Project acronym 5D-NanoTrack
Project Five-Dimensional Localization Microscopy for Sub-Cellular Dynamics
Researcher (PI) Yoav SHECHTMAN
Host Institution (HI) TECHNION - ISRAEL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), PE7, ERC-2018-STG
Summary The sub-cellular processes that control the most critical aspects of life occur in three-dimensions (3D), and are intrinsically dynamic. While super-resolution microscopy has revolutionized cellular imaging in recent years, our current capability to observe the dynamics of life on the nanoscale is still extremely limited, due to inherent trade-offs between spatial, temporal and spectral resolution using existing approaches.
We propose to develop and demonstrate an optical microscopy methodology that would enable live sub-cellular observation in unprecedented detail. Making use of multicolor 3D point-spread-function (PSF) engineering, a technique I have recently developed, we will be able to simultaneously track multiple markers inside live cells, at high speed and in five-dimensions (3D, time, and color).
Multicolor 3D PSF engineering holds the potential of being a uniquely powerful method for 5D tracking. However, it is not yet applicable to live-cell imaging, due to significant bottlenecks in optical engineering and signal processing, which we plan to overcome in this project. Importantly, we will also demonstrate the efficacy of our method using a challenging biological application: real-time visualization of chromatin dynamics - the spatiotemporal organization of DNA. This is a highly suitable problem due to its fundamental importance, its role in a variety of cellular processes, and the lack of appropriate tools for studying it.
The project is divided into 3 aims:
1. Technology development: diffractive-element design for multicolor 3D PSFs.
2. System design: volumetric tracking of dense emitters.
3. Live-cell measurements: chromatin dynamics.
Looking ahead, here we create the imaging tools that pave the way towards the holy grail of chromatin visualization: dynamic observation of the 3D positions of the ~3 billion DNA base-pairs in a live human cell. Beyond that, our results will be applicable to numerous 3D micro/nanoscale tracking applications.
Summary
The sub-cellular processes that control the most critical aspects of life occur in three-dimensions (3D), and are intrinsically dynamic. While super-resolution microscopy has revolutionized cellular imaging in recent years, our current capability to observe the dynamics of life on the nanoscale is still extremely limited, due to inherent trade-offs between spatial, temporal and spectral resolution using existing approaches.
We propose to develop and demonstrate an optical microscopy methodology that would enable live sub-cellular observation in unprecedented detail. Making use of multicolor 3D point-spread-function (PSF) engineering, a technique I have recently developed, we will be able to simultaneously track multiple markers inside live cells, at high speed and in five-dimensions (3D, time, and color).
Multicolor 3D PSF engineering holds the potential of being a uniquely powerful method for 5D tracking. However, it is not yet applicable to live-cell imaging, due to significant bottlenecks in optical engineering and signal processing, which we plan to overcome in this project. Importantly, we will also demonstrate the efficacy of our method using a challenging biological application: real-time visualization of chromatin dynamics - the spatiotemporal organization of DNA. This is a highly suitable problem due to its fundamental importance, its role in a variety of cellular processes, and the lack of appropriate tools for studying it.
The project is divided into 3 aims:
1. Technology development: diffractive-element design for multicolor 3D PSFs.
2. System design: volumetric tracking of dense emitters.
3. Live-cell measurements: chromatin dynamics.
Looking ahead, here we create the imaging tools that pave the way towards the holy grail of chromatin visualization: dynamic observation of the 3D positions of the ~3 billion DNA base-pairs in a live human cell. Beyond that, our results will be applicable to numerous 3D micro/nanoscale tracking applications.
Max ERC Funding
1 802 500 €
Duration
Start date: 2018-11-01, End date: 2023-10-31
Project acronym ABATSYNAPSE
Project Evolution of Alzheimer’s Disease: From dynamics of single synapses to memory loss
Researcher (PI) Inna Slutsky
Host Institution (HI) TEL AVIV UNIVERSITY
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), LS5, ERC-2011-StG_20101109
Summary A persistent challenge in unravelling mechanisms that regulate memory function is how to bridge the gap between inter-molecular dynamics of single proteins, activity of individual synapses and emerging properties of neuronal circuits. The prototype condition of disintegrating neuronal circuits is Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). Since the early time of Alois Alzheimer at the turn of the 20th century, scientists have been searching for a molecular entity that is in the roots of the cognitive deficits. Although diverse lines of evidence suggest that the amyloid-beta peptide (Abeta) plays a central role in synaptic dysfunctions of AD, several key questions remain unresolved. First, endogenous Abeta peptides are secreted by neurons throughout life, but their physiological functions are largely unknown. Second, experience-dependent physiological mechanisms that initiate the changes in Abeta composition in sporadic, the most frequent form of AD, are unidentified. And finally, molecular mechanisms that trigger Abeta-induced synaptic failure and memory decline remain elusive.
