ERC FUNDED PROJECTS

Recently, ‘designer’ quantum materials, synthesised layer by layer, have been realised, sparking ground-breaking new scientific insights. These artificial materials, such as oxide heterostructures, are interesting building blocks for a new generation of technologies, provided that one is able to access, study and ultimately control their quantum phases in practical conditions such as at room temperature and high speeds. On the other hand, an independent research area is emerging that uses ultra-short bursts of light to stimulate changes in the macroscopic electronic properties of solids at unprecedented speeds. Here I propose to bridge the gap between material design and ultrafast control of solids. This new synergy will allow us to explore fundamental research questions on the non-equilibrium dynamics of quantum materials with competing ground states. Specifically, I will utilize intense THz and mid-infrared electromagnetic fields to manipulate the electronic properties of artificial quantum materials on pico- to femto-second time scales. Beyond the development of novel techniques to generate THz electric fields of unprecedented intensity, I will investigate metal-insulator and magnetic transitions in oxide heterostructures as they unfold in time. This research programme takes oxide electronics in a new direction and establishes a new methodology for the control of quantum phases at high temperature and high speed.

1 499 982 €

Start date: 2016-06-01, End date: 2021-05-31

Tectonic phenomena at the Earth's surface, like volcanic eruptions and earthquakes,are driven by convection deep in the mantle. Seismic tomography has been very successful in elucidating the Earth's internal velocity structure. However, seismic velocity is insufficient to obtain robust estimates of temperature and composition, and make direct links with mantle convection. Thus, fundamental questions remain unanswered: Do subducting slabs bring water into the lower mantle? Are the large low-shear velocity provinces under the Pacific and Africa mainly thermal or compositional? Is there any partial melt or water near the mantle transition zone or core mantle boundary? Seismic attenuation, or loss of energy, is key to mapping melt, water and temperature variations, and answering these questions. Unfortunately, attenuation has only been imaged using short- and intermediate-period seismic data, showing little similarity even for the upper mantle and no reliable lower mantle models exist. The aim of ATUNE is to develop novel full-spectrum techniques and apply them to Earth's long period free oscillations to observe global-scale regional variations in seismic attenuation from the lithosphere to the core mantle boundary. Scattering and focussing - problematic for shorter period techniques - are easily included using cross-coupling (or resonance) between free oscillations not requiring approximations. The recent occurrence of large earthquakes, increase in computer power and my world-leading expertise in free oscillations now make it possible to increase the frequency dependence of attenuation to a much wider frequency band, allowing us to distinguish between scattering (redistribution of energy) versus intrinsic attenuation. ATUNE will deliver the first ever full-waveform global tomographic model of 3D attenuation variations in the lower mantle, providing essential constraints on melt, water and temperature for understanding the complex dynamics of our planet.

2 000 000 €

Start date: 2016-06-01, End date: 2021-05-31

Programmable biomolecular circuits have received increasing attention in recent years as the scope of chemistry expands from the synthesis of individual molecules to the construction of chemical networks that can perform sophisticated functions such as logic operations and feedback control. Rationally engineered biomolecular circuits that robustly execute higher-order spatiotemporal behaviours typically associated with intracellular regulatory functions present a unique and uncharted platform to systematically explore the molecular logic and physical design principles of the cell. The experience gained by in-vitro construction of artificial cells displaying advanced system-level functions deepens our understanding of regulatory networks in living cells and allows theoretical assumptions and models to be refined in a controlled setting. This proposal combines elements from systems chemistry, in-vitro synthetic biology and micro-engineering and explores generic strategies to investigate the molecular logic of biology’s regulatory circuits by applying a physical chemistry-driven bottom-up approach. Progress in this field requires 1) proof-of-principle systems where in-vitro biomolecular circuits are designed to emulate characteristic system-level functions of regulatory circuits in living cells and 2) novel experimental tools to operate biochemical networks under out-of-equilibrium conditions. Here, a comprehensive research program is proposed that addresses these challenges by engineering three biochemical model systems that display elementary signal transduction and information processing capabilities. In addition, an open microfluidic droplet reactor is developed that will allow, for the first time, high-throughput analysis of biomolecular circuits encapsulated in water-in-oil droplets. An integral part of the research program is to combine the computational design of in-vitro circuits with novel biochemistry and innovative micro-engineering tools.

1 887 180 €

Start date: 2016-08-01, End date: 2021-07-31

Implants are often employed in orthopaedic and dental surgeries. However, risks of failure, which are difficult to anticipate, are still experienced and may have dramatic consequences. Failures are due to degraded bone remodeling at the bone-implant interface, a multiscale phenomenon of an interdisciplinary nature which remains poorly understood. The objective of BoneImplant is to provide a better understanding of the multiscale and multitime mechanisms at work at the bone-implant interface. To do so, BoneImplant aims at studying the evolution of the biomechanical properties of bone tissue around an implant during the remodeling process. A methodology involving combined in vivo, in vitro and in silico approaches is proposed. New modeling approaches will be developed in close synergy with the experiments. Molecular dynamic computations will be used to understand fluid flow in nanoscopic cavities, a phenomenon determining bone healing process. Generalized continuum theories will be necessary to model bone tissue due to the important strain field around implants. Isogeometric mortar formulation will allow to simulate the bone-implant interface in a stable and efficient manner. In vivo experiments realized under standardized conditions will be realized on the basis of feasibility studies. A multimodality and multi-physical experimental approach will be carried out to assess the biomechanical properties of newly formed bone tissue as a function of the implant environment. The experimental approach aims at estimating the effective adhesion energy and the potentiality of quantitative ultrasound imaging to assess different biomechanical properties of the interface. Results will be used to design effective loading clinical procedures of implants and to optimize implant conception, leading to the development of therapeutic and diagnostic techniques. The development of quantitative ultrasonic techniques to monitor implant stability has a potential for industrial transfer.

1 992 154 €

Start date: 2016-10-01, End date: 2021-09-30

The cosmological paradigm of structure formation is both extremely successful and plagued by many enigmas. Not only the nature of the main matter component, dark matter, shaping the structure skeleton in the form of a cosmic web, is mysterious; but also half of the ordinary matter (i.e. baryons) at late times of the cosmic history, remains unobserved, or hidden! ByoPiC focuses on this key and currently unresolved issue in astrophysics and cosmology: Where and how are half of the baryons hidden at late times? ByoPiC will answer that central question by detecting, mapping, and assessing the physical properties of hot ionised baryons at large cosmic scales and at late times. This will give a completely new picture of the cosmic web, added to its standard tracers, i.e. galaxies made of cold and dense baryons. To this end, ByoPiC will perform the first statistically consistent, joint analysis of complementary multiwavelength data: Planck observations tracing hot, ionised baryons via the Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect, optimally combined with optical and near infrared galaxy surveys as tracers of cold baryons. This joint analysis will rely on innovative statistical tools to recover all the (cross)information contained in these data in order to detect most of the hidden baryons in cosmic web elements such as (super)clusters and filaments. These newly detected elements will then be assembled to reconstruct the cosmic web as traced by both hot ionised baryons and galaxies. Thanks to that, ByoPiC will perform the most complete and detailed assessment of the census and contribution of hot ionised baryons to the total baryon budget, and identify the main physical processes driving their evolution in the cosmic web. Catalogues of new (super)clusters and filaments, and innovative tools, will be key deliverable products, allowing for an optimal preparation of future surveys.

2 488 350 €

Start date: 2017-01-01, End date: 2021-12-31

Amines are crucially important classes of chemicals, widely present in pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals and surfactants. Yet, surprisingly, a systematic approach to obtaining this essential class of compounds from renewables has not been realized to date. The aim of this proposal is to enable chemical pathways for the production of amines through alcohols from renewable resources, preferably lignocellulose waste. Two key scientific challenges will be addressed: The development of efficient cleavage reactions of complex renewable resources by novel heterogeneous catalysts; and finding new homogeneous catalyst based on earth-abundant metals for the atom-economic coupling of the derived alcohol building blocks directly with ammonia as well as possible further functionalization reactions. The program is divided into 3 interrelated but not mutually dependent work packages, each research addressing a key challenge in their respective fields, these are: WP1: Lignin conversion to aromatics; WP2: Cellulose-derived platform chemicals to aromatic and aliphatic diols and solvents. WP3: New iron-based homogeneous catalysts for the direct, atom-economic C-O to C-N transformations. The approach taken will embrace the inherent complexity present in the renewable feedstock. A unique balance between cleavage and coupling pathways will allow to access chemical diversity in products that is necessary to achieve economic competitiveness with current fossil fuel-based pathways and will permit rapid conversion to higher value products such as functionalized amines that can enter the chemical supply chain at a much later stage than bulk chemicals derived from petroleum. The proposed high risk-high gain research will push the frontiers of sustainable and green chemistry and reach well beyond state of the art in this area. This universal, flexible and iterative approach is anticipated to give rise to a variety of similar systems targeting diverse product outcomes starting from renewables.

