Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Understanding the Atomic Scale Synergies of Catalytically Active Nanoclusters on Metal Oxide Surfaces (OXIDESYNERGY)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Physical and Analytical Chemical sciences
Countries involved: Denmark
Call:  (ERC-2009-StG, 2009)
Start date: 2009-10-01
End date: 2014-09-30
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1050000.0
EU funding (EUR): 1050000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The research theme concerns the application of new experimental methods for atomic-scale characterization of model catalysts based on insulating metal oxides with the goal of exploring the potential for designing new and efficient heterogeneous catalysts by enhanced control of the catalyst structure at the atomic level. This objective will be achieved by a carefully integrated sequence of synthesis, characterization, and reactivity measurements of model catalysts based on insulating metal oxides. The project aims in detail at resolving some pertinent support synergies and size-effects, which have been revealed in catalytic systems. A core challenge and advance, which sets the project apart from previous research, is the application of high-resolution non contact Atomic Force Microscopy (nc-AFM), which is the only available tool that can resolve the atomic structure of insulator surfaces and the morphology of supported nanoclusters. I will combine my proven experience with atom-resolved imaging using nc-AFM with novel methods for synthesizing and analyzing model catalysts, to provide groundbreaking new atomistic insight. A crucial aspect will be the ability to relate nc-AFM observations to actual catalytic properties, and this will be achieved by using complementary surface spectroscopies and reaction measurements performed at real high pressure conditions. I firmly believe that this research strategy can provide the key insight to a significantly better understanding of the numerous catalytic systems based on insulating metal oxides, and this project will enable me to set up a unique world-class experimental facility for such studies.

Keywords: non contact atomic force microscopy (nc-afm),scanning force microscopy (sfm),nanocatalysis,polar surfaces,metal oxide surfaces,nanoclusters on surfaces
Expressive Power of Tree Logics (SOSNA)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Computer science and informatics
Countries involved: Poland
Call:  (ERC-2009-StG, 2009)
Start date: 2009-11-01
End date: 2014-10-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 799920.0
EU funding (EUR): 799920.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Logics for expressing properties of labeled trees and forests figure importantly in several different areas of Computer Science, including verification (branching temporal logics) and database theory (many XML query languages). The goal of this project is to investigate the expressive power of tree logics, mainly those logics that can be captured by tree automata. A similar study, but for word languages, is one of the main lines of research in formal language theory. The study of the expressive power of word logics has lead to many beautiful and fundamental results, including Schutzenberger&apos;s characterization of star-free languages, and the Krohn-Rhodes decomposition theorem. We intend to extend this research for trees. The type of questions we want to answer is: what is the expressive power of first-order logic in trees? is there a Krohn-Rhodes decomposition theory for trees? what is a tree group? We expect that our study of tree logics will use algebraic techniques, possibly the setting of forest algebra (as introduced by the principal investigator and Igor Walukiewicz). We would also like to extend the algebraic setting beyond regular languages of finite trees, to e.g. infinite trees, or nonregular languages.

Keywords: tree automata
Arrays of entangled atoms (ARENA)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Fundamental constituents of matter
Countries involved: France
Call:  (ERC-2009-StG, 2009)
Start date: 2009-12-01
End date: 2014-11-30
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1449600.0
EU funding (EUR): 1449600.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The goal of this project is to prepare in a deterministic way, and then to characterize, various entangled states of up to 25 individual atoms held in an array of optical tweezers. Such a system provides a new arena to explore quantum entangled states of a large number of particles. Entanglement is the existence of quantum correlations between different parts of a system, and it is recognized as an essential property that distinguishes the quantum and the classical worlds. It is also a resource in various areas of physics, such as quantum information processing, quantum metrology, correlated quantum systems and quantum simulation. In the proposed design, each site is individually addressable, which enables single atom manipulation and detection. This will provide the largest entangled state ever produced and fully characterized at the individual particle level. The experiment will be implemented by combining two crucial novel features, that I was able to demonstrate very recently: first, the manipulation of quantum bits written on long-lived hyperfine ground states of single ultra-cold atoms trapped in microscopic optical tweezers; second, the generation of entanglement by using the strong long-range interactions between Rydberg states. These interactions lead to the so-called dipole blockade , and enable the preparation of various classes of entangled states, such as states carrying only one excitation (W states), and states analogous to Schrödinger s cats (GHZ states). Finally, I will also explore strategies to protect these states against decoherence, developed in the framework of fault-tolerant and topological quantum computing. This project therefore combines an experimental challenge and the exploration of entanglement in a mesoscopic system.