To target these questions, I propose to develop an integrative approach to correlate structure and function at the level of single synapses in hippocampal circuits. State-of-the-art techniques will enable the simultaneous real-time visualization of inter-molecular dynamics within signalling complexes and functional synaptic modifications. Utilizing FRET spectroscopy, high-resolution optical imaging, electrophysiology, molecular biology and biochemistry we will determine the casual relationship between ongoing neuronal activity, temporo-spatial dynamics and molecular composition of Abeta, structural rearrangements within the Abeta signalling complexes and plasticity of single synapses and whole networks. The proposed research will elucidate fundamental principles of neuronal circuits function and identify critical steps that initiate primary synaptic dysfunctions at the very early stages of sporadic AD.
Summary
A persistent challenge in unravelling mechanisms that regulate memory function is how to bridge the gap between inter-molecular dynamics of single proteins, activity of individual synapses and emerging properties of neuronal circuits. The prototype condition of disintegrating neuronal circuits is Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). Since the early time of Alois Alzheimer at the turn of the 20th century, scientists have been searching for a molecular entity that is in the roots of the cognitive deficits. Although diverse lines of evidence suggest that the amyloid-beta peptide (Abeta) plays a central role in synaptic dysfunctions of AD, several key questions remain unresolved. First, endogenous Abeta peptides are secreted by neurons throughout life, but their physiological functions are largely unknown. Second, experience-dependent physiological mechanisms that initiate the changes in Abeta composition in sporadic, the most frequent form of AD, are unidentified. And finally, molecular mechanisms that trigger Abeta-induced synaptic failure and memory decline remain elusive.
To target these questions, I propose to develop an integrative approach to correlate structure and function at the level of single synapses in hippocampal circuits. State-of-the-art techniques will enable the simultaneous real-time visualization of inter-molecular dynamics within signalling complexes and functional synaptic modifications. Utilizing FRET spectroscopy, high-resolution optical imaging, electrophysiology, molecular biology and biochemistry we will determine the casual relationship between ongoing neuronal activity, temporo-spatial dynamics and molecular composition of Abeta, structural rearrangements within the Abeta signalling complexes and plasticity of single synapses and whole networks. The proposed research will elucidate fundamental principles of neuronal circuits function and identify critical steps that initiate primary synaptic dysfunctions at the very early stages of sporadic AD.
Max ERC Funding
2 000 000 €
Duration
Start date: 2011-12-01, End date: 2017-09-30
Project acronym AEROBIC
Project Assessing the Effects of Rising O2 on Biogeochemical Cycles: Integrated Laboratory Experiments and Numerical Simulations
Researcher (PI) Itay Halevy
Host Institution (HI) WEIZMANN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), PE10, ERC-2013-StG
Summary The rise of atmospheric O2 ~2,500 million years ago is one of the most profound transitions in Earth's history. Yet, despite its central role in shaping Earth's surface environment, the cause for the rise of O2 remains poorly understood. Tight coupling between the O2 cycle and the biogeochemical cycles of redox-active elements, such as C, Fe and S, implies radical changes in these cycles before, during and after the rise of O2. These changes, too, are incompletely understood, but have left valuable information encoded in the geological record. This information has been qualitatively interpreted, leaving many aspects of the rise of O2, including its causes and constraints on ocean chemistry before and after it, topics of ongoing research and debate. Here, I outline a research program to address this fundamental question in geochemical Earth systems evolution. The inherently interdisciplinary program uniquely integrates laboratory experiments, numerical models, geological observations, and geochemical analyses. Laboratory experiments and geological observations will constrain unknown parameters of the early biogeochemical cycles, and, in combination with field studies, will validate and refine the use of paleoenvironmental proxies. The insight gained will be used to develop detailed models of the coupled biogeochemical cycles, which will themselves be used to quantitatively understand the events surrounding the rise of O2, and to illuminate the dynamics of elemental cycles in the early oceans.
