Objective This project will use short pulses of light to understand, manipulate and control the properties of complex materials on nanometre lengthscales and femtosecond timescales. Complex materials have strongly coupled electronic, lattice and magnetic subsystems. This coupling makes the material properties difficult to explain with conventional theoretical techniques, but is responsible for the exotic phenomena that are observed, such as high temperature superconductivity. One method to unravel these interactions is to use ultrafast optical pulses to excite one, typically the electronic, subsystem on a timescale much faster than it couples to other components. This allows the energy flow through the system to be monitored in order to ascertain which parameters are most strongly coupled. In addition, exciting a specific subsystem can also lead to new and interesting properties to emerge. This demonstrates new ways to manipulate, dynamically, the properties of complex materials by light to access new phenomena. However, how these properties emerge still remains largely unknown.My research will address the questions surrounding this issue by attempting to answer, how these properties form and interact from the initial state, how these properties can be manipulated by different excitation mechanism, what properties can be induced and what do they tell us about the properties that define the underlying system? The project will look at both temporal and spatial dynamics to understand how correlations and interactions spread spatially and dynamically through an evolving system. These experiments will require combining a range of microscopic, spectroscopic and femtoscopic techniques in a new and innovative way, ranging from lab based experiments to the use of worldwide user facilities. The research will be fundamental in nature, asking questions that are at heart of condensed matter physics. However, the results will have technological implications that may be exploited. Fields of science natural sciencesphysical sciencescondensed matter physicsnatural sciencesphysical scienceselectromagnetism and electronicssuperconductivity Programme(s) FP7-PEOPLE - Specific programme "People" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013) Topic(s) FP7-PEOPLE-2013-CIG - Marie-Curie Action: "Career Integration Grants" Call for proposal FP7-PEOPLE-2013-CIG See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MC-CIG - Support for training and career development of researcher (CIG) Coordinator FUNDACIO INSTITUT DE CIENCIES FOTONIQUES EU contribution € 100 000,00 Address AVINGUDA CARL FRIEDRICH GAUSS 3 08860 Castelldefels Spain See on map Region Este Cataluña Barcelona Activity type Research Organisations Administrative Contact Dolors Mateu (Ms.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data