Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-erc-participations-et-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Projet ERC : TERAPLASM (Horizon Europe, appel 2021, Advanced grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Condensed Matter Physics
Entité participante : Institute of High Pressure Physics — Pays : Pologne — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : IHPP;IWC
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 2499999.0 €

Thirty years ago Dyakonov and Shur opened a new field in solid-state physics and electronics - plasma-wave electronics. They theoretically predicted that: i) in nano-transistors, plasma waves may oscillate at THz frequencies far beyond the devices’ cut-off GHz frequencies, ii) THz radiation can be detected by plasma nonlinearities, and iii) the current flow can lead to the generation of THz radiation. The detection part of the “plasmonics promise” was proven and nowadays THz plasmonic detector arrays are widely used. In the case of emitters, the task turned out to be considerably more complicated. Only recently (PRX 10, 031004, 2020; with my team’s participation) room temperature, current-driven amplification of incoming THz radiation has been demonstrated in an innovative double grating gate structures based on graphene, one of the most promising materials for plasmonics. These break-through results indicate that existing models of plasmonic systems should be reconsidered and that using new 2D materials or their heterojunctions with innovative geometries, may lead “Towards on-chip plasmonics amplifiers of THz radiation”, which is TERAPLASM’s main objective. The experimental methodology will involve fabrication and THz spectroscopy studies of graphene and alternative-to-graphene unique HgTe and GaN-based systems with a high mobility 2D electron gas. This will allow finding the physical mechanisms responsible for the observed THz plasmonic amplification and select the optimum systems for THz devices. In parallel, theoretical research will develop physical models of THz plasmonic amplification studied in the experimental part of the project. By conducting extensive technological, spectroscopic, and theoretical research TERAPLASM will aim to answer the old basic physics and electronics questions on the feasibility of on-chip plasmonics amplifiers of THz radiation, with important potential applications in wireless telecommunication, biosensing, security, and others.

Mots-clés : terahertz oscillation of plasmons,2d layer materials plasmonic system,on chip terahertz amplifiers emitters,2d layer based devices
Projet ERC : DendAssembly (Horizon Europe, appel 2023, Advanced grants)
Domaine scientifique : Life Science
Panel : Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System
Entité participante : Technion - Institut de technologie d'Israël — Pays : Israël — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 2500000.0 €

The cortex has the amazing capacity to continuously learn through experience while retaining past memories. But how does the cortical network implement this continual learning while avoiding interference and catastrophic overwriting of prior events? While cell assemblies with simple point neurons are thought to serve as the basic learning and storage units, this model poses major challenges in dynamic environments and lacks experimental support. Relying on strong preliminary results, I here propose a radically different view of learning and storage in the cortex—the dendrite assembly hypothesis—where the relevant memory units are the “hidden layer” of dendritic branches. Namely, each neuron operates as a small network, with different dendrite assemblies representing different tasks and driving the soma. The dendrite assembly model augments the cell assembly model, potentially alleviating problems of interference, sparsity and capacity. We will test the dendrite assembly hypothesis in the mouse motor cortex, where learning is perpetual and coding is dense. This will entail determining dendritic and somatic representations during continual learning, thus deciphering the core learning units of the network (Aim1), the pathways (Aim2) and structural plasticity (Aim3) that enable dendrite assembly formation and learning; and the consequences of the dendrite assembly model for the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease (Aim4). We will record from somas, dendrites and spines of pyramidal tract neurons at single-cell and population levels with unprecedented spatiotemporal resolution, using state-of-the-art in-vivo imaging, a novel behavioral design, and an analysis platform we developed. Our results are expected to transform our view of how cortical neurons represent multiple motor memories in the healthy and Parkinsonian brain, open avenues for developing novel treatment modalities for Parkinson’s disease and inspire new artificial intelligence network architectures.

Mots-clés : motor learning,two photon microscopy dendritic computation in vivo motor cortex pyramidal neurons calcium imaging dendritic spikes
Projet ERC : Gold-Redox (Horizon Europe, appel 2022, Advanced grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Synthetic Chemistry and Materials
Entité participante : Centre national de la recherche scientifique — Pays : France — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : CNRS
Type d'entité : Recherche
Financement ERC de l'entité : 2499540.0 €