This program is expected to yield novel, quantitative insight into these important events in Earth history and to have a major impact on our understanding of early ocean chemistry and the rise of O2. An ERC Starting Grant will enable me to use the excellent experimental and computational facilities at my disposal, to access the outstanding human resource at the Weizmann Institute of Science, and to address one of the major open questions in modern geochemistry.
Summary
The rise of atmospheric O2 ~2,500 million years ago is one of the most profound transitions in Earth's history. Yet, despite its central role in shaping Earth's surface environment, the cause for the rise of O2 remains poorly understood. Tight coupling between the O2 cycle and the biogeochemical cycles of redox-active elements, such as C, Fe and S, implies radical changes in these cycles before, during and after the rise of O2. These changes, too, are incompletely understood, but have left valuable information encoded in the geological record. This information has been qualitatively interpreted, leaving many aspects of the rise of O2, including its causes and constraints on ocean chemistry before and after it, topics of ongoing research and debate. Here, I outline a research program to address this fundamental question in geochemical Earth systems evolution. The inherently interdisciplinary program uniquely integrates laboratory experiments, numerical models, geological observations, and geochemical analyses. Laboratory experiments and geological observations will constrain unknown parameters of the early biogeochemical cycles, and, in combination with field studies, will validate and refine the use of paleoenvironmental proxies. The insight gained will be used to develop detailed models of the coupled biogeochemical cycles, which will themselves be used to quantitatively understand the events surrounding the rise of O2, and to illuminate the dynamics of elemental cycles in the early oceans.
This program is expected to yield novel, quantitative insight into these important events in Earth history and to have a major impact on our understanding of early ocean chemistry and the rise of O2. An ERC Starting Grant will enable me to use the excellent experimental and computational facilities at my disposal, to access the outstanding human resource at the Weizmann Institute of Science, and to address one of the major open questions in modern geochemistry.
Max ERC Funding
1 472 690 €
Duration
Start date: 2013-09-01, End date: 2018-08-31
Project acronym AGALT
Project Asymptotic Geometric Analysis and Learning Theory
Researcher (PI) Shahar Mendelson
Host Institution (HI) TECHNION - ISRAEL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), PE1, ERC-2007-StG
Summary In a typical learning problem one tries to approximate an unknown function by a function from a given class using random data, sampled according to an unknown measure. In this project we will be interested in parameters that govern the complexity of a learning problem. It turns out that this complexity is determined by the geometry of certain sets in high dimension that are connected to the given class (random coordinate projections of the class). Thus, one has to understand the structure of these sets as a function of the dimension - which is given by the cardinality of the random sample. The resulting analysis leads to many theoretical questions in Asymptotic Geometric Analysis, Probability (most notably, Empirical Processes Theory) and Combinatorics, which are of independent interest beyond the application to Learning Theory. Our main goal is to describe the role of various complexity parameters involved in a learning problem, to analyze the connections between them and to investigate the way they determine the geometry of the relevant high dimensional sets. Some of the questions we intend to tackle are well known open problems and making progress towards their solution will have a significant theoretical impact. Moreover, this project should lead to a more complete theory of learning and is likely to have some practical impact, for example, in the design of more efficient learning algorithms.
Summary
In a typical learning problem one tries to approximate an unknown function by a function from a given class using random data, sampled according to an unknown measure. In this project we will be interested in parameters that govern the complexity of a learning problem. It turns out that this complexity is determined by the geometry of certain sets in high dimension that are connected to the given class (random coordinate projections of the class). Thus, one has to understand the structure of these sets as a function of the dimension - which is given by the cardinality of the random sample. The resulting analysis leads to many theoretical questions in Asymptotic Geometric Analysis, Probability (most notably, Empirical Processes Theory) and Combinatorics, which are of independent interest beyond the application to Learning Theory. Our main goal is to describe the role of various complexity parameters involved in a learning problem, to analyze the connections between them and to investigate the way they determine the geometry of the relevant high dimensional sets. Some of the questions we intend to tackle are well known open problems and making progress towards their solution will have a significant theoretical impact. Moreover, this project should lead to a more complete theory of learning and is likely to have some practical impact, for example, in the design of more efficient learning algorithms.
