Objective
In VISIR, I will develop the first fully integrated and electrically driven source of broadband optical frequency combs in the ultraviolet (UV), visible, and mid-infrared (MIR) regions, sustained by ultrashort pulses.
A train of identical pulses with a well-defined period corresponds, in the frequency domain, to thousands of sharp, equally spaced spectral components: an optical frequency comb (OFC). They enable the measurement of optical frequencies with unparalleled precision, a discovery for which the 2005 Nobel Prize was awarded. Following their recognition as breakthrough technology, OFCs led to revolutions in high-precision metrology and telecommunications, among others.
Initially, OFCs were generated using bulky and expensive free-space or fiber-based mode-locked lasers, strongly limiting their use in real-world applications. To address these limitations and enable the broad deployment of OFC technologies, chip-scale frequency comb sources, often called microcombs, have been actively investigated. A large variety of integrated OFC has been demonstrated, ranging from Kerr soliton microcombs that currently dominate the landscape to semiconductor mode-locked lasers. However, due to their strict requirements (optical pumping, ultra-low loss), there is still no fully integrated microcomb source in the UV, visible, and MIR, which severely limits their range of applications. In VISIR, I will overcome these limitations by leveraging the unique combination of second-order nonlinearity and semiconductor gain to generate trains of ultrashort pulses called quadratic solitons, resulting in an electrically driven microcomb source in these elusive spectral regions for the first time.
The realization of such quadratic microcombs, compatible with large-scale deployment, will enable miniaturized UV/visible optical atomic clocks and low-cost MIR sources for high-precision spectroscopy and real-time environmental sensing, helping to identify harmful greenhouse gas leaks.
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.
- social sciences political sciences political transitions revolutions
- natural sciences physical sciences electromagnetism and electronics semiconductivity
- natural sciences physical sciences optics nonlinear optics
- natural sciences physical sciences optics laser physics
- 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.1.1 - 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-2026-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.
9000 Gent
Belgium
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.