Keywords: entanglement optical tweezer
Numerical simulations and analysis of kinetic models - Applications to plasma physics and Nanotechnology (NUSIKIMO)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Mathematical foundations
Countries involved: France
Call:  (ERC-2009-StG, 2009)
Start date: 2010-01-01
End date: 2014-12-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 490000.0
EU funding (EUR): 490000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

This project is devoted to the mathematical and numerical analysis in statistical physics with a special interest to applications in Plasma Physics and nanotechnology with Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS). We propose to achieve numerical simulations in plasma physics by fully deterministic methods. Using super-computers, a non stationary collisional plasma can be modelled taking into account Coulombian interactions and self-consistent electromagnetic fields to study different regimes and instabilities. These methods are based on high order and conservative finite volume schemes for the transport and fast multi-grid methods for the treatment of collisions. The first application is the simulation of fast ignition or Inertial Confinement Fusion, which is an important issue in plasma physics. Here, the main difficulty concerns the modelling of collisions of relativistic particles and the development of new algorithms for their treatment. Another part is devoted to the derivation of moments models which require less computational effort but keep the main properties of the initial models. The second application concerns micro and nanotechnologies, which are expected to play a very important role in the development of MEMS. Since the scale of micro flows is often comparable with the molecular mean free path, it is necessary to adopt the point of view of kinetic theory. Then applications of kinetic theory methods to micro flows are becoming very important and an accurate approximation of the Boltzmann equation is a key issue. Even nowadays a deterministic numerical solution of the Boltzmann equation still represents a challenge for scientific computing. Recently, a new class of algorithms based on spectral techniques in the velocity space has been been developed for the trend to equilibrium. The next important step is to treat applications for MEMS in nanotechnology for which the main difficulty is to treat complex geometries and moving boundary problems.

Keywords: vlasov equation,boltzmann collision operator,direct simulation,plasma physics
Multiphoton Ionization Nano-Therapy (MINT)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: ERC Starting Grant Interdisciplinary Panel
Countries involved: Israel
Call:  (ERC-2009-StG, 2009)
Start date: 2009-12-01
End date: 2014-11-30
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1782600.0
EU funding (EUR): 1782600.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The application of nanotechnology for addressing key problems in clinical diagnosis and therapy holds great promise in medicine and in cancer in particular. Recent works have shown significant progress in nanoparticle-mediated drug delivery and therapy. In these applications, however, the small dimensions of the nanoparticles have been used primarily for efficient delivery and specificity, while the effects mediated by the nanoparticles occur away from the particle itself, affecting the entire cell\tumour volume. We propose to study and develop, for the first time, a novel scheme for cancer therapy that treats cancer cells at nanoscale resolutions. Briefly, when noble-metal nanoparticles are illuminated with femtosecond laser pulses tuned to their plasmonic resonance, order-of-magnitude enhancements of the optical fields several nanometres away from their surfaces lead to local damage only to nearby molecules or cellular organelles. This process, which practically involves no toxic agents, is at the basis for this proposal; we will utilize techniques for targeting nanoparticles to cells, initiate and control cancer cell destruction using nanoparticles and femtosecond laser pulses, and develop technology for conducting image-guided minimally invasive cancer therapy in remote locations of the body. Preliminary results supporting the proposed scheme include nonlinear optical imaging and ablation of living cells, in vivo endoscopic imaging of cancerous tumour nodules, and computer simulations of light-nanoparticle interactions. Using state-of-the-art concepts in nanotechnology, biology, chemistry, and medicine, the proposed novel multidisciplinary research will attempt at offering a feasible and safe addition to existing forms of cancer therapy.