Max ERC Funding
750 000 €
Duration
Start date: 2009-03-01, End date: 2014-02-28
Project acronym ALEM
Project ADDITIONAL LOSSES IN ELECTRICAL MACHINES
Researcher (PI) Matti Antero Arkkio
Host Institution (HI) AALTO KORKEAKOULUSAATIO SR
Call Details Advanced Grant (AdG), PE8, ERC-2013-ADG
Summary "Electrical motors consume about 40 % of the electrical energy produced in the European Union. About 90 % of this energy is converted to mechanical work. However, 0.5-2.5 % of it goes to so called additional load losses whose exact origins are unknown. Our ambitious aim is to reveal the origins of these losses, build up numerical tools for modeling them and optimize electrical motors to minimize the losses.
As the hypothesis of the research, we assume that the additional losses mainly result from the deterioration of the core materials during the manufacturing process of the machine. By calorimetric measurements, we have found that the core losses of electrical machines may be twice as large as comprehensive loss models predict. The electrical steel sheets are punched, welded together and shrink fit to the frame. This causes residual strains in the core sheets deteriorating their magnetic characteristics. The cutting burrs make galvanic contacts between the sheets and form paths for inter-lamination currents. Another potential source of additional losses are the circulating currents between the parallel strands of random-wound armature windings. The stochastic nature of these potential sources of additional losses puts more challenge on the research.
We shall develop a physical loss model that couples the mechanical strains and electromagnetic losses in electrical steel sheets and apply the new model for comprehensive loss analysis of electrical machines. The stochastic variables related to the core losses and circulating-current losses will be discretized together with the temporal and spatial discretization of the electromechanical field variables. The numerical stochastic loss model will be used to search for such machine constructions that are insensitive to the manufacturing defects. We shall validate the new numerical loss models by electromechanical and calorimetric measurements."
Summary
"Electrical motors consume about 40 % of the electrical energy produced in the European Union. About 90 % of this energy is converted to mechanical work. However, 0.5-2.5 % of it goes to so called additional load losses whose exact origins are unknown. Our ambitious aim is to reveal the origins of these losses, build up numerical tools for modeling them and optimize electrical motors to minimize the losses.
As the hypothesis of the research, we assume that the additional losses mainly result from the deterioration of the core materials during the manufacturing process of the machine. By calorimetric measurements, we have found that the core losses of electrical machines may be twice as large as comprehensive loss models predict. The electrical steel sheets are punched, welded together and shrink fit to the frame. This causes residual strains in the core sheets deteriorating their magnetic characteristics. The cutting burrs make galvanic contacts between the sheets and form paths for inter-lamination currents. Another potential source of additional losses are the circulating currents between the parallel strands of random-wound armature windings. The stochastic nature of these potential sources of additional losses puts more challenge on the research.
We shall develop a physical loss model that couples the mechanical strains and electromagnetic losses in electrical steel sheets and apply the new model for comprehensive loss analysis of electrical machines. The stochastic variables related to the core losses and circulating-current losses will be discretized together with the temporal and spatial discretization of the electromechanical field variables. The numerical stochastic loss model will be used to search for such machine constructions that are insensitive to the manufacturing defects. We shall validate the new numerical loss models by electromechanical and calorimetric measurements."
Max ERC Funding
2 489 949 €
Duration
Start date: 2014-03-01, End date: 2019-02-28
Project acronym ALGOCom
Project Novel Algorithmic Techniques through the Lens of Combinatorics
Researcher (PI) Parinya Chalermsook
Host Institution (HI) AALTO KORKEAKOULUSAATIO SR
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), PE6, ERC-2017-STG
Summary Real-world optimization problems pose major challenges to algorithmic research. For instance, (i) many important problems are believed to be intractable (i.e. NP-hard) and (ii) with the growth of data size, modern applications often require a decision making under {\em incomplete and dynamically changing input data}. After several decades of research, central problems in these domains have remained poorly understood (e.g. Is there an asymptotically most efficient binary search trees?) Existing algorithmic techniques either reach their limitation or are inherently tailored to special cases.
