2017-STG
Summary Light is generally expected to travel through media independent of its direction. Exceptions can be achieved eg. through polarization changes induced by magnetic fields (known as the Faraday effect) together with polarization-sensitive birefringent materials. However, light can also be influenced by the presence of a counterpropagating light wave. We have recently shown that this leads to the surprising consequence that light sent into tiny glass rings (microresonators) can only propagate in one direction, clockwise or counterclockwise, but not in both directions simultaneously. When sending exactly the same state of light (same power and polarization) into a microresonator, nonlinear interaction induces a spontaneous symmetry breaking in the propagation of light. In this proposal we plan to investigate the fundamental physics and a variety of ground-breaking applications of this effect. In one proposed application, this effect will be used for optical nonreciprocity and the realization of optical diodes in integrated photonic circuits that do not rely on magnetic fields (an important key element in integrated photonics). In another proposed experiment we plan to use the spontaneous symmetry breaking to demonstrate microresonator-based optical gyroscopes that have the potential to beat state-of-the-art sensors in both size and sensitivity. Additional research projects include experiments with all-optical logic gates, photonic memories, and near field sensors based on counterpropagating light states. Finally, we plan to demonstrate a microresonator-based system for the generation of dual-optical frequency combs that can be used for real-time precision spectroscopy in future lab-on-a-chip applications. On the fundamental physics side, our experiments investigate the interaction of counterpropagating light in a system with periodic boundary conditions. The fundamental nature of this system has the potential to impact other fields of science far beyond optical physics.
Summary
Light is generally expected to travel through media independent of its direction. Exceptions can be achieved eg. through polarization changes induced by magnetic fields (known as the Faraday effect) together with polarization-sensitive birefringent materials. However, light can also be influenced by the presence of a counterpropagating light wave. We have recently shown that this leads to the surprising consequence that light sent into tiny glass rings (microresonators) can only propagate in one direction, clockwise or counterclockwise, but not in both directions simultaneously. When sending exactly the same state of light (same power and polarization) into a microresonator, nonlinear interaction induces a spontaneous symmetry breaking in the propagation of light. In this proposal we plan to investigate the fundamental physics and a variety of ground-breaking applications of this effect. In one proposed application, this effect will be used for optical nonreciprocity and the realization of optical diodes in integrated photonic circuits that do not rely on magnetic fields (an important key element in integrated photonics). In another proposed experiment we plan to use the spontaneous symmetry breaking to demonstrate microresonator-based optical gyroscopes that have the potential to beat state-of-the-art sensors in both size and sensitivity. Additional research projects include experiments with all-optical logic gates, photonic memories, and near field sensors based on counterpropagating light states. Finally, we plan to demonstrate a microresonator-based system for the generation of dual-optical frequency combs that can be used for real-time precision spectroscopy in future lab-on-a-chip applications. On the fundamental physics side, our experiments investigate the interaction of counterpropagating light in a system with periodic boundary conditions. The fundamental nature of this system has the potential to impact other fields of science far beyond optical physics.
Max ERC Funding
1 500 000 €
Duration
Start date: 2018-03-01, End date: 2023-02-28
Project acronym DAMIC-M
Project Unveiling the Hidden: A Search for Light Dark Matter with CCDs
Researcher (PI) Paolo PRIVITERA
Host Institution (HI) CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRS
Country France
Call Details Advanced Grant (AdG), PE2, ERC-2017-ADG
Summary Dark matter (DM) is a ubiquitous yet invisible presence in our universe. It dictated how galaxies formed in the first place, and now moves stars around them at puzzling speeds. The DM mass in the universe is known to be five times that of ordinary matter; yet its true nature remains elusive.
Weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs), relics from the early universe, are a compelling explanation chased by sensitive experiments in deep underground laboratories. However, searches for heavy WIMPs (≈100 times the proton mass), the most theoretically natural candidates, have been so far unsuccessful. Nor has evidence for such heavy particles yet been found at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. Alternative scenarios are now under scrutiny, such as the existence of a hidden sector of lighter DM particles that interact, differently than WIMPs, also with electrons.
