Project description
Soft crystals power next-gen photonics
Europe’s digital future depends on powerful, energy-efficient technologies, with integrated photonics at the heart of this transformation. Photonic circuits need compact, efficient micro-lasers, as their main light sources, which are a challenge to build. Optical metamaterials, which manipulate light at the nanoscale through precise resonances, offer a promising solution. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the MetaPhoton project aims to use soft photonic blue phase liquid crystals (BPLCs) as the active medium. These can host nanoparticle lattices and guide resonance modes, creating collective interferences that drive high-efficiency micro-lasers. By merging expertise in liquid crystal systems and nanophotonic imaging, MetaPhoton paves the way for soft photonic crystal-induced high-Q nanophotonics, advancing Europe’s photonics frontier.
Objective
'Integrated photonics is a highly promising technology for next-generation photonic materials, and has been identified as a key research area for Europes digital transformation, fulfilling EU sustainability goals. Compact and coherent micro-lasers are essential components as light sources in photonic integrated circuits. Optical metamaterials is an emerging area of nanophotonics research, in which the electrical and magnetic resonances of the sub-wavelength components, manipulate light at the nanoscale. Precise spectral tuning of the resonances leads to collective interferences with demonstrated potential for realizing high-efficiency micro-lasers. MetaPhoton aims to develop an innovative optical metamaterial-based lasing system with the soft photonic blue phase liquid crystal (BPLC) as the active medium. The host BPLC, whose immense potential as an optical metamaterial is yet unexplored, serves a dual purpose: (i) supports nanoparticle lattice to form metamaterial, and (ii) exhibits photonic band gap guided resonance modes, which interfere with particle-driven optical resonances. The collective interferences in the soft photonic metamaterial are promising to drive next-generation high quality factor (Q) photonic band edge micro-lasers. The project gains strength from my previous experience in soft photonics & optical metamaterials, combined with the extensive experience of the host supervisor in LC-based photonic systems and that of the collaborators in nanophotonic imaging and spectroscopy. While the optical metamaterials field has passed its naissance and is emerging into a matured research stage, MetaPhoton is set to inspire a new research area soft photonic crystal-induced high-Q nanophotonics, which is highly relevant now to advance the field. The research and career development skills gained during the fellowship by working on this cutting-edge project will be the key to establishing myself as an independent researcher.
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.
- engineering and technology nanotechnology nano-materials
- engineering and technology nanotechnology nanophotonics
- natural sciences physical sciences optics spectroscopy
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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.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
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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-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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Call for proposal
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2024-PF-01
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M13 9PL Manchester
United Kingdom
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