The chemical elements are central to chemistry, physics and biology. Exploring their different states and chemical bonding is thus of utmost importance. Yet, 150 years after Mendeleev recognized periodicity in the structure and properties of the elements, there is still much to discover and exploit. Indeed, some elements are still confined to a few oxidation states. This is especially true for gold which, despite major progress over the last decades, lags well behind the other transition metals. At the molecular level, only Au(I) and Au(III) complexes are known essentially.  The aim of Gold-Redox is to expand the chemical space of gold to other oxidation states that remain curiosities or are simply unknown. The bottleneck to overcome is to force gold outside its comfort zone. To this end, I will play with ligand design. I will identify ligands that enable gold to accommodate new oxidation states. Gold complexes in unprecedented forms, from Au(0) to Au(IV) and Au(V), will be designed, prepared and studied. Because of their peculiar electronic structures, these new oxidation states will open novel reactivity paths at gold. Most appealing are single-electron processes and Au(III)/Au(V) cycles.  Targeting new oxidation states and reactivities, Gold-Redox is inherently very exploratory and cutting-edge. To address this high risk-high gain challenge, I will capitalize on my expertise in highly reactive species and gold chemistry. Ligand design (I previously used to create unusual bonding situations such as with -acceptor ligands, and to emulate unprecedented reactivity of Au(I)/Au(III) complexes) will be central, as well as thorough structure-properties analyses by advanced experimental and computational methods. Gold-Redox will provide in-depth fundamental knowledge on novel gold species and will open new avenues in catalysis and photo-catalysis.

Mots-clés : gold,complexes,ligands,redox,catalysis
Projet ERC : AMOS (Horizon Europe, appel 2022, Advanced grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences
Entité participante : Université de Graz — Pays : Autriche — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 2499909.0 €

AMOS represents a ground-breaking approach to achieve uni-directional motion on well-defined surfaces, realize cooperative motor activity, control flow processes and transport cargo at the atomic scale. It is based on molecule-surface motors that overcome microscopic reversibility via controlled potential energy surface modulation with high potential impact in various fields. Light will be used to excite molecular motion, offering great versatility. Hence, the stimulus is given remotely to many molecules, while characterization is done at the single-molecule level, allowing for statistical analysis of trajectories in two dimensions. Different motor concepts will be used to controllably modulate the potential energy surfaces and address the key challenges in the field of molecular machines at surfaces. A variety of highly defined surfaces will be employed and novel adsorbate motors, molecules that achieve motor functionality only when joint together with a surface, will be studied. Advanced control of motion will be achieved by multiple motors. Complementary methods in microscopy, spectroscopy and interferometry with extremely high resolution in space, energy and time will be used – a key aspect of this project. AMOS addresses both fundamental research and technological aspects: it will yield elementary understanding of molecular motors with extremely high spatial (pm) and temporal (fs) resolution and investigate model systems for future applications with insight at the single-molecule level. It will explore collectivity to amplify motor activity by cooperative effects in precisely defined assemblies and will study these systems also under environmental conditions in view of steered flow processes at the solid-liquid interface. Specific chemical interaction will realize transport and delivery of single or few atoms cargo with individual motor molecules, a fundamental step towards bottom-up construction of matter by molecular machines.

Mots-clés : microscopic reversibility potential energy surface molecular maschine surface adsorbate single molecule manipulation uni directionality stm afm pump probe photoemission spectroscopy
Projet ERC : NEOCON (Horizon Europe, appel 2024, Advanced grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Universe Sciences
Entité participante : Université de Graz — Pays : Autriche — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 2500000.0 €

Tension between solar observations and theoretical and numerical models is shifting the paradigm of stellar convection: simulations produce dominant large-scale flows that are absent in the Sun and the supergranulation scale which according to helioseismology is dominant in the Sun is not captured by simulations. This discrepancy, named the convective conundrum, is the most likely reason why solar differential rotation and global dynamo cannot be reproduced by current simulations. Canonical theory of convection, adopted in many models, assumes an unstable temperature gradient and local driving of convection leading to large-scale flows. More recent models relaxing this assumption suggest that surface cooling is the main driver of convection leading to non-local flows in the form of cool entropy rain. In this scenario the bulk of the convection zone is weakly stably stratified in stark contrast to traditional mixing length picture. Recent solar observations also suggest fast small-scale plumes and weakly stable stratification.  Simulations of stellar convection are limited by computational resources such that fully realistic models of stars are unreachable in the foreseeable future. This is most likely why surface driving of convection is too weak in current simulations. In the NeoCon project this is addressed via a solar observation-inspired subgrid-scale model incorporating entropy rain to reach the highly non-local regime of convection conjectured to exist in stars. This has paradigm-shifting consequences for theories of stellar convection and dynamos with potential ramifications for stellar structure and evolution. In addition to capturing convection accurately, another crucial requirement is ensuring the correct force balance in stellar interiors with strong multiscale magnetic fields. Strong magnetism is another possible solution to the convective conundrum which is addressed in the NeoCon project by comprehensive study of magnetic back-reaction on convection.