DAMIC-M (Dark Matter In CCDs at Modane) will search beyond the heavy WIMP paradigm by detecting nuclear recoils and electrons induced by light DM in charge-coupled devices (CCDs). The 0.5 kg detector will be installed at the Laboratoire Souterrain de Modane, France. In this novel and unconventional use of CCDs, which are commonly employed for digital imaging in astronomical telescopes, the ionization charge will be detected in the most massive CCDs ever built with exquisite spatial resolution (15 μm x 15 μm pixel). The crucial innovation in these devices is the non-destructive, repetitive measurement of the pixel charge, which results in the high-resolution detection of a single electron and unprecedented sensitivity to light DM (≈ eV energies are enough to free an electron in silicon). By counting individual charges in a detector with extremely low leakage current – a combination unmatched by any other DM experiment – DAMIC-M will take a leap forward of several orders of magnitude in the exploration of the hidden sector, a jump that may be rewarded by serendipitous discovery.
Summary
Dark matter (DM) is a ubiquitous yet invisible presence in our universe. It dictated how galaxies formed in the first place, and now moves stars around them at puzzling speeds. The DM mass in the universe is known to be five times that of ordinary matter; yet its true nature remains elusive.
Weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs), relics from the early universe, are a compelling explanation chased by sensitive experiments in deep underground laboratories. However, searches for heavy WIMPs (≈100 times the proton mass), the most theoretically natural candidates, have been so far unsuccessful. Nor has evidence for such heavy particles yet been found at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. Alternative scenarios are now under scrutiny, such as the existence of a hidden sector of lighter DM particles that interact, differently than WIMPs, also with electrons.
DAMIC-M (Dark Matter In CCDs at Modane) will search beyond the heavy WIMP paradigm by detecting nuclear recoils and electrons induced by light DM in charge-coupled devices (CCDs). The 0.5 kg detector will be installed at the Laboratoire Souterrain de Modane, France. In this novel and unconventional use of CCDs, which are commonly employed for digital imaging in astronomical telescopes, the ionization charge will be detected in the most massive CCDs ever built with exquisite spatial resolution (15 μm x 15 μm pixel). The crucial innovation in these devices is the non-destructive, repetitive measurement of the pixel charge, which results in the high-resolution detection of a single electron and unprecedented sensitivity to light DM (≈ eV energies are enough to free an electron in silicon). By counting individual charges in a detector with extremely low leakage current – a combination unmatched by any other DM experiment – DAMIC-M will take a leap forward of several orders of magnitude in the exploration of the hidden sector, a jump that may be rewarded by serendipitous discovery.
Max ERC Funding
3 349 563 €
Duration
Start date: 2018-09-01, End date: 2023-08-31
Project acronym DarkGRA
Project Unveiling the dark universe with gravitational waves: Black holes and compact stars as laboratories for fundamental physics
Researcher (PI) Paolo PANI
Host Institution (HI) UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI ROMA LA SAPIENZA
Country Italy
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), PE2, ERC-2017-STG
Summary In recent years, our theoretical understanding of the strong-field regime of gravity has grown in parallel with the observational confirmations that culminated in the landmark detection of gravitational waves (GWs). This synergy of breakthroughs at the observational, technical, and conceptual level offers the unprecedented opportunity to merge traditionally disjoint areas, and to make strong gravity a precision tool to probe fundamental physics.
The aim of the DarkGRA project is to investigate novel effects related to strong gravitational sources -such as black holes (BHs) and compact stars- that can be used to turn these objects into cosmic labs, where matter in extreme conditions, particle physics, and the very foundations of Einstein's theory of gravity can be put to the test. In this context, we propose to explore some outstanding, cross-cutting problems in fundamental physics: the existence of extra light fields, the limits of classical gravity, the nature of BHs and of spacetime singularities, and the effects of dark matter near compact objects. Our ultimate goal is to probe fundamental physics in the most extreme gravitational settings and to devise new approaches for detection, complementary to laboratory searches. This groundbreaking research program -located at the interface between particle physics, astrophysics and gravitation- is now made possible by novel techniques to scrutinize astrophysical compact objects, by current and future GW and X-ray detectors, and by the astonishing precision of pulsar timing. If supported by a solid theoretical framework, these new observations can potentially lead to surprising discoveries and paradigm shifts in our understanding of the fundamental laws of nature at all scales.
Summary
In recent years, our theoretical understanding of the strong-field regime of gravity has grown in parallel with the observational confirmations that culminated in the landmark detection of gravitational waves (GWs). This synergy of breakthroughs at the observational, technical, and conceptual level offers the unprecedented opportunity to merge traditionally disjoint areas, and to make strong gravity a precision tool to probe fundamental physics.