1 500 000 €

Start date: 2016-05-01, End date: 2021-04-30

For nearly thirty years, the search for a room-temperature superconductor has focused on exotic materials known as cuprates, obtained by doping a parent Mott insulator, and which can carry currents without losing energy as heat at temperatures up to 164 Kelvin. Conventionally three main players were identified as being crucial i) the Mott insulating phase, ii) the anti-ferromagnetic order and iii) the superconducting (SC) phase. Recently a body of experimental probes suggested the presence of a fourth forgotten player, charge ordering-, as a direct competitor for superconductivity. In this project we propose that the relationship between charge ordering and superconductivity is more intimate than previously thought and is protected by an emerging SU(2) symmetry relating the two. The beauty of our theory resides in that it can be encapsulated in one simple and universal “gap equation”, which in contrast to strong coupling approaches used up to now, can easily be connected to experiments. In the first part of this work, we will refine the theoretical model in order to shape it for comparison with experiments and consistently test the SU(2) symmetry. In the second part of the work, we will search for the experimental signatures of our theory through a back and forth interaction with experimental groups. We expect our theory to generate new insights and experimental developments, and to lead to a major breakthrough if it correctly explains the origin of anomalous superconductivity in these materials.

1 318 145 €

Start date: 2016-08-01, End date: 2021-07-31

This project aims to develop two arrays of questions at the heart of harmonic analysis, probability and operator theory: Multi-parameter harmonic analysis. Through the use of wavelet methods in harmonic analysis, we plan to shed new light on characterizations for boundedness of multi-parameter versions of classical Hankel operators in a variety of settings. The classical Nehari's theorem on the disk (1957) has found an important generalization to Hilbert space valued functions, known as Page's theorem. A relevant extension of Nehari's theorem to the bi-disk had been a long standing problem, finally solved in 2000, through novel harmonic analysis methods. It's operator analog remains unknown and constitutes part of this proposal. Sharp estimates for Calderon-Zygmund operators and martingale inequalities. We make use of the interplay between objects central to Harmonic analysis, such as the Hilbert transform, and objects central to probability theory, martingales. This connection has seen many faces, such as in the UMD space classification by Bourgain and Burkholder or in the formula of Gundy-Varapoulos, that uses orthogonal martingales to model the behavior of the Hilbert transform. Martingale methods in combination with optimal control have advanced an array of questions in harmonic analysis in recent years. In this proposal we wish to continue this direction as well as exploit advances in dyadic harmonic analysis for use in questions central to probability. There is some focus on weighted estimates in a non-commutative and scalar setting, in the understanding of discretizations of classical operators, such as the Hilbert transform and their role played when acting on functions defined on discrete groups. From a martingale standpoint, jump processes come into play. Another direction is the use of numerical methods in combination with harmonic analysis achievements for martingale estimates.

1 523 963 €

Start date: 2017-01-01, End date: 2021-12-31

The key objective of this project is to promote cleaner and more efficient combustion technologies through the development of theoretically grounded and more accurate chemical models. This is motivated by the fact that the current models which have been developed for the combustion of constituents of gasoline, kerosene, and diesel fuels do a reasonable job in predicting auto-ignition and flame propagation parameters, and the formation of the main regulated pollutants. However their success rate deteriorates sharply in the prediction of the formation of minor products (alkenes, dienes, aromatics, aldehydes) and soot nano-particles, which have a deleterious impact on both the environment and on human health. At the same time, despite an increasing emphasis in shifting from hydrocarbon fossil fuels to bio-fuels (particularly bioethanol and biodiesel), there is a great lack of chemical models for the combustion of oxygenated reactants. The main scientific focus will then be to enlarge and deepen the understanding of the reaction mechanisms and pathways associated with the combustion of an increased range of fuels (hydrocarbons and oxygenated compounds) and to elucidate the formation of a large number of hazardous minor pollutants. The core of the project is to describe at a fundamental level more accurately the reactive chemistry of minor pollutants within extensively validated detailed mechanisms for not only traditional fuels, but also innovative surrogates, describing the complex chemistry of new environmentally important bio-fuels. At the level of individual reactions rate constants, generalized rate constant classes and molecular data will be enhanced by using techniques based on quantum mechanics and on statistical mechanics. Experimental data for validation will be obtained in well defined laboratory reactors by using analytical methods of increased accuracy.

1 869 450 €

Start date: 2008-12-01, End date: 2013-11-30

One third of the burden of all the diseases in Europe is due to problems caused by diseases affecting brain. Although exceptional progress has been obtained for exploring it during the past decades, the brain is still terra-incognita and calls for specic research efforts to better understand its architecture and functioning. CoBCoM is our response to this great challenge of modern science with the overall goal to develop a joint Dynamical Structural-Functional Brain Connectivity Network (DSF-BCN) solidly grounded on advanced and integrated methods for diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging (dMRI) and Electro & Magneto-Encephalography (EEG & MEG). To take up this grand challenge and achieve new frontiers for brain connectivity mapping, we will develop a new generation of computational models and methods for identifying and characterizing the structural and functional connectivities that will be at the heart of the DSF-BCN. Our strategy is to break with the tradition to incrementally and separately contributing to structure or function and develop a global approach involving strong interactions between structural and functional connectivities. To solve the limited view of the brain provided just by one imaging modality, our models will be developed under a rigorous computational framework integrating complementary non invasive imaging modalities: dMRI, EEG and MEG. CoBCoM will push far forward the state-of-the-art in these modalities, developing innovative models and ground-breaking processing tools to provide in-fine a joint DSF-BCN solidly grounded on a detailed mapping of the brain connectivity, both in space and time. Capitalizing on the strengths of dMRI, MEG & EEG methodologies and building on the bio- physical and mathematical foundations of our new generation of computational models, CoBCoM will be applied to high-impact diseases, and its ground-breaking computational nature and added clinical value will open new perspectives in neuroimaging.

2 469 123 €

Start date: 2016-09-01, End date: 2021-08-31

Photoacoustic imaging is an emerging multi-wave imaging modality that couples light excitation to acoustic detection, via the photoacoustic effect (sound generation via light absorption). Photoacoustic imaging provides images of optical absorption (as opposed to optical scattering). In addition, as photoacoustic imaging relies on detecting ultrasound waves that are very weakly scattered in biological tissue, it provides acoustic-resolution images of optical absorption non-invasively at large depths (up to several cm), where purely optical techniques have a poor resolution because of multiple scattering. As for conventional purely optical approaches, optical-resolution photoacoustic microscopy can also be performed non-invasively for shallow depth (< 1 mm), or invasively at depth by endoscopic approaches. However, photoacoustic imaging suffers several limitations. For imaging at greater depths, non-invasive photoacoustic imaging in the acoustic-resolution regime is limited by a depth-to-resolution ratio of about 100, because ultrasound attenuation increases with frequency. Optical-resolution photoacoustic endoscopy has very recently been introduced as a complementary approach, but is currently limited in terms of resolution (> 6 µm) and footprint (diameter > 2 mm). The overall objective of COHERENCE is to break the above limitations and reach diffraction-limited optical-resolution photoacoustic imaging at depth in tissue in vivo. To do so, the core concept of COHERENCE is to use and manipulate coherent light in photoacoustic imaging. Specifically, COHERENCE will develop novel methods based on speckle illumination, wavefront shaping and super-resolution imaging. COHERENCE will result in two prototypes for tissue imaging, an optical-resolution photoacoustic endoscope for minimally-invasive any-depth tissue imaging, and a non-invasive photoacoustic microscope with enhanced depth-to-resolution ratio, up to optical resolution in the multiply-scattered light regime.

2 116 290 €

Start date: 2016-10-01, End date: 2021-09-30

The objective of this ambitious research proposal is to push forward the frontier of computational cosmology by significantly improving the precision of numerical models on par with the increasing richness and depth of surveys that aim to shed light on the nature of dark matter and dark energy. Using new phase-space techniques for the simulation and analysis of dark matter, completely new insights into its dynamics are possible. They allow, for the first time, the accurate simulation of dark matter cosmologies with suppressed small-scale power without artificial fragmentation. Using such techniques, I will establish highly accurate predictions for the properties of dark matter and baryons on small scales and investigate the formation of the first galaxies in non-CDM cosmologies. Baryonic effects on cosmological observables are a severe limiting factor in interpreting cosmological measurements. I will investigate their impact by identifying the relevant astrophysical processes in relation to the multi-wavelength properties of galaxy clusters and the galaxies they host. This will be enabled by a statistical set of zoom simulations where it is possible to study how these properties correlate with one another, with the assembly history, and how we can derive better models for unresolved baryonic processes in cosmological simulations and thus, ultimately, how we can improve the power of cosmological surveys. Finally, I will develop a completely unified framework for precision cosmological initial conditions (ICs) that is scalable to both the largest simulations and the highest resolution zoom simulations. Bringing ICs into the ‘cloud’ will enable new statistical studies using zoom simulations and increase the reproducibility of simulations within the community. My previous work in developing most of the underlying techniques puts me in an excellent position to lead a research group that is able to successfully approach such a wide-ranging and ambitious project.

