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
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 BeyondWorstCase
Project Algorithms beyond the Worst Case
Researcher (PI) Heiko Roglin
Host Institution (HI) RHEINISCHE FRIEDRICH-WILHELMS-UNIVERSITAT BONN
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), PE6, ERC-2012-StG_20111012
Summary For many optimization problems that arise in logistics, information retrieval, and other contexts the classical theory of algorithms has lost its grip on reality because it is based on a pessimistic worst-case perspective, in which the performance of an algorithm is solely measured by its behavior on the worst possible input. This does not take into consideration that worst-case inputs are often rather contrived and occur only rarely in practical applications. It led to the situation that for many problems the classical theory is not able to differentiate meaningfully between different algorithms. Even worse, for some important problems it recommends algorithms that perform badly in practice over algorithms that work well in practice only because the artificial worst-case performance of the latter ones is bad.
We will study classic optimization problems (traveling salesperson problem, linear programming, etc.) as well as problems coming from machine learning and information retrieval. All these problems have in common that the practically most successful algorithms have a devastating worst-case performance even though they clearly outperform the theoretically best algorithms.
Only in recent years a paradigm shift towards a more realistic and robust algorithmic theory has been initiated. This project will play a major role in this paradigm shift by developing and exploring novel theoretical approaches (e.g. smoothed analysis) to reconcile theory and practice. A more realistic theory will have a profound impact on the design and analysis of algorithms in the future, and the insights gained in this project will lead to algorithmic tools for large-scale optimization problems that improve on existing ad hoc methods. We will not only work theoretically but also test the applicability of our theoretical considerations in experimental studies.
Summary
For many optimization problems that arise in logistics, information retrieval, and other contexts the classical theory of algorithms has lost its grip on reality because it is based on a pessimistic worst-case perspective, in which the performance of an algorithm is solely measured by its behavior on the worst possible input. This does not take into consideration that worst-case inputs are often rather contrived and occur only rarely in practical applications. It led to the situation that for many problems the classical theory is not able to differentiate meaningfully between different algorithms. Even worse, for some important problems it recommends algorithms that perform badly in practice over algorithms that work well in practice only because the artificial worst-case performance of the latter ones is bad.
We will study classic optimization problems (traveling salesperson problem, linear programming, etc.) as well as problems coming from machine learning and information retrieval. All these problems have in common that the practically most successful algorithms have a devastating worst-case performance even though they clearly outperform the theoretically best algorithms.
Only in recent years a paradigm shift towards a more realistic and robust algorithmic theory has been initiated. This project will play a major role in this paradigm shift by developing and exploring novel theoretical approaches (e.g. smoothed analysis) to reconcile theory and practice. A more realistic theory will have a profound impact on the design and analysis of algorithms in the future, and the insights gained in this project will lead to algorithmic tools for large-scale optimization problems that improve on existing ad hoc methods. We will not only work theoretically but also test the applicability of our theoretical considerations in experimental studies.
Max ERC Funding
1 235 820 €
Duration
Start date: 2012-10-01, End date: 2017-09-30
Project acronym COMPLEXPLAS
Project Complex Plasmonics at the Ultimate Limit: Single Particle and Single Molecule Level
Researcher (PI) Harald Giessen
Host Institution (HI) UNIVERSITAET STUTTGART
Call Details Advanced Grant (AdG), PE3, ERC-2012-ADG_20120216
Summary "Nano-optical investigations using plasmonic resonances have revolutionized optics in the last few years. The ability to concentrate light in subwavelength dimensions and to locally enhance the strength of the electromagnetic field in a tailored fashion opened several new fields in materials research, such as tailoring the linear and nonlinear properties of optical materials at will. So-called metamaterials allow now to design and realize unprecedented optical properties on the submicrometer level and hence tailor dispersion as well as real and imaginary parts of the linear and nonlinear refractive indices as a function of wavelength and wavevector.
Our ability to create two- and three-dimensional nanostructures with advanced fabrication technologies have led to the new era of complex plasmonics. We are able to tailor the spectral response of complex metallic nanostructures, including the creation of very sharp and narrow resonances. In combination with strong field localization and hence large dependence on the material properties of the nanostructure geometry and its surrounding, unique sensors with sensitivities close to fundamental limits should be within reach.