Keywords: biomedical optics,optical therapy
Limit theorems for processes in random media (LIMITTRANDOMMEDIA)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Mathematical foundations
Countries involved: Germany,Israel
Call:  (ERC-2009-StG, 2009)
Start date: 2009-11-01
End date: 2014-10-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 504000.0
EU funding (EUR): 504000.0
Participants: 2
Project status: CLOSED

Classical random walks (CRW) have been studied for centuries, and very detailed information is known about them. However, most of the techniques for studying CRW are based on the complete regularity and the group structure of the medium. When modeling real world phenomena, this regularity assumption rarely holds, and therefore CRW is not a sufficient model. As a result, a number of non-classical models of random walk have been suggested. These models are believed to better model actual natural processes. One of the most studied of non-classical random walk models is random walk in random environment (RWRE). In RWRE the medium (&quot;environment&quot;) in which the process takes place is random, and the law of the random walk varies as a function of the location. RWRE can model, for instance, the motion of an electron in an alloy, the movement of enzymes along a DNA sequence and many other processes. Since the CRW methodology does not work for RWRE (and, in fact, neither for other non-classical models of random walk), new methodology needed to be developed. The purpose of this project is to contribute to the study of RWRE by improving the existing methods and by developing new ones. We will work on some of the most important problems in the field, namely convergence and rate of convergence to Brownian motion for various RWRE models (e.g. reversible, perturbative and others), trapping and slowdown for RWRE models (e.g. ballistic and perturbative), ballisticity conditions, zero-one laws, and others. The output of this project is expected to contribute significantly to the understanding of RWRE systems.

Keywords: random walk,random environment,slowdown effects,quenched and annealed invariance principles,corrector function.
Advanced techniques to Search for Physics Beyond the Standard Model with the LHCb Detector at CERN (BSMWLHCB)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Fundamental constituents of matter
Countries involved: United Kingdom
Call:  (ERC-2009-StG, 2009)
Start date: 2010-02-01
End date: 2016-01-31
Duration (months): 72.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1682799.6
EU funding (EUR): 1682799.6
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

I propose a programme of precision tests of the Standard Model of particle physics to be carried out using the LHCb experiment at CERN. The proposal is focussed on studies of CP violation - differences between the behaviour of particles and antiparticles that are fundamental to understanding why the Universe we see today is made up of matter, not antimatter. The innovative feature of this research is the use of Dalitz plot analyses to improve the sensitivity to interesting CP violation effects. Recently I have developed a number of new methods to search for CP violation based on this technique. These methods can be used at LHCb and will extend the physics reach of the experiment beyond what was previously considered possible. I propose to create a small research team, based at the University of Warwick, to develop these methods and to make a number of precise measurements of CP violation parameters using the LHCb experiment. By comparing the results with the Standard Model predictions for these parameters, effects due to non-standard particles can be observed or highly constrained. The results of this work have the potential to redefine the direction of this research field. They will be essential to develop theories of particle physics that go beyond the Standard Model and attempt to address great unanswered questions, such as the origin of the matter--antimatter asymmetry of the Universe.

Keywords: matter-antimatter asymmetry,cp violation,dalitz plot analysis,physics beyond the standard model
Novel Developments in Time Projection Chambers (TPCs) for Rare Event Searches in Underground Astroparticle EXperiments (TREX)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Fundamental constituents of matter
Countries involved: Spain
Call:  (ERC-2009-StG, 2009)
Start date: 2009-12-01
End date: 2015-11-30
Duration (months): 72.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1223776.0
EU funding (EUR): 1223776.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Gaseous detectors like TPCs are seldom used in Rare Event searches (like those looking for Dark Matter particles, Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay or other neutrino experiments) due mainly to the difficulty in reaching target masses large enough to be sensitive to the extremely low counting rates expected. However, very promising recent advances in TPC readouts based on micropatterns (e.g. the Micromegas concept) may overcome those limitations, making the application of TPCs to this kind of experiments not only viable, but competitive. The first order discoveries that await us in double beta or dark matter experiments will require the identification of the signal events with an unmistakable signature like the one only offered by gaseous detectors. The proposed research aims at the exploration of these new concepts from the point of view of low background techniques, and at their development up to the point of application to next-generation high-discovery-potential experiments in this field. The main practical objective is the creation and consolidation, in the host institution, of a core of technological and scientific expertise on TPCs for low background applications. In addition, the host group is currently responsible for the maintenance and operation of the new Canfranc Underground Laboratory (LSC). The proposed development will have high impact regarding future experiments in the field. In particular, they will find direct application in several starting initiatives in which the applicant has a leading role: the recently proposed Neutrino Xenon TPC project (NEXT) for double beta decay at Canfranc, the Cosmology with Nuclear Recoils (CYGNUS) network to explore the directional signal of Dark Matter particles and, more generically, the CERN-based RD-51 technological collaboration recently approved to promote developments on micropattern detectors. It will certainly have practical applications beyond fundamental science.