1 471 382 €

Start date: 2016-09-01, End date: 2021-08-31

The Greenland ice sheet (GrIS) is losing mass at an increasing pace, in response to atmospheric and ocean forcing. The mechanisms leading to the observed mass loss are poorly understood. It is not clear whether the current trends will be sustained into the future, and how they are affected by regional and global climate variability. In addition, the impacts of Greenland deglaciation on the local and global climate are not well known. This project aims to explain the relationship between GrIS surface melt trends and climate variability, to determine the timing and impacts of multi-century deglaciation of Greenland, and to explain the relationship between ongoing and previous deglaciations during the last interglacial and the Holocene. For this purpose, we will use the Community Earth System Model (CESM), the first full-complexity global climate model to include interactive ice sheet flow and a realistic and physical-based simulation of surface mass balance (the difference between surface accumulation and losses from runoff and sublimation). This tool will include for the first time a large range of temporal and spatial scales of ice sheet-climate interaction in the same model. Previous work has been done with oversimplified and/or uncoupled representations of ice sheet and climate processes, for instance with simplified ocean and/or atmospheric dynamics in Earth System Models of Intermediate Complexity, with fixed topography and prescribed ocean components in Regional Climate Models, or with highly parameterized snow albedo and/or melt schemes in General Circulation Models. This project will provide new insights into the coupling between the GrIS and climate change, will lead widespread integration of ice sheets as a new and indispensable component of complex Earth System Models, and will advance our understanding of present and past climate dynamics.

1 677 282 €

Start date: 2016-06-01, End date: 2021-05-31

This proposal aims to develop a combination of a chirped-pulse (sub)mm-wave rotational spectrometer with uniform supersonic flows generated by expansion of gases through Laval nozzles and apply it to problems at the frontiers of reaction kinetics. The CRESU (Reaction Kinetics in Uniform Supersonic Flow) technique, combined with laser photochemical methods, has been applied with great success to perform research in gas-phase chemical kinetics at low temperatures, of particular interest for astrochemistry and cold planetary atmospheres. Recently, the PI has been involved in the development of a new combination of the revolutionary chirped pulse broadband rotational spectroscopy technique invented by B. Pate and co-workers with a novel pulsed CRESU, which we have called Chirped Pulse in Uniform Flow (CPUF). Rotational cooling by frequent collisions with cold buffer gas in the CRESU flow at ca. 20 K drastically increases the sensitivity of the technique, making broadband rotational spectroscopy suitable for detecting a wide range of transient species, such as photodissociation or reaction products. We propose to exploit the exceptional quality of the Rennes CRESU flows to build an improved CPUF instrument (only the second worldwide), and use it for the quantitative determination of product branching ratios in elementary chemical reactions over a wide temperature range (data which are sorely lacking as input to models of gas-phase chemical environments), as well as the detection of reactive intermediates and the testing of modern reaction kinetics theory. Low temperature reactions will be initially targeted; as it is here that there is the greatest need for data. A challenging development of the technique towards the study of high temperature reactions is also proposed, exploiting existing expertise in high enthalpy sources.

2 100 230 €

Start date: 2016-09-01, End date: 2021-08-31

Digital technologies are reconfiguring medical practices in ways we still don’t understand. This research project seeks to examine the impact of the digital in medicine by studying the role of pedagogical technologies in how doctors learn the skills of their profession. It focuses on the centuries-old skill of physical examination; a sensing of the body, through the body. Increasingly medical students are learning these skills away from the bedside, through videos, simulated models and in laboratories. My research team will interrogate how learning with these technologies impacts on how doctors learn to sense bodies. Through the rich case of doctors-in-training the study addresses a key challenge in social scientific scholarship regarding how technologies, particularly those digital and virtual, are implicated in bodily, sensory knowing of the world. Our research takes a historically-attuned comparative anthropology approach, advancing the social study of medicine and medical education research in three new directions. First, a team of three ethnographers will attend to both spectacular and mundane technologies in medical education, recognising that everyday learning situations are filled with technologies old and new. Second, it offers the first comparative social study of medical education with fieldwork in three materially and culturally different settings in Western and Eastern Europe, and West Africa. Finally, the study brings historical and ethnographic research of technologies closer together, with a historian conducting oral histories and archival research at each site. Findings will have impact in the social sciences and education research by advancing understanding of how the digital and other technologies are implicated in skills learning. The study will develop novel digital-sensory methodologies and boldly, a new theory of techno-perception. These academic contributions will have practical relevance by improving the training of doctors in digital times.

1 361 507 €

Start date: 2016-03-01, End date: 2021-02-28

Statistical mechanics, a century-old theory, is probably one of the most powerful constructions of physics. It predicts that the equilibrium properties of any system composed of a large number of particles depend only on a handful of macroscopic parameters, no matter how the particles interact with each other. But the question of how many-body systems relax towards such equilibrium states remains largely unsolved. This problem is especially acute for quantum systems, which evolve in a much larger mathematical space than the classical space-time and obey non-local equations of motion. Despite the formidable complexity of quantum dynamics, recent theoretical advances have put forward a very simple picture: the dynamics of closed quantum many-body systems would be essentially local, meaning that it would take a finite time for correlations between two distant regions of space to reach their equilibrium value. This locality would be an emergent collective property, similar to spontaneous symmetry breaking, and have its origin in the propagation of quasiparticle excitations. The fact is, however, that only few observations directly confirm this scenario. In particular, the role played by the dimensionality and the interaction range is largely unknown. The concept of this project is to take advantage of the great versatility offered by ultracold atom systems to investigate experimentally the relaxation dynamics in regimes well beyond the boundaries of our current knowledge. We will focus our attention on two-dimensional systems with both short- and long-range interactions, when all previous experiments were bound to one-dimensional systems. The realisation of the project will hinge on the construction on a new-generation quantum gas microscope experiment for strontium gases. Amongst the innovative techniques that we will implement is the electronic state hybridisation with Rydberg states, called Rydberg dressing.

1 500 000 €

Start date: 2016-05-01, End date: 2021-04-30

We propose the development of new electrochemical techniques for health and life sciences applications in Lab-on-a-Chip devices. A Scanning ElectroChemical Microscope (SECM) will be used to study surface properties, such as local consumption and/or release of electroactive chemical compounds by (single) cells by electrochemical sensing, new detection methods for proteins using redox cycling, and new separation methods for DNA exploiting nanoscale electrical field gradients. The ability to generate and control electrical fields (and gradients) at the scale of the size of biomolecules using nanostructures, and the simple translation of novel electrical methods into practical Lab-on-a-Chip devices will create a breakthrough in bioanalytical methods. The knowledge and expertise obtained from SECM experimentation will be used to design and realize Labs-on-a-Chip that can be used for efficient production of drugs by electrofused cells, for early biomarker detection using nanowires and nano-spaced electrodes (Point-of-Care application), and rapid DNA analysis using nanofluidic structures. Besides this, the results can have great benefits for study of embryonic cell growth and for advanced tissue engineering. The results will be translated into devices and systems that can be used in Point-of-Care (POC) applications and will bring this area a big step closer to successful commercialization.

2 382 442 €

Start date: 2008-12-01, End date: 2013-10-31

This proposal will advance the theory of quantum error correction towards its application in real physical devices, in particular superconducting transmon qubit systems. The research will result in proposals for experiments: how to use physical qubits to redundantly represent logical quantum information and how error information can be obtained and classically processed. The research will consider novel ways of using transmon qubits to achieve a universal fault-tolerant surface code architecture. The research will produce a design of a universal fault-tolerant architecture in which qubits are encoded in the electromagnetic field of a (microwave) cavity. Research will also focus on mathematical and numerical studies in quantum error correction which are technology-independent, but shed light on coding overhead, decoding efficiency and logical universality.

1 786 563 €

Start date: 2016-04-01, End date: 2021-03-31

Chiral molecules exist as two forms, so-called enantiomers, which have essentially the same physical and chemical properties and can only be distinguished via their interaction with a chiral system, such as circularly polarized light. Many biological processes are chiral-sensitive and unraveling the dynamical aspects of chirality is of prime importance for chemistry, biology and pharmacology. Studying the ultrafast electron dynamics of chiral processes requires characterization techniques at the attosecond (10−18 s) time-scale. Molecular attosecond spectroscopy has the potential to resolve the couplings between electronic and nuclear degrees of freedom in such chiral chemical processes. There are, however, two major challenges: the generation of chiral attosecond light pulse, and the development of highly sensitive chiral discrimination techniques for time-resolved spectroscopy in the gas phase. This ERC research project aims at developing vectorial attosecond spectroscopy using elliptical strong fields and circular attosecond pulses, and to apply it for the investigation of chiral molecules. To achieve this, I will (1) establish a new type of highly sensitive chiroptical spectroscopy using high-order harmonic generation by elliptical laser fields; (2) create and characterize sources of circular attosecond pulses; (3) use trains of circularly polarized attosecond pulses to probe the dynamics of photoionization of chiral molecules and (4) deploy ultrafast dynamical measurements to address the link between nuclear geometry and electronic chirality. The developments from this project will set a landmark in the field of chiral recognition. They will also completely change the way ellipticity is considered in attosecond science and have an impact far beyond the study of chiral compounds, opening new perspectives for the resolution of the fastest dynamics occurring in polyatomic molecules and solid state physics.

