Mathieu Kociak, CNRS research director at the Laboratoire de Physique des Solides (CNRS / Université Paris-Saclay), has been awarded a prestigious ERC Advanced Grant 2024 from the European Research Council. This grant recognizes leading researchers with a track record of significant achievements, who propose bold and groundbreaking scientific projects.
His project, entitled Free Electrons to Bound Electrons and Photons Quantum Coherent Coupling (FreeQCC), lies at the intersection of fast electron physics and quantum optics â a rapidly emerging field. It aims to address two fundamental questions:
â Can a fast electron and a photon be entangled?
â Can fast electrons be used to probe quantum superpositions of atomic states?
To explore these questions, FreeQCC builds on recent advances in electron microscopy, nano-optics, and quantum physics. The project will design novel experiments with extreme spatial, temporal, and energy resolution. By combining theoretical modeling with instrumental innovation, it seeks to deepen our understanding of the quantum-coherent interaction between free electrons and nanoscale quantum systems such as solid-state qubits.
đ Learn more about the project and Mathieu Kociakâs work:
đ CNRS Physique profile: https://www.inp.cnrs.fr/fr/personne/mathieu-kociak
đ ERC news on the CNRS Physique website: https://www.inp.cnrs.fr/fr/cnrsinfo/deux-nouvelles-erc-advanced-grants-pour-cnrs-physique