Mots-clés : convection,dynamo,turbulence,high performance computing
Projet ERC : DROP (Horizon Europe, appel 2023, Advanced grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Earth System Science
Entité participante : GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences — Pays : Allemagne — Rôle : Partner
Acronyme de l'entité : GFZ
Type d'entité : Recherche
Financement ERC de l'entité : 75000.0 €

Asia’s mountain ranges are the world’s most important water towers, often referred to as the planet’s Third Pole. Precipitation in these mountains feeds glaciers and snow fields and generates river flow, which sustains millions of people downstream. Precipitation also triggers natural hazards such as floods, landslides and avalanches, which cause enormous human and economic losses. Despite the importance of high-altitude precipitation, we lack a fundamental understanding of the mechanisms that control its distribution and how it changes. We need this to elucidate the water cycle at the Third Pole. DROP will close this knowledge gap by showing how the mountains, feedback from land surfaces and large-scale circulation control the magnitude and spatiotemporal distribution of high-altitude snow and rain. New field observations at extreme altitudes and state-of-the-art atmospheric modelling will provide a comprehensive picture for the entire Third Pole at a wide range of scales.  At the smallest scale, a high-altitude ice core and meteorological observations will provide key insights into past accumulation trends. At the valley scale, I will combine dense observations of precipitation and high-altitude snow accumulation with atmospheric simulations to gain insight into snow and rainfall patterns. At the scale of the entire Third Pole, I will conduct state-of-the-art atmospheric model experiments, combined with in-situ observations in regional transects and remote sensing to understand how the extreme topography, land surface feedback and moisture recycling control snow and rain patterns. DROP will provide a long-awaited scientific step forward in understanding mountain precipitation in a region where this is of vital importance for water security and disaster risk reduction for millions of people.

Mots-clés : mountain meteorology,high mountain asia,precipitation,snow,rain
Projet ERC : DyMETEr (Horizon Europe, appel 2021, Advanced grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Fundamental Constituents of Matter
Entité participante : Académie autrichienne des sciences — Pays : Autriche — Rôle : Partner
Acronyme de l'entité : ÖAW
Type d'entité : Recherche
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1132694.0 €

DyMETEr aims at creating novel quantum platforms of enhanced capability by using ultracold Erbium and Dysprosium atoms as building-block to unprecedentedly access many-body phases of dipolar mixtures, dipolar-gas microscopy, and multi-valence-electron Rydberg quantum simulators. By pushing the limits of interaction control using tailored optical potentials and Rydberg excitations, as well as state read-out through the application of quantum-gas-microscopy techniques, we will harness the multi-valance-electron nature of magnetic lanthanides to deepen our understanding of unconventional phases and phenomena of quantum matter -- in particular, those arising from the combined effects of short- and long-range interactions.  The main project objectives are: •The bulk phases of matter in dipolar quantum mixtures: Accessing the unexplored miscibility-immiscibility phase diagram of dipolar quantum mixtures in the droplet and supersolid regime. •Microscopy and lattice physics with quantum dipoles: Developing quantum-gas microscopy for magnetic atoms to access quantum simulation with long-range-interacting atomic systems. •Tweezer arrays with multi-valence-electron Rydberg atoms: Realizing novel Rydberg quantum simulators exploiting the multi-electron nature of magnetic lanthanide atoms.  Our project is very ambitious, but, if successful, has clearly the potential to break new ground in dipolar quantum physics with ultracold atoms.
Projet ERC : WinMicAct (Horizon Europe, appel 2024, Advanced grants)
Domaine scientifique : Life Science
Panel : Environmental B iology, Ecology  and E volution
Entité participante : Université de Graz — Pays : Autriche — Rôle : Partner
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 375072.5 €

Soil microorganisms are essential drivers of ecosystem processes in drylands that cover ~40% of the Earth’s landmasses. It is widely accepted that microbial activity in arid deserts is confined to rare, short and unpredictable rain pulses. Yet, water could be available for soil microorganism by other processes, such as dew formation, fog deposition and water vapor adsorption. These so-called non-rain water inputs represent significant sources of water, as they are more frequent and reliable. Yet, it is unknown if desert soil microorganism can utilize these water sources for reactivation, nor the associated microbial activities they facilitate and their overall contribution to microbial-driven ecosystem processes. WinMicAct will challenge the rain-centered view of desert microbial activity. I hypothesize that desert microbial communities can use the minute water input provided by non-rain water for reactivation. WinMicAct pushes the boundaries of molecular omics and microbial activity analysis to detect reactivation down to the lowest possible water availabilities. Utilizing spatial upscaling, WinMicAct will estimate the contribution of these microbial activities (respiration, CO2 and N2 fixation) to the ecosystem level. WinMicAct will further reveal the importance of different water sources for survival and thus maintaining desert soil biodiversity that is crucial for ecosystem functioning. Finally, WinMicAct is highly relevant in light of climate change, as future scenarios predict changing patterns of rain and non-rain water inputs. With the knowledge gained in this project on microbial processes driven by the different water sources under climate change predictions, WinMicAct provides the foundation for future investigations and modeling of climate change effects on dryland ecosystem processes. Together, WinMicAct will generate ground-breaking knowledge on non-rain water driving microbial activities and will be a major step forward in arid ecosystem research.