1 691 865 €

Start date: 2016-09-01, End date: 2021-08-31

Recent surveys have revealed an amazing, and yet unexplained, diversity of planets orbiting other stars. The key to understanding and exploiting this diversity is to study their atmospheres. This is because exoplanets’ atmospheres are unique laboratories that hold the potential to transform our understanding of planet formation, physics, and habitability. This is a new opportunity to place the Solar System and the Earth’s ecosystem in a broader context; one of the main goals of modern astrophysics.  The aim of this proposal is to leverage exoplanet detections, as well as observational capabilities and theoretical frameworks, to deepen and broaden our understanding of planetary physics. This project will transform the field of exoplanet atmospheres by contributing to three major advances. We will: i) push exoplanet characterization new frontiers by providing the largest in-depth study of atmospheres through the measurements of precise spectra, and the retrieval of their composition, in order to constrain their origins; ii) reveal for the first time global exo-climate through a novel method to probe atmospheric structure and dynamics; and iii) pioneer an innovative approach that uses robotic small telescopes to estimate the impact of stellar radiation on atmospheres, with a particular focus on their habitability. Theses objectives will be achieved via an ambitious portfolio of cutting-edge observations, combined with state-of-the-art modelling for their interpretation. Their accomplishment would be a major breakthrough, culminating in a comprehensive comparative exoplanetology, which in turn will open up new key discoveries in planetary formation and evolution. Our expertise will also enable predictions on conditions for habitability and direct the search atmospheric biosignatures with upcoming capabilities. The impact of our discoveries will go well beyond the scientific community since the quest of our origins is of interest to mankind.

2 000 000 €

Start date: 2016-03-01, End date: 2021-02-28

Data is often available in matrix form, in which columns are samples, and processing of such data often entails finding an approximate factorisation of the matrix in two factors. The first factor yields recurring patterns characteristic of the data. The second factor describes in which proportions each data sample is made of these patterns. Latent factor estimation (LFE) is the problem of finding such a factorisation, usually under given constraints. LFE appears under other domain-specific names such as dictionary learning, low-rank approximation, factor analysis or latent semantic analysis. It is used for tasks such as dimensionality reduction, unmixing, soft clustering, coding or matrix completion in very diverse fields. In this project, I propose to explore three new paradigms that push the frontiers of traditional LFE. First, I want to break beyond the ubiquitous Gaussian assumption, a practical choice that too rarely complies with the nature and geometry of the data. Estimation in non-Gaussian models is more difficult, but recent work in audio and text processing has shown that it pays off in practice. Second, in traditional settings the data matrix is often a collection of features computed from raw data. These features are computed with generic off-the-shelf transforms that loosely preprocess the data, setting a limit to performance. I propose a new paradigm in which an optimal low-rank inducing transform is learnt together with the factors in a single step. Thirdly, I show that the dominant deterministic approach to LFE should be reconsidered and I propose a novel statistical estimation paradigm, based on the marginal likelihood, with enhanced capabilities. The new methodology is applied to real-world problems with societal impact in audio signal processing (speech enhancement, music remastering), remote sensing (Earth observation, cosmic object discovery) and data mining (multimodal information retrieval, user recommendation).

1 931 776 €

Start date: 2016-09-01, End date: 2021-08-31

The 39-m European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT) has the potential to directly observe and characterize habitable exoplanets, but current technologies are unable to sufficiently suppress the starlight very close to the star. I propose to develop a novel instrumental approach with breakthrough contrast performance by combining coronagraphs based on brand-new liquid crystal technology, and sensitive imaging polarimetry. The novel coronagraphs will provide an achromatic rejection of starlight even right next to the star such that exoplanets can be imaged efficiently in broadband light and characterized through spectropolarimetry. The coronagraphs will incorporate focal-plane wavefront sensing and polarimetry to achieve an ultimate contrast of 1E-9, which will enable the E-ELT to observe habitable exoplanets. We will prototype coronagraph designs of increasing contrast performance, validate them in the lab, and apply them on-sky using 6-8 meter class telescopes. With our coronagraphs that offer a contrast improvement by a factor of 10 as compared to current systems in 360-degree dark holes, we will search for self-luminous exoplanets very close to stars at thermal infrared wavelengths, and characterize known targets with multi-wavelength observations. Through accurate photometry and polarimetry, we will study their atmospheric hazes. By combining liquid-crystal coronagraphy with sensitive polarimetry, we will study the inner regions of protoplanetary disks to find signs of planet formation. By manipulating both phase and amplitude in pupil and focal planes, we will establish hybrid coronagraph systems that combine the strengths of individual concepts, and that can be adapted to the telescope mirror segmentation and the observational strategy. The proposed research will demonstrate the technologies necessary for building an instrument for the E-ELT that can successfully study rocky exoplanets in the habitable zones of nearby stars.

1 499 522 €

Start date: 2016-04-01, End date: 2021-03-31

Graphene redirected the pathways of solid-state physics with a revival of 2-D materials showing Dirac physics due to their honeycomb geometry. The charge carriers are fundamentally different from those in conventional electronic systems: the energy vs. wave vector relationship is linear instead of quadratic, resulting in Dirac bands with massless carriers. A genuinely new class of materials will emerge provided that classic semiconductor compounds can be molded in the nanoscale honeycomb geometry: The Dirac-type band structure is then combined with the beneficial properties of semiconductors, e.g. a band gap, optical and electrical switching, and strong spin-orbit coupling. The PI recently prepared atomically coherent 2-D PbSe and CdSe semiconductors by nanocrystal assembly and epitaxial attachment. Moreover, he showed theoretically that these systems combine a semiconductor gap with Dirac-type valence and conduction bands, while the strong spin-orbit coupling results in the quantum spin Hall effect. The ERC advanced grant will allow him to develop a robust bottom-up synthesis platform for 2-D metal-chalcogenide semiconductor compounds with honeycomb nanoscale geometry. The PI will study their band structure and opto-electronic properties using several types of scanning tunnelling micro-spectroscopy and optical spectroscopy. The Fermilevel will be controlled with an electrolyte-gated transistor in order to measure the carrier transport properties. The results will be compared directly with those obtained on the same 2-D semiconductors without honeycomb geometry, hence showing the conventional band structure. This should unambiguously reveal the Dirac features of honeycomb semiconductors: valence band and conduction band Dirac cones, non-trivial band openings at the K-points that may host the quantum spin Hall effect, and non-trivial flat bands. 2-D semiconductors with massless holes and electrons open new opportunities in opto-electronic devices and spintronics.

2 500 000 €

Start date: 2016-12-01, End date: 2021-11-30

The future of the computing technology relies on fast access, transformation, and exchange of data across large-scale networks such as the Internet. The design of software systems that support high-frequency parallel accesses to high-quantity data is a fundamental challenge. As more scalable alternatives to traditional relational databases, distributed data structures (DDSs) are at the basis of a wide range of automated services, for now, and for the foreseeable future. This proposal aims to improve our understanding of the theoretical foundations of DDSs. The design and the usage of DDSs are based on new principles, for which we currently lack rigorous engineering methodologies. Specifically, we lack design procedures based on precise specifications, and automated reasoning techniques for enhancing the reliability of the engineering process. The targeted breakthrough of this proposal is developing automated formal methods for rigorous engineering of DDSs. A first objective is to define coherent formal specifications that provide precise requirements at design time and explicit guarantees during their usage. Then, we will investigate practical programming principles, compatible with these specifications, for building applications that use DDSs. Finally, we will develop efficient automated reasoning techniques for debugging or validating DDS implementations against their specifications. The principles underlying automated reasoning are also important for identifying best practices in the design of these complex systems to increase confidence in their correctness. The developed methodologies based on formal specifications will thus benefit both the conception and automated validation of DDS implementations and the applications that use them.

1 300 000 €

Start date: 2016-05-01, End date: 2021-04-30

"Studies of high redshift galaxies require very deep Near-IR imaging. This allows the study of z=2-4 galaxies redward of the Balmer/4000 Angstrom break, and the detection of UV-bright galaxies at z>7. Two new facilities wil revolutionize these studies: the VISTA telescope built for ESO, and the Near-IR channel on WF3 for HST. They will become available at the start of the grant period. We propose to build a group to analyze the imaging data from these facilities. We will make use of the fact that I am Co-PI on the ultra-deep ""ULTRA-VISTA"" survey on the VISTA telescope, and we will analyze public and privately proposed data from WF3. The following science questions will be addressed: (1) what is the origin and evolution of the Hubble sequence out to z=3, (2) what is the evolution of the Luminosity Function of UV bright galaxies between z=6 to z=11, and what galaxies cause re-ionization, (3) how does the mass function of quiescent and star forming galaxies evolve to z=4, and how do the correlation functions of subpopulations evolve as a function of redshift. A crucial component of this proposal is the request for support for a junior faculty position. This person will take on the lead for the highly specialized data processing, and will supervise the analysis of the selection effects, and other crucial components needed for a proper analysis."