In my proposal, I would like to explore the ultimate limits of light-matter interaction using complex plasmonic nanostructures. I would like to apply them to different physical, chemical, and biological situations and undertake the first steps from fundamental insight into first applications. Namely, I would like to investigate complex plasmonics in four different contexts: single molecule reactions on complex surfaces, antenna-enhanced structural analysis of large single molecules, such as proteins, motion sensing of conformational changes of single molecules, as well as chiral sensing down to the single molecule level, hence ultimately being able to distinguish a single D-glucose molecule from its L-glucose enantiomer. This would bridge the gap between nanophysics, chemistry, and biology."
Summary
"Nano-optical investigations using plasmonic resonances have revolutionized optics in the last few years. The ability to concentrate light in subwavelength dimensions and to locally enhance the strength of the electromagnetic field in a tailored fashion opened several new fields in materials research, such as tailoring the linear and nonlinear properties of optical materials at will. So-called metamaterials allow now to design and realize unprecedented optical properties on the submicrometer level and hence tailor dispersion as well as real and imaginary parts of the linear and nonlinear refractive indices as a function of wavelength and wavevector.
Our ability to create two- and three-dimensional nanostructures with advanced fabrication technologies have led to the new era of complex plasmonics. We are able to tailor the spectral response of complex metallic nanostructures, including the creation of very sharp and narrow resonances. In combination with strong field localization and hence large dependence on the material properties of the nanostructure geometry and its surrounding, unique sensors with sensitivities close to fundamental limits should be within reach.
In my proposal, I would like to explore the ultimate limits of light-matter interaction using complex plasmonic nanostructures. I would like to apply them to different physical, chemical, and biological situations and undertake the first steps from fundamental insight into first applications. Namely, I would like to investigate complex plasmonics in four different contexts: single molecule reactions on complex surfaces, antenna-enhanced structural analysis of large single molecules, such as proteins, motion sensing of conformational changes of single molecules, as well as chiral sensing down to the single molecule level, hence ultimately being able to distinguish a single D-glucose molecule from its L-glucose enantiomer. This would bridge the gap between nanophysics, chemistry, and biology."
Max ERC Funding
2 000 000 €
Duration
Start date: 2013-03-01, End date: 2018-02-28
Project acronym CV-SUPER
Project Computer Vision for Scene Understanding from a first-person Perspective
Researcher (PI) Bastian Leibe
Host Institution (HI) RHEINISCH-WESTFAELISCHE TECHNISCHE HOCHSCHULE AACHEN
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), PE6, ERC-2012-StG_20111012
Summary "The goal of CV-SUPER is to create the technology to perform dynamic visual scene understanding from the perspective of a moving human observer. Briefly stated, we want to enable computers to see and understand what humans see when they navigate their way through busy inner-city locations. Our target scenario is dynamic visual scene understanding in public spaces, such as pedestrian zones, shopping malls, or other locations primarily designed for humans. CV-SUPER will develop computer vision algorithms that can observe the people populating those spaces, interpret and understand their actions and their interactions with other people and inanimate objects, and from this understanding derive predictions of their future behaviors within the next few seconds. In addition, we will develop methods to infer semantic properties of the observed environment and learn to recognize how those affect people’s actions. Supporting those tasks, we will develop a novel design of an object recognition system that scales up to potentially hundreds of categories. Finally, we will bind all those components together in a dynamic 3D world model, showing the world’s current state and facilitating predictions how this state will most likely change within the next few seconds. These are crucial capabilities for the creation of technical systems that may one day assist humans in their daily lives within such busy spaces, e.g., in the form of personal assistance devices for elderly or visually impaired people or in the form of future generations of mobile service robots and intelligent vehicles."