Keywords: rare events,tpcs,micromegas,dark matter,wimps,double beta decay,neutrinos,underground physics
Fine Observations of the Rate of Cosmic Expansion: Combining the powers of Weak Gravitational Lensing and Baryon Acoustic Oscillations as Probes of Dark Energy (FORCE)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Universe sciences
Countries involved: United Kingdom
Call:  (ERC-2009-StG, 2009)
Start date: 2010-04-01
End date: 2015-10-31
Duration (months): 67.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1258797.0
EU funding (EUR): 1258797.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

I propose to combine state-of-the-art observations of weak gravitational lensing and baryon acoustic oscillations to answer one fundamental question; is the accelerating expansion of our Universe caused by dark energy, or is it a manifestation of beyond-Einstein gravity theories, as might arise if the Universe has more dimensions? This frontier research will have a wide ranging impact as is it believed that understanding the dark energy phenomenon will revolutionize our understanding of Physics today. The observational task of detecting and analysing probes of dark energy is technically very challenging and may be subject to systematic limits. I detail how I will exploit synergies between the weak lensing and baryon acoustic oscillations techniques, showing that the physical systematics that effect each technique can be neatly resolved using complementary information from the alternative technique. With support from the ERC I will create an inter-disciplinary team well positioned to first solve many of the systematic problems associated with dark energy research and then apply those novel solutions to the dark energy analysis of three world-leading wide-field surveys that I currently co-investigate; CFHTLS, a recently completed 170 square degree ugriz survey, PanSTARRS-1, a soon to be started all-sky grizy survey and ADEPT, a space-based infra-red telescope for baryon acoustic oscillation studies proposed for NASA s Joint Dark Energy Mission. Using innovative 3D statistical analyses, optimised photometric redshifts and new combined lensing and galaxy clustering statistics, my ERC team will aim to control systematic errors to place joint constraints on the evolving nature of dark energy and test directly beyond-Einstein gravity.

Keywords: weak gravitational lensing baryon acoustic oscillations
Proofs and Computation (PAC)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: ERC Starting Grant Interdisciplinary Panel
Countries involved: Israel
Call:  (ERC-2009-StG, 2009)
Start date: 2009-12-01
End date: 2015-09-30
Duration (months): 70.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1743676.0
EU funding (EUR): 1743676.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The project described in this proposal studies formal proofs and their interaction with computation. The study of propositional proofs is connected to a spectrum of problems in our field, starting with the meta-mathematical quest to explain our failure to understand computation and make progress on the basic questions haunting our field (such as P vs. NP), and ending with the industry-driven quest for better algorithms for solving instances of the satisfiability problem. In a seemingly different direction, the recent introduction of magical probabilistically checkable proofs (PCPs) has opened new horizons in computer science, ranging from a deeper understanding of approximation algorithms and their limits to the construction of super-efficient protocols for the verification of proofs and computations. We suggest to study proofs and computation with three main objectives. First, to construct better SAT solvers via a better understanding of propositional proof systems. Second, to expand the range of applications of PCPs and transform them from the purely theoretical objects that they currently are to practical and accessible formats for use in all settings where proofs are encountered. Third, to expand our theoretical understanding of the intrinsic limits of proofs, with an eye towards explaining why we are unable to make significant progress on central questions in computational complexity. We believe this project can bridge across different regions of computer science such as SAT solving and proof complexity, theory and practice, propositional proofs and probabilistically checkable ones. And its expected impact will start on the theoretical mathematical level that forms the foundation of computer science and percolate to more practical areas of our field.

Keywords: propositional proof complexity,probabilistically checkable proofs