1 471 200 €

Start date: 2009-09-01, End date: 2014-08-31

Conduction electrons in the carbon monolayer known as graphene have zero effective mass. This property offers unique opportunities for fast electronics, if we can somehow learn to control the dynamics of particles which have a charge but no mass. Fresh ideas are needed for this purpose, since an electric field is incapable of stopping a massless electron (its velocity being energy independent). The applicant and his group at the Lorentz Institute for Theoretical Physics in Leiden University have started exploring the new physics of graphene soon after the announcement two years ago of the discovery of massless electrons in this material. We have identified several promising control mechanisms, and are now ready to embark on a systematic search. Our objective is to discover ways to manipulate in a controlled manner three independent electronic degrees of freedom: charge, spin, and valley. The charge is the primary carrier of classical information, being strongly coupled to the environment, while the spin is the primary carrier of quantum information, in view of its weak coupling to the environment. The valley degree of freedom (which defines the chirality of the massless particles) is intermediate between charge and spin with regard to the coupling to the environment, and provides some unique opportunities for control. In particular, we have the idea that by acting on the valley rather than on the charge it would be possible to fully block the electronic current (something which an electric field by itself is incapable of). To study these effects we will need to develop new methodologies, since the established methods to model quantum transport in nanostructures are unsuitable for massless carriers.

1 563 800 €

Start date: 2009-06-01, End date: 2013-10-31

Very little is understood of the physics governing the Giant Impact and the subsequent formation of the Moon. According to this model an impactor hit the proto-Earth; the resulting energy was enough to melt and partially vaporize the two bodies generating a large protolunar disk, from which the Earth-Moon couple formed. Hydrodynamic simulations of the impact and the subsequent evolution of the protolunar disk are currently based on models of equations of state and phase diagrams that are unconstrained by experiments or calculations. Estimates of the positions of critical points, when available at all, vary by one order of magnitude in both temperature and density. Here we propose to compute the thermodynamics of the major rock-forming minerals and rock aggregates, and use it to study the formation and evolution of the protolunar disk. For this we employ a unique combination of atomistic state-of-the-art ab initio simulations. We use large-scale density-functional theory (DFT) molecular dynamics to study bulk fluids, coupled with Green functions (GW) and time-dependent DFT techniques to analyze atomic clusters and molecular species. We compute the vaporization curves, position the supercritical points, and characterize the sub-critical and supercritical regimes. We construct equations of state of the rocks at the conditions of the giant impact that are beyond current experimental capabilities. We employ a multiscale approach to bridge the gap between atomic, geological sample, and planetary scales via thermodynamics; we simulate the thermal profile through the disk, the ratio between liquid and vapor, and the speciation. From speciation we predict elemental and isotopic partitioning during condensation. Plausible impact scenarios, features of the impactor and of the proto-Earth will be constrained with a feedback loop, until convergence between predictions of final Earth-Moon compositions and observations is reached.

1 900 000 €

Start date: 2016-09-01, End date: 2021-08-31

The main geochemical features of the mantles of terrestrial planets and asteroids can be attributed to differentiation events that occurred during or shortly after the formation of the Solar System. Numerous questions remain regarding the Earth’s bulk composition and the most likely scenario for its evolution prior to the last major differentiation event caused by a giant impact leading to the formation of the Moon. The aim of this five-year project is to evaluate the state-of-the-art models of the Earth’s early evolution with the following main objectives: (i) Defining precisely the age of the Moon’s formation, (ii) Refining the giant impact model and the Earth-Moon relationship, (iii) Dating the successive magmatic ocean stages on Earth, and (iv) Constraining the Earth mantle’s composition in terms of rare earth element concentrations. These different questions will be addressed using trace elements, radiogenic isotopic systematics (146Sm-142Nd, 147Sm-143Nd, 138La-138Ce) and stable isotopes. ISOREE is a multi-disciplinary project that combines isotope and trace element geochemistry, experimental geochemistry and spectroscopy. A large number of samples will be analysed, including terrestrial rocks with ages up to 3.8 Ga, chondrites, achondrites and lunar samples. This proposal will provide the tools to tackle a vast topic from various angles, using new methodologies and instrumentation and promoting innovation and creativity in European research. This research program is essential to further constrain the major events that occurred very early on in the Earth’s history, such as the Earth’s cooling, its crustal growth, the surface conditions and development of potential habitats for life.

2 200 000 €

Start date: 2016-09-01, End date: 2021-08-31

Time-series of multimodal medical images offer a unique opportunity to track anatomical and functional alterations of the brain in aging individuals. A collection of such time series for several individuals forms a longitudinal data set, each data being a rich iconic-geometric representation of the brain anatomy and function. These data are already extraordinary complex and variable across individuals. Taking the temporal component into account further adds difficulty, in that each individual follows a different trajectory of changes, and at a different pace. Furthermore, a disease is here a progressive departure from an otherwise normal scenario of aging, so that one could not think of normal and pathologic brain aging as distinct categories, as in the standard case-control paradigm. Bio-statisticians lack a suitable methodological framework to exhibit from these data the typical trajectories and dynamics of brain alterations, and the effects of a disease on these trajectories, thus limiting the investigation of essential clinical questions. To change this situation, we propose to construct virtual dynamical models of brain aging by learning typical spatiotemporal patterns of alterations propagation from longitudinal iconic-geometric data sets. By including concepts of the Riemannian geometry into Bayesian mixed effect models, the project will introduce general principles to average complex individual trajectories of iconic-geometric changes and align the pace at which these trajectories are followed. It will estimate a set of elementary spatiotemporal patterns, which combine to yield a personal aging scenario for each individual. Disease-specific patterns will be detected with an increasing likelihood. This new generation of statistical and computational tools will unveil clusters of patients sharing similar lesion propagation profiles, paving the way to design more specific treatments, and care patients when treatments have the highest chance of success.

1 499 894 €

Start date: 2016-09-01, End date: 2021-08-31

This research project is organized along three seemingly unrelated directions: (1) Mathematical Liouville gravity deals with the geometry of large random planar maps. Historically, conformal invariance was a key ingredient in the construction of Liouville gravity in the physics literature. Conformal invariance has been restored recently with an attempt of understanding large random combinatorial planar maps once conformally embedded in the plane. The geometry induced by these embeddings is conjecturally described by the exponential of a highly oscillating distribution, the Gaussian Free Field. This conjecture is part of a broader program aimed at rigorously understanding the celebrated KPZ relation. The first major goal of my project is to make significant progress towards the completion of this program. I will combine for this several tools such as Liouville Brownian motion, circle packings, QLE processes and Bouchaud trap models. (2) Euclidean statistical physics is closely related to area (1) through the above KPZ relation. I plan to push further the analysis of critical statistical physics models successfully initiated by the works of Schramm and Smirnov. I will focus in particular on dynamics at and near critical points with a special emphasis on the so-called noise sensitivity of these systems. (3) 3d turbulence. A more tractable ambition than solving Navier-Stokes equation is to construct explicit stochastic vector fields which combine key features of experimentally observed velocity fields. I will make the mathematical framework precise by identifying four axioms that need to be satisfied. It has been observed recently that the exponential of a certain log-correlated field, as in (1), could be used to create such a realistic velocity field. I plan to construct and analyse this challenging object by relying on techniques from (1) and (2). This would be the first genuine stochastic model of turbulent flow in the spirit of what Kolmogorov was aiming at.