This project attempts to untangle this gap in the state of the art and seeks new interplay across multiple areas of algorithms, such as approximation algorithms, online algorithms, fixed-parameter tractable (FPT) algorithms, exponential time algorithms, and data structures. We propose new directions from the {\em structural perspectives} that connect the aforementioned algorithmic problems to basic questions in combinatorics.
Our approaches fall into one of the three broad schemes: (i) new structural theory, (ii) intermediate problems, and (iii) transfer of techniques. These directions partially build on the PI's successes in resolving more than ten classical problems in this context.
Resolving the proposed problems will likely revolutionize our understanding about algorithms and data structures and potentially unify techniques in multiple algorithmic regimes. Any progress is, in fact, already a significant contribution to the algorithms community. We suggest concrete intermediate goals that are of independent interest and have lower risks, so they are suitable for Ph.D students.
Summary
Real-world optimization problems pose major challenges to algorithmic research. For instance, (i) many important problems are believed to be intractable (i.e. NP-hard) and (ii) with the growth of data size, modern applications often require a decision making under {\em incomplete and dynamically changing input data}. After several decades of research, central problems in these domains have remained poorly understood (e.g. Is there an asymptotically most efficient binary search trees?) Existing algorithmic techniques either reach their limitation or are inherently tailored to special cases.
This project attempts to untangle this gap in the state of the art and seeks new interplay across multiple areas of algorithms, such as approximation algorithms, online algorithms, fixed-parameter tractable (FPT) algorithms, exponential time algorithms, and data structures. We propose new directions from the {\em structural perspectives} that connect the aforementioned algorithmic problems to basic questions in combinatorics.
Our approaches fall into one of the three broad schemes: (i) new structural theory, (ii) intermediate problems, and (iii) transfer of techniques. These directions partially build on the PI's successes in resolving more than ten classical problems in this context.
Resolving the proposed problems will likely revolutionize our understanding about algorithms and data structures and potentially unify techniques in multiple algorithmic regimes. Any progress is, in fact, already a significant contribution to the algorithms community. We suggest concrete intermediate goals that are of independent interest and have lower risks, so they are suitable for Ph.D students.
Max ERC Funding
1 411 258 €
Duration
Start date: 2018-02-01, End date: 2023-01-31
Project acronym AMD
Project Algorithmic Mechanism Design: Beyond Truthful Mechanisms
Researcher (PI) Michal Feldman
Host Institution (HI) TEL AVIV UNIVERSITY
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), PE6, ERC-2013-StG
Summary "The first decade of Algorithmic Mechanism Design (AMD) concentrated, very successfully, on the design of truthful mechanisms for the allocation of resources among agents with private preferences.
Truthful mechanisms are ones that incentivize rational users to report their preferences truthfully.
Truthfulness, however, for all its theoretical appeal, suffers from several inherent limitations, mainly its high communication and computation complexities.
It is not surprising, therefore, that practical applications forego truthfulness and use simpler mechanisms instead.
Simplicity in itself, however, is not sufficient, as any meaningful mechanism should also have some notion of fairness; otherwise agents will stop using it over time.
In this project I plan to develop an innovative AMD theoretical framework that will go beyond truthfulness and focus instead on the natural themes of simplicity and fairness, in addition to computational tractability.
One of my primary goals will be the design of simple and fair poly-time mechanisms that perform at near optimal levels with respect to important economic objectives such as social welfare and revenue.
To this end, I will work toward providing precise definitions of simplicity and fairness and quantifying the effects of these restrictions on the performance levels that can be obtained.
A major challenge in the evaluation of non-truthful mechanisms is defining a reasonable behavior model that will enable their evaluation.
The success of this project could have a broad impact on Europe and beyond, as it would guide the design of natural mechanisms for markets of tens of billions of dollars in revenue, such as online advertising, or sales of wireless frequencies.
The timing of this project is ideal, as the AMD field is now sufficiently mature to lead to a breakthrough and at the same time young enough to be receptive to new approaches and themes."