Mots-clés : desert soil microbiology,bacteria archaea,microbial survival and reactivation,microbial diversity,non rain water input,ecosystem processes,climate change scenarios
Projet ERC : SYNCPOL (Horizon Europe, appel 2021, Advanced grants)
Domaine scientifique : Social Sciences and Humanities
Panel : Institutions, Governance and Legal Systems
Entité participante : Université Louis-et-Maximilien de Munich — Pays : Allemagne — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : LMU
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 2495475.0 €

Democratic policy-makers in Europe’s multi-level system grapple with multiple times, since different levels of government, parliaments and administrative agencies follow distinct time rules and time preferences. Time clashes are an ever-present threat. Synchronisation is, therefore, a critical, but very little understood dimension of public policy-making. It is designed to avoid systematic time clashes by structuring the timing, speed, frequencies, sequences, durations and time horizons in policy-making. Over the past decade, simultaneous demands for “faster action”, “more time” and “extended time horizons” have pushed multi-level synchronisation in opposing directions. In light of major contestation around synchronisation, SYNCPOL asks: 1) What happens when political demands for “faster action”, “more time” and “extended time horizons” challenge synchronisation arrangements in multi-level policy domains? 2) How does the reshaping of synchronisation arrangements alter the vertical and horizontal distribution of political power amongst governments, parliaments and administrative agencies and the types of power in Europe’s multi-level system? Drawing on institutionalist theory, SYNCPOL conceptualises synchronisation arrangements as a critical variable that is fundamental to the distribution of political power amongst policy-makers. It rigorously probes hypotheses on this crucial connection employing a mixed-methods design that combines document analysis, interviews, a major survey, dictionary-based text analysis and process tracing. The project examines synchronisation across EU, national and subnational governments, parliaments and administrative agencies, with a focus on six multi-level democracies: Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Spain. The analysis covers two policy domains - migration-asylum and public health policy – since the early 2010s. SYNCPOL will generate fundamentally new insights into how time shapes democratic multi-level politics and policy.

Mots-clés : political science time and politics synchronization multi level system public policy
Projet ERC : fAIces (Horizon Europe, appel 2023, Advanced grants)
Domaine scientifique : Social Sciences and Humanities
Panel : The Soci al World and Its Interactions
Entité participante : Associacao iscte conhecimento e inovacao - centro de valorizacao e transferencia de tecnologias — Pays : Portugal — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : CVTT-ISCTE
Type d'entité : Recherche
Financement ERC de l'entité : 2440135.0 €

Facial recognition technologies collect billions of faces that are stored for multiple uses spanning individual identification and tracking, to training of deep neural networks, the mainstay of modern artificial intelligence (AI). From tagging a photo on social media or unlocking a computer, to controversial applications of facial recognition in public spaces, schools, workplaces, and law enforcement activities, facial processing technologies have entered almost every aspect of our lives. While expected benefits relate to security and safety, critics highlight that these technologies normalize surveillance and erode privacy, exacerbate discrimination, and contain insurmountable flaws and inaccuracy. The fAIces project asks: What matters in facial recognition technologies, and why? How politics of mattering enact diverse ways of being implicated? Which forms of citizenship and public engagement are affected? How multiple and complex ethical choices emerge?  This study develops a novel methodology by which the perspectives of social groups that have never been studied together, which are jointly but antagonistically implicated in facial recognition technologies, are taken into consideration: scientists who conduct research on facial recognition; professionals working in start-ups and technology companies; members of advocacy groups and activists; black communities; and artists who incorporate facial recognition in their work. The fAIces project will produce an innovative social theory of the face through the combination of a new conceptual approach – “etho-assemblages”, which transgresses the idea of pre-given fixed and dichotomic ethical principles – and the generation of original empirical data. Major outcomes are based on expanding ethics and imagining alternative futures, fueling citizenship and public engagement, and fostering opportunities for academic thinking to be inspired by activism, underrepresented groups, and artistic practices.

Mots-clés : facial recognition technologies artificial intelligence ethics security surveillance privacy discrimination futures citizenship and public engagement with technology