Size matters: physics under a laser-magnifying glass Advanced lasers and atomic clocks now enable measuring the size of atomic nuclei by carefully looking at the colours that atoms absorb or emit. We do measurements in helium and compare these to measurements in an exotic variety “muonic helium” which is created with particle-accelerators. The outcome should be the same, but does it? Recently, deviations were found. We want to investigate these further by strongly improving measurements in normal helium with the potential to find clues for new physics and improve the accuracy of the fundamental constants of nature.

Biofilms are complex three-dimensional structures where bacteria are embedded in a mechanically rigid matrix, enhancing their survival and resistance to antibiotics. This creates significant challenges for global healthcare. To effectively control and mitigate harmful biofilms, characterizing their mechanical properties is crucial. In this project, we will utilize our patented Infrared Stimulated Brillouin Microscopy (IR-SBM) method to effectively characterize biofilms. Using this method, we will non-invasively characterize the 3D mechanical properties of biomaterials in real-time. Our approach is highly sensitive, cost-effective and does not require labelling, making it ideal for the characterization of biofilms.

Metal nanoparticles are excellent light-to-heat converters. In turn, heat is an essential driving force in chemistry, with reaction rates increasing exponentially with temperature. If we could concentrate light-generated heat in a small part of the nanoparticle, it would get hotter and drive chemistry more efficiently. No current technology can do this! In this project we break this paradigm by combining pulsed laser illumination, optical absorption hotspots, and metal nitride materials (HfN, TiN). This approach results in sub-nanoparticle “thermal hotspots”, with up to 10.000× higher chemical reactivity. This project provides proof-of-concept for this disruptively more sustainable way of driving chemical reactions.

Super-speed Optical Coherence Tomography Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is an imaging technique used primarily in ophthalmology to characterize the morphology and function of retinal tissue in living humans. An important feature of OCT is its acquisition speed -- faster acquisition provides clearer images and more information can be extracted from the data. In this project, we will develop a super-speed OCT technique that can increase the speed of the fastest available OCT systems by a factor of 10 or drastically reduce the cost of existing OCT systems. This will pave the way for new applications of OCT in the future.

A big question in neuroscience is how the brain rewires itself to form memories and learn new information (plasticity). Understanding the underlying mechanisms of plasticity is vital for promoting brain health and developing brain-inspired smarter technologies. The aim of the NeurONics project is to study the plasticity of biological neurons with unprecedented resolution and specificity through an innovative all-optical platform enabled by a reconfigurable photonic microchip and fluorescence imaging. NeurONics has the potential to become a crucial testbed for neuroscientists to evaluate the effect of pharmacological therapies on neurons’ synaptic properties, hence advancing the development of treatments for neurological disorders.