935 000 €

Start date: 2016-09-01, End date: 2021-08-31

"Rotation and angular momentum transport play a critical role in the formation and evolution of astrophysical objects, including the fundamental bricks of astrophysical structures: stars. Stars like our Sun form when rotating dense cores, in the interstellar medium, collapse until they eventually reach temperatures at which nuclear fusion begins; while planets, including the Earth, form in the rotationally supported disks around these same young stars. One of the major challenges of modern astrophysics is the “angular momentum problem"": observations show that a typical star-forming cloud needs to reduce its specific angular momentum by 5 to 10 orders of magnitude to form a typical star such as our Sun. It is also crucial to solve the angular momentum problem to understand the formation of protoplanetary disks, stellar binaries and the initial mass function of newly formed stars. Magnetic fields are one of the key ways of transporting angular momentum in astrophysical structures: understanding how angular momentum is transported to allow star formation requires characterizing the role of magnetic fields in shaping the dynamics of star-forming structures. The MagneticYSOs project aims at characterizing the role of magnetic field in the earliest stage of star formation, during the main accretion phase. The simultaneous major improvements of instrumental and computational facilities provide us, for the first time, with the opportunity to confront observational information to magnetized models predictions. Polarization capabilities on the last generation of instrument in large facilities are producing sensitive observations of magnetic fields with a great level of detail, while numerical simulations of star formation are now including most of the physical ingredients for a detailed description of protostellar collapse at all the relevant scales, such as resistive MHD, radiative transfer and chemical networks. These new tools will undoubtedly lead to major discovery in the fields of planets and star formation in the coming years. It is necessary to conduct comprehensive projects able to combine theory and observations in a detailed fashion, which in turn require a collaboration with access to cutting edge observational datasets and numerical models. Through an ambitious multi-faceted program of dedicated observations probing magnetic fields (polarized dust emission and Zeeman effect maps), gas kinematics (molecular lines emission maps), ionization rates and dust properties in Class 0 protostars, and their comparison to synthetic observations of MHD simulations of protostellar collapse, we aim to transform our understanding of: 1) The long-standing problem of angular momentum in star formation 2) The origin of the stellar initial mass function 3) The formation of multiple stellar systems and circumstellar disks around young stellar objects (YSOs) Not only this project will enable a major leap forward in our understanding of low-mass star formation, answering yet unexplored questions with innovative methods, but it will also allow to spread the expertise in interpreting high-angular resolution (sub-)mm polarization data. Although characterizing magnetic fields in astrophysical structures represents the next frontier in many fields (solar physics, evolved stars, compact objects, galactic nuclei are a few examples), only a handful of astronomers in the EU community are familiar with interferometric polarization data, mostly because of the absence of large european facilities providing such capabilities until the recent advent of ALMA. It is now crucial to strengthen the European position in this research field by training a new generation of physicists with a strong expertise on tailoring, analyzing and interpreting high angular resolution polarization data."

1 500 000 €

Start date: 2016-07-01, End date: 2021-06-30

We propose innovative approaches to electronic quantum noise going from very fundamental topics addressing the quantum statistics of few electrons transferred through conductors to direct applications with the realization of new types of versatile broadband photon detectors based on photon-assisted shot noise. We will develop electron counting tools which will not only allow to full characterization of electron statistics but also open the way to new quantum interference experiments involving few electrons or fractional charge carriers and will question our understanding of quantum statistics. Generation of few electron bunches will be obtained by the yet never done technique of short voltage pulses whose duration is limited to few action quanta, one quantum for one electron. Detection of electron bunches will be done by an unprecedented technique of cut and probe where carriers are suddenly isolated in the circuit for further sensitive charge detection. Using highly ballistic electron nanostructures such as Graphene, III-V semiconductors with light carriers, Carbone Nanotubes or simply tunnel barriers, we will bring mesoscopic quantum noise effects to higher temperature, energy and frequency range, and thus closer to applications. Inspired by late R. Landauer s saying: the noise IS the signal we will develop totally new detectors based on the universal effect of photon-assisted electron shot noise. These versatile broadband detectors will be used either for on-chip noise detection or for photon radiation detection, possibly including imaging. They will operate above liquid Helium temperature and at THz frequencies although projected operation includes room temperature and far-infrared range as no fundamental limitation is expected. The complete program, balanced between very fundamental quantum issues and applications of quantum effects, will open routes for new quantum investigations and offer to a broad community new applications of mesoscopic effects.

1 999 843 €

Start date: 2009-02-01, End date: 2015-01-31

Tremendous progress has been made in the last decade in the genetic characterization of microorganisms, both in culture and in the environment. However, our knowledge of microbial membrane lipids, essential building blocks of the cell, has only marginally improved. This is remarkable since there exists a dichotomy in the distribution of lipids between the three Domains of Life. Diacyl glycerols based on straight-chain fatty acids are produced by bacteria and eukaryotes, whereas archaea synthesize isoprenoidal glycerol ether lipids. From a microbial evolutionary perspectives, this ‘lipid divide’ is enigmatic since it has recently become clear that eukaryotes evolved from the archaea. Preliminary results of my research group show that when novel analytical methodology is used, there is a large hidden diversity in microbial lipid composition that may resolve this fundamental question. Here I propose to systematically characterize prokaryotic intact polar lipids (IPLs) with state-of-the-art analytical techniques based on liquid chromatography and high-resolution mass spectrometry to bring our knowledge of microbial lipids to the next level. To this end, we will characterize (i) 250+ bacterial and archaeal cultures and (ii) 200+ environmental samples for IPLs by HPLC-MS, complemented by full identification of fatty acids and other lipids released after acid hydrolysis of total cells. This approach will be complemented by the characterisation of functional genes for lipid biosynthesis. This will involve both mapping of known genes, based on the analysis of published whole (meta)genome data, as well as the identification of as yet unknown genes in selected groups of prokaryotes. The results are expected to make a fundamental contribution to (i) our understanding of the evolution of biosynthesis of membrane lipids, (ii) their application as microbial markers in the environment, and (iii) in the development and application of organic proxies in earth sciences.

2 499 426 €

Start date: 2016-10-01, End date: 2021-09-30

In this proposal the unique properties of unidirectional light driven molecular rotary motors will be built upon to achieve dynamic control of function and develop responsive systems with a particular focus on systems in water. Light-driven molecular rotary motors are distinct from the majority of molecular switches, as they allow sequential access to multiple functional states in a responsive system through non-invasive stimulation. Importantly, continuous irradiation induces continuous rotary motion which provides a unique opportunity to design dynamic systems and responsive materials that can be driven out-of-equilibrium. The research program is divided in four work-packages: a) chemical and redox driven unidirectional motors; here we will develop processive unidirectional motors that can use (electro)chemical energy in a continuous manner, b) amplification of motion; here rotary motors operate in assemblies to amplify mechanical function over a wide range of length scales. Specifically we will use liquid crystal-water interfaces as a unique platform to control motion and organization. c) dissipative self-assembly: molecular motors offer fantastic opportunities to control self-assembly and drive such systems out-of-equilibrium. We aim at metastable aggregate formation (hydrogels) and the design of amphiphilic motors for responsive self-assembled nanostructures; d)triggering biomolecular function; the goal is to use rotary motors to regulate DNA transcription and ultimately as genuine powering device to control cardiac cell function. In the emerging field of photopharmacology, we take advantage of non-invasive high spatio-temporal control that switching with light provides. The proposed research program is highly challenging but provides the comprehensive effort required to achieve control of complex nanomechanical systems and will opening a bright future for applications ranging from stimuli responsive materials to spatio-temporal control of biomolecular systems

2 499 524 €

Start date: 2016-09-01, End date: 2021-08-31

The main theme of this proposal is the Geometric Representation Theory of reductive algebraic groups over algebraically closed fields of positive characteristic. Our primary goal is to obtain character formulas for simple and for indecomposable tilting representations of such groups, by developing a geometric framework for their categories of representations. Obtaining such formulas has been one of the main problems in this area since the 1980's. A program outlined by G. Lusztig in the 1990's has lead to a formula for the characters of simple representations in the case the characteristic of the base field is bigger than an explicit but huge bound. A recent breakthrough due to G. Williamson has shown that this formula cannot hold for smaller characteristics, however. Nothing is known about characters of tilting modules in general (except for a conjectural formula for some characters, due to Andersen). Our main tools include a new perspective on Soergel bimodules offered by the study of parity sheaves (introduced by Juteau-Mautner-Williamson) and a diagrammatic presentation of their category (due to Elias-Williamson).

882 844 €

Start date: 2016-09-01, End date: 2021-08-31

A revolution in electronics is in view, with the contemporary evolution of two novel disciplines, spintronics and molecular electronics. A fundamental link between these two fields can be established using molecular magnetic materials and, in particular, single-molecule magnets, which combine the classic macroscale properties of a magnet with the quantum properties of a nanoscale entity. The resulting field, molecular spintronics aims at manipulating spins and charges in electronic devices containing one or more molecules. The main advantage is that the weak spin-orbit and hyperfine interactions in organic molecules suggest that spin-coherence may be preserved over time and distance much longer than in conventional metals or semiconductors. In addition, specific functions (e.g. switchability with light, electric field etc.) could be directly integrated into the molecule. In this context, the project proposes to fabricate, characterize and study molecular devices (molecular spin-transistor, molecular spin-valve and spin filter, molecular double-dot devices, carbon nanotube nano-SQUIDs, etc.) in order to read and manipulate the spin states of the molecule and to perform basic quantum operations. MolNanoSpin is designed to play a role of pathfinder in this still largely unexplored - field. The main target for the coming 5 years concerns fundamental science, but applications in quantum electronics are expected in the long run. The visionary concept of MolNanoSpin is underpinned by worldwide research on molecular magnetism and supramolecular chemistry, the 10-year long experience in molecular magnetism of the PI, his membership in FP6 MAGMANet NoE, and collaboration with outstanding scientists in the close environment of the team. During the last year, the recently founded team of the PI has already demonstrated the first important results in this new research area.