Summary
"The first decade of Algorithmic Mechanism Design (AMD) concentrated, very successfully, on the design of truthful mechanisms for the allocation of resources among agents with private preferences.
Truthful mechanisms are ones that incentivize rational users to report their preferences truthfully.
Truthfulness, however, for all its theoretical appeal, suffers from several inherent limitations, mainly its high communication and computation complexities.
It is not surprising, therefore, that practical applications forego truthfulness and use simpler mechanisms instead.
Simplicity in itself, however, is not sufficient, as any meaningful mechanism should also have some notion of fairness; otherwise agents will stop using it over time.
In this project I plan to develop an innovative AMD theoretical framework that will go beyond truthfulness and focus instead on the natural themes of simplicity and fairness, in addition to computational tractability.
One of my primary goals will be the design of simple and fair poly-time mechanisms that perform at near optimal levels with respect to important economic objectives such as social welfare and revenue.
To this end, I will work toward providing precise definitions of simplicity and fairness and quantifying the effects of these restrictions on the performance levels that can be obtained.
A major challenge in the evaluation of non-truthful mechanisms is defining a reasonable behavior model that will enable their evaluation.
The success of this project could have a broad impact on Europe and beyond, as it would guide the design of natural mechanisms for markets of tens of billions of dollars in revenue, such as online advertising, or sales of wireless frequencies.
The timing of this project is ideal, as the AMD field is now sufficiently mature to lead to a breakthrough and at the same time young enough to be receptive to new approaches and themes."
Max ERC Funding
1 394 600 €
Duration
Start date: 2013-11-01, End date: 2018-10-31
Project acronym AMETIST
Project Advanced III-V Materials and Processes Enabling Ultrahigh-efficiency ( 50%) Photovoltaics
Researcher (PI) Mircea Dorel GUINA
Host Institution (HI) TAMPEREEN KORKEAKOULUSAATIO SR
Call Details Advanced Grant (AdG), PE8, ERC-2015-AdG
Summary Compound semiconductor solar cells are providing the highest photovoltaic conversion efficiency, yet their performance lacks far behind the theoretical potential. This is a position we will challenge by engineering advanced III-V optoelectronics materials and heterostructures for better utilization of the solar spectrum, enabling efficiencies approaching practical limits. The work is strongly motivated by the global need for renewable energy sources. To this end, AMETIST framework is based on three vectors of excellence in: i) material science and epitaxial processes, ii) advanced solar cells exploiting nanophotonics concepts, and iii) new device fabrication technologies.
Novel heterostructures (e.g. GaInNAsSb, GaNAsBi), providing absorption in a broad spectral range from 0.7 eV to 1.4 eV, will be synthesized and monolithically integrated in tandem cells with up to 8-junctions. Nanophotonic methods for light-trapping, spectral and spatial control of solar radiation will be developed to further enhance the absorption. To ensure a high long-term impact, the project will validate the use of state-of-the-art molecular-beam-epitaxy processes for fabrication of economically viable ultra-high efficiency solar cells. The ultimate efficiency target is to reach a level of 55%. This would enable to generate renewable/ecological/sustainable energy at a levelized production cost below ~7 ¢/kWh, comparable or cheaper than fossil fuels. The work will also bring a new breath of developments for more efficient space photovoltaic systems.
AMETIST will leverage the leading position of the applicant in topical technology areas relevant for the project (i.e. epitaxy of III-N/Bi-V alloys and key achievements concerning GaInNAsSb-based tandem solar cells). Thus it renders a unique opportunity to capitalize on the group expertize and position Europe at the forefront in the global competition for demonstrating more efficient and economically viable photovoltaic technologies.
Summary
Compound semiconductor solar cells are providing the highest photovoltaic conversion efficiency, yet their performance lacks far behind the theoretical potential. This is a position we will challenge by engineering advanced III-V optoelectronics materials and heterostructures for better utilization of the solar spectrum, enabling efficiencies approaching practical limits. The work is strongly motivated by the global need for renewable energy sources. To this end, AMETIST framework is based on three vectors of excellence in: i) material science and epitaxial processes, ii) advanced solar cells exploiting nanophotonics concepts, and iii) new device fabrication technologies.
