Objective
The aim of the SPOTLIGHT project is to design, build, measure, and explore a novel class of light sources based on hot-electron emission in silicon bowtie structures. We will pioneer hitherto unexplored light sources that use strongly enhanced light-matter interaction to dramatically increase the radiative decay rate of hot electrons, i.e. electrons injected in high-energy bands. These high-energy bands do not play a role in light sources today because electrons in solids couple so strongly to phonons that they decay rapidly by phonon emission before any appreciable light emission can occur. As a result, even if electrons are injected at energies high up in the conduction bands, they decay non-radiatively to the conduction band edge on a picosecond timescale. This implies that essentially all electronics and photonics today rely on physical processes occurring close to the band gap and this holds for transistors, resistors, lasers, light-emitting diodes, single-photon sources, and much more.
My idea builds on a recent breakthrough in my group where we demonstrated a novel type of nanocavity, capable of confining light to optical mode volumes so small that they were considered fundamentally impossible just a few years ago. These unique concepts enable speeding up the radiative processes by orders of magnitude, turning hot electrons in any semiconductor into a bright light source whose wavelength will be determined by the cavity, not the band gap. Our material of choice will be silicon, not only because it is the most important material in micro- and nanoelectronics for which an integrated light source is a long-sought goal, but also because silicon offers the most advanced nanotechnology. This will be crucial for our exploration of this uncharted frontier of semiconductor devices with unprecedented dimensions and unprecedented light-matter interaction strengths where new insights may have profound impact on nanotechnology, photonics, and beyond.
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 physical sciences atomic physics
- natural sciences physical sciences electromagnetism and electronics semiconductivity
- natural sciences chemical sciences inorganic chemistry metalloids
- natural sciences physical sciences optics laser physics
- engineering and technology nanotechnology nanoelectronics
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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)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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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.
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.
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-COG
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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.
2800 KONGENS LYNGBY
Denmark
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.