Summary
"The goal of CV-SUPER is to create the technology to perform dynamic visual scene understanding from the perspective of a moving human observer. Briefly stated, we want to enable computers to see and understand what humans see when they navigate their way through busy inner-city locations. Our target scenario is dynamic visual scene understanding in public spaces, such as pedestrian zones, shopping malls, or other locations primarily designed for humans. CV-SUPER will develop computer vision algorithms that can observe the people populating those spaces, interpret and understand their actions and their interactions with other people and inanimate objects, and from this understanding derive predictions of their future behaviors within the next few seconds. In addition, we will develop methods to infer semantic properties of the observed environment and learn to recognize how those affect people’s actions. Supporting those tasks, we will develop a novel design of an object recognition system that scales up to potentially hundreds of categories. Finally, we will bind all those components together in a dynamic 3D world model, showing the world’s current state and facilitating predictions how this state will most likely change within the next few seconds. These are crucial capabilities for the creation of technical systems that may one day assist humans in their daily lives within such busy spaces, e.g., in the form of personal assistance devices for elderly or visually impaired people or in the form of future generations of mobile service robots and intelligent vehicles."
Max ERC Funding
1 499 960 €
Duration
Start date: 2012-11-01, End date: 2017-10-31
Project acronym INPEC
Project Interacting Photon Bose-Einstein Condensates in Variable Potentials
Researcher (PI) Ernst Martin Weitz
Host Institution (HI) RHEINISCHE FRIEDRICH-WILHELMS-UNIVERSITAT BONN
Call Details Advanced Grant (AdG), PE2, ERC-2012-ADG_20120216
Summary "Bose-Einstein condensation, the macroscopic ground state occupation of a system of bosonic particles below a critical temperature, has in the last two decades been observed in cold atomic gases and in solid-state physics quasiparticles. The perhaps most widely known example of a bosonic gas, photons in blackbody radiation, however exhibits no Bose-Einstein condensation, because the particle number is not conserved and at low temperatures the photons disappear in the system’s walls instead of massively occupying the cavity ground mode. This is not the case in a small optical cavity, with a low-frequency cutoff imprinting a spectrum of photon energies restricted to well above the thermal energy. Using a microscopic cavity filled with dye solution at room temperature, my group has recently observed the first Bose-Einstein condensate of photons.
Building upon this work, the grant applicant here proposes to study the physics of interacting photon Bose-Einstein condensates in variable potentials. We will study the flow of the light condensate around external perturbations, and exploit signatures for superfluidity of the two-dimensional photon gas. Moreover, the condensate will be loaded into variable potentials induced by optical index changes, forming a periodic array of nanocavities. We plan to investigate the Mott insulating regime, and study thermal equilibrium population of more complex entangled manybody states for the photon gas. Other than in an ultracold atomic gas system, loading and cooling can proceed throughout the lattice manipulation time in our system. We expect to be able to directly condense into a macroscopic occupation of highly entangled quantum states. This is an issue not achievable in present atomic physics Bose-Einstein condensation experiments. In the course of the project, quantum manybody states, when constituting the system ground state, will be macroscopically populated in a thermal equilibrium process."
Summary
"Bose-Einstein condensation, the macroscopic ground state occupation of a system of bosonic particles below a critical temperature, has in the last two decades been observed in cold atomic gases and in solid-state physics quasiparticles. The perhaps most widely known example of a bosonic gas, photons in blackbody radiation, however exhibits no Bose-Einstein condensation, because the particle number is not conserved and at low temperatures the photons disappear in the system’s walls instead of massively occupying the cavity ground mode. This is not the case in a small optical cavity, with a low-frequency cutoff imprinting a spectrum of photon energies restricted to well above the thermal energy. Using a microscopic cavity filled with dye solution at room temperature, my group has recently observed the first Bose-Einstein condensate of photons.
Building upon this work, the grant applicant here proposes to study the physics of interacting photon Bose-Einstein condensates in variable potentials. We will study the flow of the light condensate around external perturbations, and exploit signatures for superfluidity of the two-dimensional photon gas. Moreover, the condensate will be loaded into variable potentials induced by optical index changes, forming a periodic array of nanocavities. We plan to investigate the Mott insulating regime, and study thermal equilibrium population of more complex entangled manybody states for the photon gas. Other than in an ultracold atomic gas system, loading and cooling can proceed throughout the lattice manipulation time in our system. We expect to be able to directly condense into a macroscopic occupation of highly entangled quantum states. This is an issue not achievable in present atomic physics Bose-Einstein condensation experiments. In the course of the project, quantum manybody states, when constituting the system ground state, will be macroscopically populated in a thermal equilibrium process."