Novel heterostructures (e.g. GaInNAsSb, GaNAsBi), providing absorption in a broad spectral range from 0.7 eV to 1.4 eV, will be synthesized and monolithically integrated in tandem cells with up to 8-junctions. Nanophotonic methods for light-trapping, spectral and spatial control of solar radiation will be developed to further enhance the absorption. To ensure a high long-term impact, the project will validate the use of state-of-the-art molecular-beam-epitaxy processes for fabrication of economically viable ultra-high efficiency solar cells. The ultimate efficiency target is to reach a level of 55%. This would enable to generate renewable/ecological/sustainable energy at a levelized production cost below ~7 ¢/kWh, comparable or cheaper than fossil fuels. The work will also bring a new breath of developments for more efficient space photovoltaic systems.
AMETIST will leverage the leading position of the applicant in topical technology areas relevant for the project (i.e. epitaxy of III-N/Bi-V alloys and key achievements concerning GaInNAsSb-based tandem solar cells). Thus it renders a unique opportunity to capitalize on the group expertize and position Europe at the forefront in the global competition for demonstrating more efficient and economically viable photovoltaic technologies.
Max ERC Funding
2 492 719 €
Duration
Start date: 2017-01-01, End date: 2021-12-31
Project acronym ANPROB
Project Analytic-probabilistic methods for borderline singular integrals
Researcher (PI) Tuomas Pentinpoika Hytönen
Host Institution (HI) HELSINGIN YLIOPISTO
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), PE1, ERC-2011-StG_20101014
Summary The proposal consists of an extensive research program to advance the understanding of singular integral operators of Harmonic Analysis in various situations on the borderline of the existing theory. This is to be achieved by a creative combination of techniques from Analysis and Probability. On top of the standard arsenal of modern Harmonic Analysis, the main probabilistic tools are the martingale transform inequalities of Burkholder, and random geometric constructions in the spirit of the random dyadic cubes introduced to Nonhomogeneous Analysis by Nazarov, Treil and Volberg.
The problems to be addressed fall under the following subtitles, with many interconnections and overlap: (i) sharp weighted inequalities; (ii) nonhomogeneous singular integrals on metric spaces; (iii) local Tb theorems with borderline assumptions; (iv) functional calculus of rough differential operators; and (v) vector-valued singular integrals.
Topic (i) is a part of Classical Analysis, where new methods have led to substantial recent progress, culminating in my solution in July 2010 of a celebrated problem on the linear dependence of the weighted operator norm on the Muckenhoupt norm of the weight. The proof should be extendible to several related questions, and the aim is to also address some outstanding open problems in the area.
Topics (ii) and (v) deal with extensions of the theory of singular integrals to functions with more general domain and range spaces, allowing them to be abstract metric and Banach spaces, respectively. In case (ii), I have recently been able to relax the requirements on the space compared to the established theories, opening a new research direction here. Topics (iii) and (iv) are concerned with weakening the assumptions on singular integrals in the usual Euclidean space, to allow certain applications in the theory of Partial Differential Equations. The goal is to maintain a close contact and exchange of ideas between such abstract and concrete questions.
Summary
The proposal consists of an extensive research program to advance the understanding of singular integral operators of Harmonic Analysis in various situations on the borderline of the existing theory. This is to be achieved by a creative combination of techniques from Analysis and Probability. On top of the standard arsenal of modern Harmonic Analysis, the main probabilistic tools are the martingale transform inequalities of Burkholder, and random geometric constructions in the spirit of the random dyadic cubes introduced to Nonhomogeneous Analysis by Nazarov, Treil and Volberg.
The problems to be addressed fall under the following subtitles, with many interconnections and overlap: (i) sharp weighted inequalities; (ii) nonhomogeneous singular integrals on metric spaces; (iii) local Tb theorems with borderline assumptions; (iv) functional calculus of rough differential operators; and (v) vector-valued singular integrals.
Topic (i) is a part of Classical Analysis, where new methods have led to substantial recent progress, culminating in my solution in July 2010 of a celebrated problem on the linear dependence of the weighted operator norm on the Muckenhoupt norm of the weight. The proof should be extendible to several related questions, and the aim is to also address some outstanding open problems in the area.