2 096 703 €

Start date: 2008-11-01, End date: 2013-10-31

The Mopsa project aims at creating methods and tools to make computer software more reliable. Programming errors are pervasive with results ranging from user frustration to huge economical or human losses. Traditional test-based methods are insufficient to eliminate all errors. The project will develop static analyses able to detect at compile-time whole classes of program defects, leveraging the theory of abstract interpretation to design analyses that are approximate (to scale up to large programs) and sound (no defect is missed). Static analysis has enjoyed recent successes: Astrée, an industrial analyzer I have coauthored, was able to prove the absence of run-time error in Airbus software. But such results are limited to the specific, well-controlled context of critical embedded systems. I wish to bring static analysis to the next level: target larger, more complex and heterogeneous software, and make it usable by engineers to improve general-purpose software. We focus on analyzing open-source software which are readily available, complex, widespread, and important from an economical standpoint (they are used in many infrastructures and companies) but also societal and educational ones (promoting the development of verified software for and by citizens). A major target we consider is the set of technologies at the core on Internet on which static analysis could be applied to ensure a safer Internet. The scientific challenges we must overcome include designing scalable analyses producing relevant information, supporting novel popular languages (such as Python), analyzing properties more adapted to the continuous development of software common in open-source. At the core of the project is the construction of an open-source static analysis platform. It will serve not only to implement and evaluate the results of the project, but also create a momentum encouraging the research in static analysis and hasten its adoption in open-source development communities.

1 773 750 €

Start date: 2016-06-01, End date: 2021-05-31

Great successes have been achieved in nanoscience where the development of functional properties and the assembly of nanostructures into nanomaterials have become increasingly important. In general, both the tuning of the chemical and physical properties and the self-assembly of nanocrystals into 2D or 3D superstructures take place in a liquid environment. When analysing the structural properties of nanocrystals using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), this liquid environment is contained between membranes to keep it in the high vacuum. At present, the thickness of the liquid is not controlled, which renders standard imaging at atomic resolution impossible. Here I propose to integrate micro-electromechanical actuator functionalities in the Liquid Cell chips to overcome this problem so that real-time atomic resolution imaging and chemical analysis on nanoparticles in solution becomes a reality. This new in-situ technology will elucidate what really happens during chemical reactions, and will thereby enable the development of new nanomaterials for optoelectronics, lighting, and catalysis. Oriented attachment processes and self-assembly of nanoparticles, which are key to the large-scale production of 2D and 3D nanomaterials, can also be followed in the Liquid Cell. Furthermore, the hydration of nanoscale model systems of earth materials such as magnesia, alumina, and calcium oxide is of major importance in the geosciences. In the field of enhanced oil recovery, for example, the huge volumetric expansion that comes with the hydration of these minerals could facilitate access to reservoirs. My research group has extensive experience in in-situ TEM and recently has achieved significant successes in Liquid Cell studies. We are in an ideal position to develop this new technology and open up these new research areas, which will have a major impact on science, industry, and society.

1 996 250 €

Start date: 2016-09-01, End date: 2021-08-31

We propose to develop a formal model of information representation and processing in the part of the neocortex that is mostly concerned with visual information. This model will open new horizons in a well-principled way in the fields of artificial and biological vision as well as in computational neuroscience. Specifically the goal is to develop a universally accepted formal framework for describing complex, distributed and hierarchical processes capable of processing seamlessly a continuous flow of images. This framework features notably computational units operating at several spatiotemporal scales on stochastic data arising from natural images. Mean-field theory and stochastic calculus are used to harness the fundamental stochastic nature of the data, functional analysis and bifurcation theory to map the complexity of the behaviours of these assemblies of units. In the absence of such foundations the development of an understanding of visual information processing in man and machines could be greatly hindered. Although the proposal addresses fundamental problems its goal is to serve as the basis for ground-breaking future computational development for managing visual data and as a theoretical framework for a scientific understanding of biological vision.

1 706 839 €

Start date: 2009-01-01, End date: 2013-12-31

Most of today’s computer interfaces are based on principles and conceptual models created in the late seventies. They are designed for a single user interacting with a closed application on a single device with a predefined set of tools to manipulate a single type of content. But one is not enough! We need flexible and extensible environments where multiple users can truly share content and manipulate it simultaneously, where applications can be distributed across multiple devices, where content and tools can migrate from one device to the next, and where users can freely choose, combine and even create tools to make their own digital workbench. The goal of ONE is to fundamentally re-think the basic principles and conceptual model of interactive systems to empower users by letting them appropriate their digital environment. The project will address this challenge through three interleaved strands: empirical studies to better understand interaction in both the physical and digital worlds, theoretical work to create a conceptual model of interaction and interactive systems, and prototype development to test these principles and concepts in the lab and in the field. Drawing inspiration from physics, biology and psychology, the conceptual model will combine substrates to manage digital information at various levels of abstraction and representation, instruments to manipulate substrates, and environments to organize substrates and instruments into digital workspaces. By identifying first principles of interaction, ONE will unify a wide variety of interaction styles and create more open and flexible interactive environments.

2 456 028 €

Start date: 2016-10-01, End date: 2021-09-30

Particle laden flows are ubiquitous in nature and industrial applications. Particle trajectories determine transport in porous media or biomedical conducts and effective suspension properties dictate flow behavior in food processing or biofluid flow. For a better control it is necessary to know how to predict these processes from the involved particle and flow properties. However, current theory is not able to capture the complexity of the applications and experiments have been carried out on too diverse systems for a unifying picture to emerge. A systematic experimental approach is now needed to improve the present understanding. In this experimental project, we will use novel microfabrication and characterization methods to obtain a set of complex anisotropic microscopic particles (complemented by selected bioparticles) with tunable properties, covering size, shape, deformability and activity. The transport of these particles isolated or in small concentrations will be studied in chosen microfluidic model flows of simple fluids or polymer solutions. The many degrees of freedom of this problem will be addressed by systematically combining different relevant particle and flow properties. The macroscopic properties of dilute suspensions are particularly interesting from a fundamental point of view as they are a direct consequence of the individual particle flow interaction and will be measured using original microfluidic rheometers of outstanding resolution. This project will lead to a comprehensive understanding of fluid structure interactions at small Reynolds number. Our findings will constitute the basis for novel numerical approaches based on experimentally validated hypotheses. Using our knowledge, local flow sensors, targeted delivery and novel microfluidic filtration or separation devices can be designed. Combining particles of chosen properties and selected suspending fluids allows the fabrication of suspensions with unprecedented tailored properties.

1 971 750 €

Start date: 2016-09-01, End date: 2021-08-31

The objective of this proposal is the elucidation of general principles for the design of bioavailable peptide-derived macrocyclic compounds and their use for the development of inhibitors of protein‒protein (PPI) and protein‒RNA interactions (PRI). Over the last decade, drug discovery faced the problem of decreasing success rates which is mainly caused by the fact that numerous novel biological targets are reluctant to classic small molecule modulation. In particular, that holds true for PPIs and PRIs. Approaches that allow the modulation of these interactions provide access to therapeutic agents targeting crucial biological processes that have been considered undruggable so far. Herein, I propose the use of irregularly structured peptide binding epitopes as starting point for the design of bioactive macrocycles. In a two-step process high target affinity and bioavailability are installed: 1) Peptide macrocyclization for the stabilization of the irregular bioactive secondary structure 2) Evolution of the cyclic peptide into a bioavailable macrocyclic compound Using a well-characterized model system developed in my lab, initial design principles will be elucidated. These principles are subsequently used and refined for the development of macrocyclic PPI and PRI inhibitors. The protein‒protein and protein‒RNA complexes selected as targets are of therapeutic interest and corresponding inhibitors hold the potential to be pursued in subsequent drug discovery campaigns.

1 499 269 €

Start date: 2016-03-01, End date: 2021-02-28

Light elements such as hydrogen and nitrogen present large isotope variations among solar system objects and reservoirs (including planetary atmospheres) that remain unexplained at present. Works based on theoretical approaches are model-dependent and do not reach a consensus. Laboratory experiments are required in order to develop the underlying physical mechanisms. The aim of the project is to investigate the origins of and processes responsible for isotope variations of the light elements and noble gases in the Solar System through an experimental approach involving ionization of gaseous species. We will also investigate mechanisms and processes of isotope fractionation of atmophile elements in planetary atmospheres that have been irradiated by solar UV photons, with particular reference to Mars and the early Earth. Three pathways will be considered: (i) plasma ionisation of gas mixtures (H2-CO-N2-noble gases) in a custom-built reactor; (ii) photo-ionisation and photo-dissociation of the relevant gas species and mixtures using synchrotron light; and (iii) UV irradiation of ices containing the species of interest. The results of this study will shed light on the early Solar System evolution and on processes of planetary formation.