Max ERC Funding
2 133 560 €
Duration
Start date: 2013-03-01, End date: 2018-02-28
Project acronym MQC
Project Methods for Quantum Computing
Researcher (PI) Andris Ambainis
Host Institution (HI) LATVIJAS UNIVERSITATE
Call Details Advanced Grant (AdG), PE6, ERC-2012-ADG_20120216
Summary "Quantum information science (QIS) is a young research area at the frontier of both computer science and physics. It studies what happens when we apply the principles of quantum mechanics to problems in computer science and information processing. This has resulted in many unexpected discoveries and opened up new frontiers.
Quantum algorithms (such as Shor’s factoring algorithm) can solve computational problems that are intractable for conventional computers. Quantum mechanics also enables quantum cryptography which provides an ultimate degree of security that cannot be achieved by conventional methods. These developments have generated an enormous interest both in building a quantum computer and exploring the mathematical foundations of quantum information.
We will study computer science aspects of QIS. Our first goal is to develop new quantum algorithms and, more generally, new algorithmic techniques for developing quantum algorithms. We will explore a variety of new ideas: quantum walks, span programs, learning graphs, linear equation solving, computing by transforming quantum states.
Secondly, we will study the limits of quantum computing. We will look at various classes of computational problems and analyze what are the biggest speedups that quantum algorithms can achieve. We will also work on identifying computational problems which are hard even for a quantum computer. Such problems can serve as a basis for cryptography that would be secure against quantum computers.
Thirdly, the ideas from quantum information can lead to very surprising connections between different fields. The mathematical methods from quantum information can be applied to solve purely classical (non-quantum) problems in computer science. The ideas from computer science can be used to study the complexity of physical systems in quantum mechanics. We think that both of those directions have the potential for unexpected breakthroughs and we will pursue both of them."
Summary
"Quantum information science (QIS) is a young research area at the frontier of both computer science and physics. It studies what happens when we apply the principles of quantum mechanics to problems in computer science and information processing. This has resulted in many unexpected discoveries and opened up new frontiers.
Quantum algorithms (such as Shor’s factoring algorithm) can solve computational problems that are intractable for conventional computers. Quantum mechanics also enables quantum cryptography which provides an ultimate degree of security that cannot be achieved by conventional methods. These developments have generated an enormous interest both in building a quantum computer and exploring the mathematical foundations of quantum information.
We will study computer science aspects of QIS. Our first goal is to develop new quantum algorithms and, more generally, new algorithmic techniques for developing quantum algorithms. We will explore a variety of new ideas: quantum walks, span programs, learning graphs, linear equation solving, computing by transforming quantum states.
Secondly, we will study the limits of quantum computing. We will look at various classes of computational problems and analyze what are the biggest speedups that quantum algorithms can achieve. We will also work on identifying computational problems which are hard even for a quantum computer. Such problems can serve as a basis for cryptography that would be secure against quantum computers.
Thirdly, the ideas from quantum information can lead to very surprising connections between different fields. The mathematical methods from quantum information can be applied to solve purely classical (non-quantum) problems in computer science. The ideas from computer science can be used to study the complexity of physical systems in quantum mechanics. We think that both of those directions have the potential for unexpected breakthroughs and we will pursue both of them."
Max ERC Funding
1 360 980 €
Duration
Start date: 2013-05-01, End date: 2018-04-30
Project acronym NanoREAL
Project Real-time nanoscale optoelectronics
Researcher (PI) Alexander Walter Holleitner
Host Institution (HI) TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAET MUENCHEN
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), PE3, ERC-2012-StG_20111012
Summary Is it possible to really ‘see’ how fast electrons flow in nanoscale optoelectronic circuits? Can we, in this way, get a complete understanding of the real-time dynamics of electrons in nanoscale circuits?