The aim of the DarkGRA project is to investigate novel effects related to strong gravitational sources -such as black holes (BHs) and compact stars- that can be used to turn these objects into cosmic labs, where matter in extreme conditions, particle physics, and the very foundations of Einstein's theory of gravity can be put to the test. In this context, we propose to explore some outstanding, cross-cutting problems in fundamental physics: the existence of extra light fields, the limits of classical gravity, the nature of BHs and of spacetime singularities, and the effects of dark matter near compact objects. Our ultimate goal is to probe fundamental physics in the most extreme gravitational settings and to devise new approaches for detection, complementary to laboratory searches. This groundbreaking research program -located at the interface between particle physics, astrophysics and gravitation- is now made possible by novel techniques to scrutinize astrophysical compact objects, by current and future GW and X-ray detectors, and by the astonishing precision of pulsar timing. If supported by a solid theoretical framework, these new observations can potentially lead to surprising discoveries and paradigm shifts in our understanding of the fundamental laws of nature at all scales.
Max ERC Funding
1 337 481 €
Duration
Start date: 2017-10-01, End date: 2023-09-30
Project acronym FLEET
Project Flying Electromagnetic Toroids
Researcher (PI) Nikolay ZHELUDEV
Host Institution (HI) UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON
Country United Kingdom
Call Details Advanced Grant (AdG), PE2, ERC-2017-ADG
Summary In this project I will study the generation, detection, and interaction with matter of Flying Toroids, a new type of light pulses never experimentally studied before. This represents an exciting opportunity to advance optics and electromagnetism in a radically new direction since Hertz, Marconi, Popov and Tesla developed technology for generating, detecting, and communicating with transverse electromagnetic waves.
Conventional transverse electromagnetic waves propagate in free-space with the electric and magnetic field vectors perpendicular to the wave propagation direction, forming the famous triad. Theoretical analysis of recent years has shown that another, very different type of waves exists, which propagate at the speed of light, but only occur as short bursts of electromagnetic energy in the form of Flying Toroids. Flying Toroids are inseparable solutions of Maxwell equations with a unique, doughnut-like configuration of the electric and magnetic fields. Flying Toroids interact with matter in unique ways, drastically different from that of conventional electromagnetic pulses.
In a broader context, the electrodynamics of Flying Toroids is an exciting emerging field of optical science linked to intriguing recent developments in physics such as toroidal dipoles and anapoles, and, due to their topology, to Majorana fermions and skyrmions.
Building on my recent proof-of-principle demonstration of Flying Toroid generation through conversion of few-cycle conventional transverse light pulses in artificial photonic nanostructures, my goal for this project is to experimentally study and understand the fundamental properties of Flying Toroids and their interaction with matter at optical frequencies, and to assess their potential for developing new technologies. In my vision this project can lead to spectacular new opportunities for spectroscopic and light-enabled applications, and will impact on other branches of science, from astronomy to solid-state physics.
Summary
In this project I will study the generation, detection, and interaction with matter of Flying Toroids, a new type of light pulses never experimentally studied before. This represents an exciting opportunity to advance optics and electromagnetism in a radically new direction since Hertz, Marconi, Popov and Tesla developed technology for generating, detecting, and communicating with transverse electromagnetic waves.
Conventional transverse electromagnetic waves propagate in free-space with the electric and magnetic field vectors perpendicular to the wave propagation direction, forming the famous triad. Theoretical analysis of recent years has shown that another, very different type of waves exists, which propagate at the speed of light, but only occur as short bursts of electromagnetic energy in the form of Flying Toroids. Flying Toroids are inseparable solutions of Maxwell equations with a unique, doughnut-like configuration of the electric and magnetic fields. Flying Toroids interact with matter in unique ways, drastically different from that of conventional electromagnetic pulses.
In a broader context, the electrodynamics of Flying Toroids is an exciting emerging field of optical science linked to intriguing recent developments in physics such as toroidal dipoles and anapoles, and, due to their topology, to Majorana fermions and skyrmions.
Building on my recent proof-of-principle demonstration of Flying Toroid generation through conversion of few-cycle conventional transverse light pulses in artificial photonic nanostructures, my goal for this project is to experimentally study and understand the fundamental properties of Flying Toroids and their interaction with matter at optical frequencies, and to assess their potential for developing new technologies. In my vision this project can lead to spectacular new opportunities for spectroscopic and light-enabled applications, and will impact on other branches of science, from astronomy to solid-state physics.
Max ERC Funding
2 570 198 €
Duration
Start date: 2018-10-01, End date: 2024-03-31
