Project description
Modern photodetector technology to study white dwarf sizes
Over 50 years ago, Hanbury-Brown and Twiss conducted experiments that allowed scientists to measure star sizes and inspired Roy Glauber’s quantum formalism of photon statistics. In the 1970s, interference-based optical imaging advanced but faced challenges associated with mechanical precision and atmospheric fluctuations. The ERC-funded IC4Stars project aims to overcome these challenges by using modern photon-counting techniques for quantum optics measurements and for studying quantum systems in space. Its goals include measuring the angular diameter of a white dwarf and searching for new quantum sources of radiation, such as random lasing.
Objective
The pioneering experiments of intensity correlations by Hanbury-Brown and Twiss more than 50 years ago not only allowed to measure the angular diameter of many bright stars, but it also motivated Roy Glauber to develop his quantum formalism of photon statistics. The advent of direct optical interferences of light collected by different telescopes developed in the beginning of the 70s, with superior performances in terms of signal to noise ratio and correspondingly reduced required observation time put an end to these first attempts of intensity correlation imaging for astrophysics. State of the art optical interference imaging is however limited by accessible baselines and the required mechanical precision for optical delay lines are limited in particular due to atmospheric fluctuations and at short wavelengths. In IC4Stars we will use modern photon counting techniques to perform quantum optics measurements and probe quantum systems in astrophysics. A first target will be a quantum degenerate Fermi gaz of electrons (a white dwarf) whose angular diameter is out of reach for direct optical imaging techniques. A second goal will be the search for quantum sources of radiation by looking for random lasing in astrophysics, to be detected by second order photon correlation.
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 astronomy astrophysics
- natural sciences physical sciences theoretical physics particle physics photons
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.
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.
-
HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
See all projects funded under this programme
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
See all projects funded under this funding scheme
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-2023-ADG
See all projects funded under this callHost institution
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.
75794 PARIS
France
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.