The vision of this ERC proposal is to establish a research area at the interface of condensed matter physics, ultrafast optics, and electrical engineering which has so far been nearly completely unexplored: the investigation of real-time dynamics of photoexcited charge carriers in electrically contacted nanosystems with the highest precision possible. By doing so, unique information about the optoelectronic processes in nanoscale circuits shall be obtained. Four interconnected visions are pursued all with applications in information technology and electrical engineering. The approach is risky, however, it promises very interesting physics on the way. We will: (i) explore the fastest and smallest photoswitches fully integrated in electric circuits, (ii) probe single and collective charge excitations for the fastest nanoscale optoelectronic devices, (iii) determine the radiative and non-radiative lifetimes in photovoltaic circuits time-resolved, (iv) discover how fast nanoscale photo-thermoelectric devices operate. Towards these visions, I propose to use a real-time optoelectronic ‘on-chip’ detection scheme for nanoscale circuits, which was developed by us very recently. In this setup, I intend to carry out time-of-flight experiments of photoexcited electrons in nanoscale circuits, to investigate the ultimate switching speed of optoelectronic devices, and to explore the ultrafast dynamics of photothermo-electric currents in electrically contacted nanosystems.
The project gives essential insights for designing and implementing nanoscale circuits into optoelectronic switches, photodetectors, solar cells, thermo-electric devices as well as high-speed off-chip/on-chip communication modules to make ultrafast nanoscale optoelectronics real.
Summary
Is it possible to really ‘see’ how fast electrons flow in nanoscale optoelectronic circuits? Can we, in this way, get a complete understanding of the real-time dynamics of electrons in nanoscale circuits?
The vision of this ERC proposal is to establish a research area at the interface of condensed matter physics, ultrafast optics, and electrical engineering which has so far been nearly completely unexplored: the investigation of real-time dynamics of photoexcited charge carriers in electrically contacted nanosystems with the highest precision possible. By doing so, unique information about the optoelectronic processes in nanoscale circuits shall be obtained. Four interconnected visions are pursued all with applications in information technology and electrical engineering. The approach is risky, however, it promises very interesting physics on the way. We will: (i) explore the fastest and smallest photoswitches fully integrated in electric circuits, (ii) probe single and collective charge excitations for the fastest nanoscale optoelectronic devices, (iii) determine the radiative and non-radiative lifetimes in photovoltaic circuits time-resolved, (iv) discover how fast nanoscale photo-thermoelectric devices operate. Towards these visions, I propose to use a real-time optoelectronic ‘on-chip’ detection scheme for nanoscale circuits, which was developed by us very recently. In this setup, I intend to carry out time-of-flight experiments of photoexcited electrons in nanoscale circuits, to investigate the ultimate switching speed of optoelectronic devices, and to explore the ultrafast dynamics of photothermo-electric currents in electrically contacted nanosystems.
The project gives essential insights for designing and implementing nanoscale circuits into optoelectronic switches, photodetectors, solar cells, thermo-electric devices as well as high-speed off-chip/on-chip communication modules to make ultrafast nanoscale optoelectronics real.
Max ERC Funding
1 272 196 €
Duration
Start date: 2012-11-01, End date: 2017-10-31
Project acronym NOLEPRO
Project Nonlinear Eigenproblems for Data Analysis
Researcher (PI) Matthias Hein
Host Institution (HI) UNIVERSITAT DES SAARLANDES
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), PE6, ERC-2012-StG_20111012
Summary In machine learning and exploratory data analysis, the major goal is the development
of solutions for the automatic and efficient extraction of knowledge from data. This
ability is key for further progress in science and engineering. A large class of
data analysis methods is based on linear eigenproblems. While linear eigenproblems are
well studied, and a large part of numerical linear algebra is dedicated to the efficient
calculation of eigenvectors of all kinds of structured matrices, they are limited in their
modeling capabilities. Important properties like robustness against outliers
and sparsity of the eigenvectors are impossible to realize. In turn, we have shown recently
that many problems in data analysis can be naturally formulated as nonlinear eigenproblems.