Topics (ii) and (v) deal with extensions of the theory of singular integrals to functions with more general domain and range spaces, allowing them to be abstract metric and Banach spaces, respectively. In case (ii), I have recently been able to relax the requirements on the space compared to the established theories, opening a new research direction here. Topics (iii) and (iv) are concerned with weakening the assumptions on singular integrals in the usual Euclidean space, to allow certain applications in the theory of Partial Differential Equations. The goal is to maintain a close contact and exchange of ideas between such abstract and concrete questions.
Max ERC Funding
1 100 000 €
Duration
Start date: 2011-11-01, End date: 2016-10-31
Project acronym ANYONIC
Project Statistics of Exotic Fractional Hall States
Researcher (PI) Mordehai HEIBLUM
Host Institution (HI) WEIZMANN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE
Call Details Advanced Grant (AdG), PE3, ERC-2018-ADG
Summary Since their discovery, Quantum Hall Effects have unfolded intriguing avenues of research, exhibiting a multitude of unexpected exotic states: accurate quantized conductance states; particle-like and hole-conjugate fractional states; counter-propagating charge and neutral edge modes; and fractionally charged quasiparticles - abelian and (predicted) non-abelian. Since the sought-after anyonic statistics of fractional states is yet to be verified, I propose to launch a thorough search for it employing new means. I believe that our studies will serve the expanding field of the emerging family of topological materials.
Our on-going attempts to observe quasiparticles (qp’s) interference, in order to uncover their exchange statistics (under ERC), taught us that spontaneous, non-topological, ‘neutral edge modes’ are the main culprit responsible for qp’s dephasing. In an effort to quench the neutral modes, we plan to develop a new class of micro-size interferometers, based on synthetically engineered fractional modes. Flowing away from the fixed physical edge, their local environment can be controlled, making it less hospitable for the neutral modes.
Having at hand our synthetized helical-type fractional modes, it is highly tempting to employ them to form localize para-fermions, which will extend the family of exotic states. This can be done by proximitizing them to a superconductor, or gapping them via inter-mode coupling.
The less familiar thermal conductance measurements, which we recently developed (under ERC), will be applied throughout our work to identify ‘topological orders’ of exotic states; namely, distinguishing between abelian and non-abelian fractional states.
The proposal is based on an intensive and continuous MBE effort, aimed at developing extremely high purity, GaAs based, structures. Among them, structures that support our new synthetic modes that are amenable to manipulation, and others that host rare exotic states, such as v=5/2, 12/5, 19/8, and 35/16.
Summary
Since their discovery, Quantum Hall Effects have unfolded intriguing avenues of research, exhibiting a multitude of unexpected exotic states: accurate quantized conductance states; particle-like and hole-conjugate fractional states; counter-propagating charge and neutral edge modes; and fractionally charged quasiparticles - abelian and (predicted) non-abelian. Since the sought-after anyonic statistics of fractional states is yet to be verified, I propose to launch a thorough search for it employing new means. I believe that our studies will serve the expanding field of the emerging family of topological materials.
Our on-going attempts to observe quasiparticles (qp’s) interference, in order to uncover their exchange statistics (under ERC), taught us that spontaneous, non-topological, ‘neutral edge modes’ are the main culprit responsible for qp’s dephasing. In an effort to quench the neutral modes, we plan to develop a new class of micro-size interferometers, based on synthetically engineered fractional modes. Flowing away from the fixed physical edge, their local environment can be controlled, making it less hospitable for the neutral modes.
Having at hand our synthetized helical-type fractional modes, it is highly tempting to employ them to form localize para-fermions, which will extend the family of exotic states. This can be done by proximitizing them to a superconductor, or gapping them via inter-mode coupling.
The less familiar thermal conductance measurements, which we recently developed (under ERC), will be applied throughout our work to identify ‘topological orders’ of exotic states; namely, distinguishing between abelian and non-abelian fractional states.
The proposal is based on an intensive and continuous MBE effort, aimed at developing extremely high purity, GaAs based, structures. Among them, structures that support our new synthetic modes that are amenable to manipulation, and others that host rare exotic states, such as v=5/2, 12/5, 19/8, and 35/16.
Max ERC Funding
1 801 094 €
Duration
Start date: 2019-05-01, End date: 2024-04-30