2 810 229 €

Start date: 2017-01-01, End date: 2021-12-31

In recent years water near surfaces and solutes has been observed to be differently structured and to show slower reorientation and hydrogen-bond dynamics than in bulk. Aqueous proton transfer is a process that strongly relies on the structure and dynamics of the hydrogen-bond network of liquid water and that often occurs near surfaces. Examples are thylakoid and mitochondrial membranes and the nanochannels of transmembrane proteins and fuel cells. An important but experimentally largely unexplored area of research is how the rate and mechanism of aqueous proton transfer change due to the surface-induced structuring of the water medium. Theoretical work showed that the structuring and nano-confinement of water can have a strong effect on the proton mobility. Recently, experimental techniques have been developed that are capable of probing the structural dynamics of water molecules and proton-hydration structures near surfaces. These techniques include heterodyne detected sum-frequency generation (HD-SFG) and two-dimensional HD-SFG (2D-HD-VSFG). I propose to use these and other advanced spectroscopic techniques to study the rate and molecular mechanisms of proton transfer through structured aqueous media. These systems include aqueous solutions of different solutes, water near extended surfaces like graphene and electrically switchable monolayers, and the aqueous nanochannels of metal-organic frameworks. These studies will provide a fundamental understanding of the molecular mechanisms of aqueous proton transfer in natural and man-made (bio)molecular systems, and can lead to the development of new proton-conducting membranes and nanochannels with applications in fuel cells. The obtained knowledge can also lead to new strategies to control proton mobility, e.g. by electrical switching of the properties of the water network at surfaces and in nanochannels, i.e. to field-effect proton transistors.

2 495 000 €

Start date: 2016-10-01, End date: 2021-09-30

A key component of the Standard Model is Quantum Electrodynamics (QED). QED explains e.g. the anomalous magnetic moment of the electron and small energy shifts in the energy structure of atoms and molecules due to vacuum fluctuations. After decades of precision measurements, especially laser spectroscopy in atomic hydrogen, QED is considered the most successful and best-tested theory in physics. However, in 2010 precision spectroscopy in muonic-hydrogen (where the electron is replaced with a muon) has lead to discrepancies in energy level structure that cannot be accounted for. If QED is considered correct, then one way of interpreting the results is that the size of the proton is different in normal (electronic) hydrogen by as much as 4% (a 7 sigma effect) compared to muonic hydrogen. Despite great theoretical and experimental efforts, this 'proton size puzzle' is still unsolved. I propose to perform precision spectroscopy in the extreme ultraviolet near 30 nm in the helium+ ion, to establish an exciting new platform for QED tests and thereby shed light on the proton-size puzzle. The advantages of helium ions over hydrogen atoms are that they can be trapped (observed longer), QED effects are more than an order of magnitude larger, and the nuclear size of the alpha particle is better known than the proton. Moreover, the CREMA collaboration has recently measured the 2S-2P transition in muonic He+ (both 3He and 4He isotopes) at the Paul Scherrer Institute. Evaluation of the measurements is ongoing, but could lead to an 8 fold (or more) improved alpha-particle radius, so that it is no longer limiting QED theory in normal He+. I will use several ground-breaking methods such as Ramsey-comb spectroscopy in the extreme ultraviolet to measure the 1S-2S transition in trapped normal electronic He+, with (sub) kHz spectroscopic accuracy. This will provide a unique and timely opportunity for a direct comparison of QED in electronic and muonic systems at an unprecedented level.

2 497 664 €

Start date: 2016-09-01, End date: 2021-08-31

Optomechanics is a field that aims to detect and control mechanical motion with light, ultimately at the quantum level. Experiments reaching the mechanical quantum ground state established optomechanics as a rapidly growing new field. Now that the quantum ground state has been reached, what is the next step? The current goal of the field is quantum superposition states of motion. An example of this is a mechanical “Schrodinger cat” state, in which a drum is in a quantum superposition of vibrating up and vibrating down at the same time. From a technological perspective, such states could be used as a memory for storage of quantum information, or as a quantum bit itself, performing quantum calculations with a mechanical object. From a fundamental perspective, Schrodinger cat states could be used to explore the limits of macroscopic quantum mechanics and to look for the boundary between the quantum and classical worlds. Despite their recent success, the coupling between light and motion in current implementations is too weak to achieve non-classical motion. Here, I propose a new optomechanical system coupling the motion of a millimeter-sized membrane to quantum microwave “light” in a three-dimensional superconducting cavity. In this new system, I will use the exceptional coherence photons in 3D cavities to strongly enhance the coupling of light and motion. To demonstrate the feasibility of this idea, I present preliminary data from a proof-of-concept device with coupling that is already close to state-of-the-art, with an outlook to scaling significantly beyond implementations shown to date. With the team funded by this project, I will implement these feasible but challenging steps, creating a system with optomechanical coupling that can potentially reach the strong coupling regime for a single photon. Using this new strong coupling, I will bring optomechanics to a new regime where one can create and explore quantum superpositions of massive, macroscopic objects.

1 999 594 €

Start date: 2016-07-01, End date: 2021-06-30

Quantum Field Theory is a universal framework to address quantum physical systems with infinitely many interacting degrees of freedom, applicable both at the level of fundamental interactions, such as the subnuclear physics of quarks and gluons and at the phenomenological level such as the physics of quantum fluids and superconductivity. Traditionally, weakly interacting quantum field theory is formulated as a perturbative deformation of the linear theory of freely propagating quantum waves or particles with interactions described by Feynman diagrams. For strongly non-linear quantum field theories the method of Feynman diagrams is not adequate. The main goal of this proposal is to develop novel tools and techniques to address strongly non-linear quantum field theories. To achieve this goal we will search for hidden algebraic structures in quantum field theories that will lead to efficient algorithms to compute physical observables of interest. In particular we identify non-linear quantum field theories with exactly solvable sectors of physical observables. In this project we will focus on three objectives: - build general theory of localization in supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory for arbitrary geometrical backgrounds - find all realizations of symplectic and supersymplectic completely integrable systems in gauge theories - construct finite supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory in terms of the algebra of locally supersymmetric loop observables for maximally supersymmetric gauge theory The realization of the above objectives will uncover hidden quantum algebraic structures and consequently will bring ground-breaking results in our knowledge of quantum field theories and the fundamental interactions.

1 498 750 €

Start date: 2016-09-01, End date: 2021-08-31

We propose a simple idea: to reproduce earthquakes in the laboratory. Because earthquakes are spectacular examples of uncontrollable catastrophes, the opportunity to study them under controlled conditions in the laboratory is unique and is, in fact, the only way to understand the details of the earthquake source physics. The aim of the project is interdisciplinary, at the frontiers between Rock Fracture Mechanics, Seismology, and Mineralogy. Its ultimate goal is to improve, on the basis of integrated experimental data, our understanding of the earthquake source physics. We have already shown that both deep and shallow laboratory earthquakes are not mere `analogs’ of earthquakes, but are real events – though very small [Passelègue et al. 2013, Schubnel et al. 2013]. During laboratory earthquakes, by measuring all of the physical quantities related to the rupturing process, we will unravel what controls the rupture speed, rupture arrest, the earthquake rupture energy budget, as well as the common role played by mineralogy in both shallow and deep earthquakes. We will also perform some experiments on rock samples drilled from actual active fault zones. Our work will provide insights for earthquake hazard mitigation, constrain ubiquitously observed seismological statistical laws (Omori, Gutenberg-Richter) and produce unprecedented data sets on rock fracture dynamics at in-situ conditions to test seismic slip inversion and dynamic rupture modelling techniques. The new infrastructure we plan to install will reproduce the temperatures and pressures at depths where earthquakes occur in the crust as well as in the upper mantle of the Earth, with never achieved spatio-temporal imaging resolution to this day. This will be a valuable research asset for the European community, as it will eventually open the door to a better understanding of all the processes happening under stress within the first hundreds of kilometres of the Earth.

2 748 188 €

Start date: 2016-10-01, End date: 2021-09-30

Novel developments in optical technology increasingly depend on control of light at the nanoscale. To study light at this small length scale it is essential to employ techniques that can excite and image light at the nanoscale. In recent years, my group has explored cathodoluminescence (CL) spectroscopy for this purpose. Based on the exciting potential of this technique, I propose to design and construct a new time- and angle-resolved CL microscope that exploits the primary electron beam as a coherent optical excitation source with deep-subwavelength spatial resolution. We will use the new instrument to address four challenges that will provide new insight in the behaviour of light at the nanoscale. Specifically, we will: (1) use CL microscopy to excite and characterize ultra-short wavelength-plasmons on graphene. We will create 3D tomographic reconstructions of the local optical density of states in resonant plasmonic and dielectric nanostructures. (2) determine 2D and 3D spatially-resolved ultrafast carrier recombination processes in resonant semiconductor photovoltaic nanostructures and reveal the radiative properties of single quantum emitters. (3) develop CL momentum spectroscopy to reveal embedded eigenstates in dielectric photonic crystals and topological photonic protection in complex three-dimensional architectures. (4) develop CL polarimetry in combination with phase-resolved CL detection to study electric and magnetic polarizabilities in nanoscale light emitters and to control the orbital angular momentum of light. The proposed program will firmly establish time- and angle-resolved CL imaging spectroscopy as a key deep-subwavelength nanoscopy tool to investigate the interplay of electric and magnetic fields that constitute light at the nano scale, and will enable applications in photovoltaics, solid-state lighting, photonic and optoelectronic integrated circuits, quantum communication, sensing and metrology.

2 495 625 €

Start date: 2016-07-01, End date: 2021-06-30