In order to use the rich structure of nonlinear eigenproblems with an ease
similar to that of linear eigenproblems, a major goal of this proposal is to develop a general
framework for the computation of nonlinear eigenvectors. Furthermore, the great potential of nonlinear eigenproblems will be explored in various application areas. As the scope of nonlinear eigenproblems goes far beyond data analysis, this project will have major impact not only in machine learning and its use in computer vision, bioinformatics, and information retrieval, but also in other areas of the natural sciences.
Summary
In machine learning and exploratory data analysis, the major goal is the development
of solutions for the automatic and efficient extraction of knowledge from data. This
ability is key for further progress in science and engineering. A large class of
data analysis methods is based on linear eigenproblems. While linear eigenproblems are
well studied, and a large part of numerical linear algebra is dedicated to the efficient
calculation of eigenvectors of all kinds of structured matrices, they are limited in their
modeling capabilities. Important properties like robustness against outliers
and sparsity of the eigenvectors are impossible to realize. In turn, we have shown recently
that many problems in data analysis can be naturally formulated as nonlinear eigenproblems.
In order to use the rich structure of nonlinear eigenproblems with an ease
similar to that of linear eigenproblems, a major goal of this proposal is to develop a general
framework for the computation of nonlinear eigenvectors. Furthermore, the great potential of nonlinear eigenproblems will be explored in various application areas. As the scope of nonlinear eigenproblems goes far beyond data analysis, this project will have major impact not only in machine learning and its use in computer vision, bioinformatics, and information retrieval, but also in other areas of the natural sciences.
Max ERC Funding
1 271 992 €
Duration
Start date: 2012-10-01, End date: 2017-09-30
Project acronym PACE
Project Programming Abstractions for Applications in Cloud Environments
Researcher (PI) Ermira Mezini
Host Institution (HI) TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAT DARMSTADT
Call Details Advanced Grant (AdG), PE6, ERC-2012-ADG_20120216
Summary "Cloud computing is changing our perception of computing: The Internet is becoming the computer and the software: (a) vast data centers and computing power are available via the Internet (infrastructure as a service), (b) software is available via the Internet as a service (software as a service). Building on the promise of unlimited processing/storage power, applications today process big amounts of data scattered over the cloud and react to events happening across the cloud. Software services must be both standard components to pay off for their provider and highly configurable and customizable to serve competitive needs of multiple tenants.
Developing such applications is challenging, given the predominant programming technology, whose fundamental abstractions were conceived for the traditional computing model.
Existing abstractions are laid out to process individual data/events. Making the complexity of applications processing big data/events manageable requires abstractions to intentionally express high-level correlations between data/events, freeing the programmer from the job of tracking the data and keeping tabs on relevant events across a cloud. Existing abstractions also fail to reconcile software reuse and extensibility at the level of large-scale software services.
PACE will deliver first-class linguistic abstractions for expressing sophisticated correlations between data/events to be used as primitives to express high-level functionality. Armed with them, programmers will be relieved from micromanaging data/events and can turn their attention to what the cloud has to offer. Applications become easier to understand, maintain, evolve and more amenable to automated reasoning and sophisticated optimizations. PACE will also deliver language concepts for large-scale modularity, extensibility, and adaptability for capturing highly polymorphic software services."
Summary
"Cloud computing is changing our perception of computing: The Internet is becoming the computer and the software: (a) vast data centers and computing power are available via the Internet (infrastructure as a service), (b) software is available via the Internet as a service (software as a service). Building on the promise of unlimited processing/storage power, applications today process big amounts of data scattered over the cloud and react to events happening across the cloud. Software services must be both standard components to pay off for their provider and highly configurable and customizable to serve competitive needs of multiple tenants.
Developing such applications is challenging, given the predominant programming technology, whose fundamental abstractions were conceived for the traditional computing model.
Existing abstractions are laid out to process individual data/events. Making the complexity of applications processing big data/events manageable requires abstractions to intentionally express high-level correlations between data/events, freeing the programmer from the job of tracking the data and keeping tabs on relevant events across a cloud. Existing abstractions also fail to reconcile software reuse and extensibility at the level of large-scale software services.
