ERC Consolidator Grants for Laserlab Researchers

Mikkel Brydegaard (LLC): Remote microscopy, nanoscopy and picoscopy by hyperspectral lidar

Within Brydegaard’s ERC Consolidator Grant project, HyperSense, his group will develop four new prototypes of hyperspectral lidar (or laser radar). Currently lidar systems typically have a single or a couple of wavelengths. His new concept can provide lidar with hundreds of spectral bands which can be used to deduce micro-, nano- and picoscopic details of biological targets.
Applications include classification of pollen on bees, virus in insects, hair growth on mosquitoes, navigation of midges, and diversity of zooplankton

Christoph Heyl (DESY/HIJ): Gas phase sonophotonics

Heyl’s ERC Consolidator project GASONIC is intended to leverage gas-phase light control mediated by intense ultrasound waves to other optical devices and adaptive control schemes, broadening the variety of applications of the innovative concept. These range from efficient light modulators and switches to all-gas-phase adaptive waveguide-like systems shaped by intense acoustic waves. Ultrafast optical switches and
modulators are able to change key properties such as intensity and phase of ultrafast laser pulses. Thus, they are important building blocks for today’s laser systems employed, e.g., for welding, machining, surgery and for scientific applications.

Thomas Bocklitz (Leibnitz-IPHT): Non-invasive computational immunohistochemical staining based on deep learning and multimodal imaging

In order to distinguish between healthy and diseased tis- sue in tumour diagnostics, conventional methods involve staining tissue samples and then having them examined by pathologists. These steps are labour-intensive and require a great amount of time and money. Researchers in the ERC Consolidator Grant project STAIN-IT want to develop a faster and gentler procedure. In the transdisciplinary project, Thomas Bocklitz, head of the research department “Photonic Data Science” at the Leibniz IPHT, and his team are researching and developing a digital staining method. Their goal is to use multimodal imaging techniques in a non-invasive way. To do this, image data is analysed using artificial intelligence to mimic immunohistochemical staining.

Ioachim Pupeza (Leibniz-IPHT):Laser-based infrared vibrational electric-field fingerprinting

The major goal of the ERC Consolidator Grant project LIVE (Laser-based infrared vibrational electric-field fingerprinting), led by Ioachim Pupeza, is to research and develop novel light sources as well as innovative IR technologies and instruments and to open up application potentials for the diagnostic analysis of biomedical samples. The process is expected to significantly increase both the throughput rate of procedures and shorten the time required for a single analysis, which is an important factor for the clinical setting.

Costanza Toninelli (LENS): Quantum interfaces with single molecules

Costanza Toninelli has received an ERC Consolidator Grant for her project “Quantum interfaces with single molecules” (QUINTESSEnCE) project. The challenge is to exploit quantum effects in systems of increasing complexity such as molecules in the solid state, with the possibility of miniaturisation and portability typical of integrated photonic devices. QUINTESSEnCE takes up the challenge, combining the extreme flexibility of molecular chemistry, which allows the creation of molecules with customised energy states, with the most advanced nano- photonic techniques.