Project description
Novel efficient far-field imaging for nanoscale studies
Nanoscale processes have been an important scientific interest in a number of fields ranging from biology to chemistry and more. A better understanding of their workings could offer a wider variety of advantages. Unfortunately, no far-field imaging technique is capable of efficiently studying nanoscale functions, with either their temporal or spatial resolutions being inadequate for study. The EU-funded HIGH-Q project will develop a novel far-field imaging technique utilising X-ray free-electron laser pulses, ultrafast coherent diffractive imaging, ultrafast X-ray and reconstruction algorithms that will allow for efficient study of nanoscale processes. This project will allow for great scientific pushes in the studies of photochemistry, material and catalysis sciences, among others.
Objective
Our ability to observe processes and study function at the nanoscale is hindered by the compromise between temporal and spatial resolutions inherent to the majority of far-field imaging techniques. This limits our perspective on a wide range of non-equilibrium processes at the nanoscale such as chemical/catalytic reactions, ultrafast phase-transitions and biological processes at room temperature in native phase. Intense and spatially coherent femtosecond-short X-ray flashes from free-electron laser (XFEL) sources can combine high spatial and temporal resolutions through 'diffraction-before-destruction' coherent diffractive imaging (CDI) of individual nano-specimens within a single exposure. XFEL CDI studies have found surprising variety of morphologies in soot, unknown metastable shapes of metal nanoparticles and exotic states of water, which are otherwise inaccessible. PI and colleagues applied this technique to follow an ultrafast irreversible laser-superheating process with few nanometers spatial and 100 femtosecond temporal resolutions at the single nanoparticle level.
Despite significant efforts, the spatial resolution of single XFEL CDI images of non-periodic specimen could not be improved beyond few nanometers. This proposal will overcome this limit by exploiting previously little explored phenomena which arise when specimen are exposed to newly available intense 500 attosecond to few femtosecond short FEL pulses. All matter exposed to intense X-rays is photo-ionised. When XFEL pulses are comparable or shorter than subsequent relaxation processes, non-linear effects such as transient resonances and resonant stimulated emission increase the brightness of images by several orders of magnitudes and significantly improve the spatial resolution. In combination with sparsity based reconstruction algorithms this proposal will push ultrafast CDI towards the single macromolecule limit and open novel avenues for photochemistry, catalysis, and material studies.
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: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences chemical sciences physical chemistry photochemistry
- natural sciences chemical sciences catalysis
- engineering and technology nanotechnology nano-materials
- natural sciences physical sciences optics laser physics
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
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.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
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Topic(s)
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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.
Funding Scheme
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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.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
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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.
(opens in new window) ERC-2021-STG
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
20148 Hamburg
Germany
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