PACE will deliver first-class linguistic abstractions for expressing sophisticated correlations between data/events to be used as primitives to express high-level functionality. Armed with them, programmers will be relieved from micromanaging data/events and can turn their attention to what the cloud has to offer. Applications become easier to understand, maintain, evolve and more amenable to automated reasoning and sophisticated optimizations. PACE will also deliver language concepts for large-scale modularity, extensibility, and adaptability for capturing highly polymorphic software services."
Max ERC Funding
2 280 998 €
Duration
Start date: 2013-03-01, End date: 2018-02-28
Project acronym QUANTUMSUBCYCLE
Project Ultrafast quantum physics on the sub-cycle time scale
Researcher (PI) Rupert Huber
Host Institution (HI) UNIVERSITAET REGENSBURG
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), PE3, ERC-2012-StG_20111012
Summary The physics of condensed matter depends on ultrafast dynamics of its atomic constituents. Femtosecond light pulses have been exploited to monitor these phenomena by stroboscopic means. Yet, the time resolution is limited by the duration of the intensity envelope of the light pulses used. We propose a new class of sub-cycle optics, which harnesses the absolute optical phase and amplitude of ultrashort transients to control condensed matter faster than an oscillation cycle of light. Merging latest terahertz technology with nanooptics, we tailor extreme electric and magnetic near-fields of phase-locked infrared pulses in all four spatio-temporal dimensions. This unprecedented laboratory allows us to pioneer long sought-after non-adiabatic quantum physics of all relevant elementary degrees of freedom: electronic charge and spin as well as photons.
(i) Optical acceleration of electrons in the sub-cycle limit will permit to test yet unobserved key concepts of relativistic quantum transport, such as Zitterbewegung of Dirac fermions and Bloch oscillations in bulk semiconductors.
(ii) We aim to switch the spin direction in magnetic materials by giant magnetic or electric fields, of 10 GV/m and several 10 Tesla, promising record control speeds and unique vistas onto the fastest magnetic elementary processes.
(iii) By advancing the sensitivity of electro-optic sampling to the few-photon level the quantum nature of the oscillating carrier wave will be detected in the time domain. Spontaneous creation of photons out of quantum vacua, reminiscent of Hawking radiation of black holes, may be traced.
The project breaks grounds for basic research, shedding new light onto the foundations of quantum electrodynamics, solid state physics and magnetism, as well as a new kind of field resolved quantum optics.
Summary
The physics of condensed matter depends on ultrafast dynamics of its atomic constituents. Femtosecond light pulses have been exploited to monitor these phenomena by stroboscopic means. Yet, the time resolution is limited by the duration of the intensity envelope of the light pulses used. We propose a new class of sub-cycle optics, which harnesses the absolute optical phase and amplitude of ultrashort transients to control condensed matter faster than an oscillation cycle of light. Merging latest terahertz technology with nanooptics, we tailor extreme electric and magnetic near-fields of phase-locked infrared pulses in all four spatio-temporal dimensions. This unprecedented laboratory allows us to pioneer long sought-after non-adiabatic quantum physics of all relevant elementary degrees of freedom: electronic charge and spin as well as photons.
(i) Optical acceleration of electrons in the sub-cycle limit will permit to test yet unobserved key concepts of relativistic quantum transport, such as Zitterbewegung of Dirac fermions and Bloch oscillations in bulk semiconductors.
(ii) We aim to switch the spin direction in magnetic materials by giant magnetic or electric fields, of 10 GV/m and several 10 Tesla, promising record control speeds and unique vistas onto the fastest magnetic elementary processes.
(iii) By advancing the sensitivity of electro-optic sampling to the few-photon level the quantum nature of the oscillating carrier wave will be detected in the time domain. Spontaneous creation of photons out of quantum vacua, reminiscent of Hawking radiation of black holes, may be traced.
The project breaks grounds for basic research, shedding new light onto the foundations of quantum electrodynamics, solid state physics and magnetism, as well as a new kind of field resolved quantum optics.
Max ERC Funding
1 494 564 €
Duration
Start date: 2013-04-01, End date: 2018-03-31
