Objective
The objective of this project is to control the dynamics of a nanoscale object with unprecedented precision and to study interactions on the mesoscale, - the grey zone between the discrete atomistic world and the continuous world of macroscopic objects.
A single nanoparticle will be captured by the gradient force of a focused laser beam in ultrahigh vacuum and its center-of-mass motion will be controlled by optical back-action. To cool the nanoparticle to its quantum ground state we will explore active parametric feedback cooling in combination with passive cavity-based cooling.
A laser-trapped nanoparticle is physically decoupled from its environment, which guarantees extremely long coherence times and quality factors as high as 10^11 in ultrahigh vacuum. Force sensitivities of 10^(-20) Newtons in a bandwidth of 1 Hz can be achieved, which outperforms other measurement techniques by orders of magnitude. In this project, we will use a laser-trapped nanoparticle as a local probe for measuring mesoscopic interactions, such as Casimir forces, vacuum friction, non-equilibrium dynamics and phase transitions, with unprecedented accuracy.
We will also measure the dynamics of nanoparticles in double-well potentials created by two laser beams with closely spaced foci. A pair of trapped nanoparticles defines a highly controllable coupled-oscillator model, which can be used for studying strong coupling, level splitting, and adiabatic energy transfer at the quantum - classical barrier.
A nanoparticle cooled to its quantum ground state opens up a plethora of fundamental studies, such as the collapse of quantum superposition states under the influence of noise and gravity-induced quantum state reduction. This project will also open up new directions for precision metrology and provide unprecedented control over the dynamics of matter on the nanometer scale.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.
- engineering and technology nanotechnology nano-materials
- natural sciences physical sciences optics laser physics
You need to log in or register to use this function
We are sorry... an unexpected error occurred during execution.
You need to be authenticated. Your session might have expired.
Thank you for your feedback. You will soon receive an email to confirm the submission. If you have selected to be notified about the reporting status, you will also be contacted when the reporting status will change.
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
ERC-2013-ADG
See other projects for this call
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Host institution
8092 Zurich
Switzerland
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.