Physics @epfl 2019 C ontents 2019

3 AWARDS RHESEARC Letter from the director 9 5 Nomi nations ERC Advanced Grant for Courbin Electric fields control magnetic spin 10 6 4 ERC Synergy Grant with Rønnow Chaperoning proteins Lesya Shchutska and Aeppli 8 PR OMOtioNS 13 Birth and death of a phonon ERC Consolidator Grant for Galland 7 11 Fabrizio Carbone 14 Conformal bootstrap ERC Consolidator Grant for Manley 10 12 Pascale Jablonka 15 Scattering of mm-wave by plasmas Polysphère d’Or for Gentile 13 18 Christopher Mudry 15 Physics Day Savona Teacher of the Year 14 I NNOVAtioN Philippe Spaetig 15 Craie d’Or for Mila 20 17 Resistell Three MER promotions 16 Latsis Prize for Yazyev 23 AFFILIATIONS 16 X-rays against mechanical doping Two grants for Theiler 9 INSTRUMENTATION Anna Fontcuberta i Morral 19 Zeiss Research Award for Kippenberg 16 teaching 20 New detector for LHCb 7 Brune Max Planck Fellow 20 Graduation Day 22 AstroDome 17 Hausmann Prize for D’Aversa IN MEMORIAM EPFL wins the International Physicsts’ Tournament 22 23 Physics Thesis Award for Fanciulli 18 Philippe Choquard Long mandate at SPH 22 IN BRIEF 19 CHIPP Prize for Tambasco New Director at EDPY 23 24-25 International accolades Publications, nominations and awards 21 for Schneider and Martin IBM recognizes QST teaching 26-27 OUTREACH Physics in figures 21 The “Show” of the Physics Section

front cover Multicolor 3D image of a protein complex reconstructed from 2D super-resolution microscopy images. © Christian Sieben, EPFL Letter from the director

Dear Reader,

A warm welcome to the Institute of Physics (IPHYS) at the Faculty of Basic Sciences at EPFL. This brochure lists our key figures and facts in research, teaching, and technology transfer of the year 2018. Let me point out a few outstanding achievements and academic promotions of our members. We congratulate Frédéric Courbin on his ERC Advanced Grant, Christoph Galland and Suliana Manley on their ERC Consolidator Grants, as well as Henrik Rønnow and Gabriel Aeppli on their ERC Synergy Grant. Christian Theiler has received an SNSF Eccellenza Grant and Fabrizio Carbone was promoted Associate Professor. Pascale Jablonka and Philippe Spätig were promoted to Adjunct Professor, and Christopher Mudry to external Adjunct Professor.

We are very happy that Lesya Shchutska will join us from April 2019 on as Assistant Professor Tenure Track in the field of Particle Physics. We cordially welcome Anna Fontcuberta i Morral (Materials Science), who is now co-affiliated to our Institute, and Peter Maurer who joined us with his SNSF Fellowship.

The number of students in Physics, but also overall at EPFL, continues to increase. This year Nicolas Grandjean took over from Jean-Philippe Ansermet as head of the Physics Section. We are very grateful to Jean-Philippe for his 12 years of duty. We are also proud of our students who have won this year’s International Physics Tournament, many thanks also to the colleagues who accompanied them on their way to this success. The Doctoral School of Physics is now headed by Frédéric Mila and we very much thank Vincenzo Savona for his effort as head in the past. Teaching distinctions were awarded to Vincenzo Savona, Frédéric Mila, and Antonio Gentile.

We are looking forward to another exciting year with Faculty nominations to come in condensed matter physics, quantum science and technology, and accelerator physics. I wish you a good reading and thank Blandine Jérôme for putting together this newsletter.

Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne EPFL SB IPHYS Direction Bâtiment PH Station 3 CH-1015 Lausanne

3 N OMINAtioNS

Lesya Shchutska hunts for new particles

esya Shchutska has been appointed Assistant Professor “When joining IPHYS,” says Lesya Shchutska, “I will profit Tenure Track of High Energy Physics. She will start at from the opportunity to do my research with the LHCb LEPFL on April 1st. experiment at CERN.” LHCb might be seeing a difference in interactions of the three families of charged leptons. Lesya Shchutska knew that she wanted to do research in If confirmed, this will be the first sign of physics beyond physics since she was 10 years old, and that she wanted the standard model at the LHC. The LHCb detector also to do particle physics in her last year of high school at the provides means to look for long-lived heavy neutrinos pro- age of 15. After a bachelor and a master within the LHCb duced in the decays of b mesons, a task almost impossible experiment group led by Prof. Andrey Golutvin at Moscow’s in the other experiments. She will also work on the upgrade Institute for Theoretical and Experimental Physics, she of the Scintillator fiber tracker for LHCb that should enable worked during her PhD on developing a new detector for LHCb operation on the High-Luminosity LHC. a balloon-borne experiment, graduating from EPFL in the group of Prof. Tatsuya Nakada in 2012. “After that,” explains Lesya Shchutska, “I pursued my curiosity for new Searching for invisible and physics searches, and especially for dark matter particle searches, by joining the CMS experiment at the Large noninteracting neutrinos Hadron Collider (LHC), and concentrating my research on looking for Supersymmetric particles decaying to leptonic Lesya Shchutska is also very involved in teaching and final states.” In addition, she worked on the R&D for the outreach programs. She uses all available opportunities future fixed target facility at CERN – SHiP (Search for to talk about her work at CERN and to pass on a passion Hidden Particles). for research to students of all levels. “Teaching and outreach in sciences are of vital importance since they Lesya Shchutska’s main research interest lies in a future ensure the continuity of keeping and developing the discovery of new particles, as e.g. dark matter nature, the scientific knowledge,” says Lesya Shchutska. “I would like sizeable matter-antimatter asymmetry and the neutrino to take full advantage of the opportunity that the position masses are not predicted by the standard model of at EPFL offers to access a new audience and to motivate particle physics. One of the most elegant and compelling young people to try a career in science.” extensions of the standard model was proposed by Prof. Mikhail Shaposhnikov at EPFL. This theory already inspired “My time at EPFL will allow me to both (re)establish myself the design of a new facility at CERN (SHiP), and led many in the new collaboration and to grow as a high-energy experimentalists to hunt for heavy neutrinos – invisible experimental physicist by expanding my area of expertise,” and noninteracting siblings of very light standard model adds Lesya Shchutska. “Collaborative environment, bright neutrinos. With a recently awarded ERC Starting Grant, students, and even close location to CERN are a unique Lesya Shchutska is now looking for the signs of these combination, which is impossible to find in any other place. particles in the huge dataset delivered by the LHC. And with the tantalizing hints we see and with the expec- tations we have from analyzing LHC data in the near future, the best outcome would be new particles discovery which will turn once more our understanding of nature.”

4 physics@epfl 2019 RHESEARC

C ontrolling magnetic spin with electric fields

PFL physicists have found a way to reverse electron The scientists used a technique called spin- and angle-re- spins using electric fields for the first time, paving solved photoemission spectroscopy (SARPES), which can Ethe way for programmable spintronics technologies. measure the spin of electrons, and has been perfected by Dil’s lab. By combining SARPES with the possibility to apply Spintronics is a field of physics that studies the spin of an electric field, the physicists demonstrate electrostatic electrons, an intrinsic type of magnetism that many ele- spin manipulation in ferroelectric α-GeTe and multiferroic mentary particles have. The field of spintronics has given (GeMn)Te. rise to technological concepts of “spintronic devices”, which would run on electron spins, rather than their In addition, the scientists were able to follow the spins’ charge, used by traditional electronics. switching pathway in detail. In (GeMn)Te, the perpendicular spin component switches due to electric-field-induced magnetization reversal. This provides firm evidence of Magneto-electric coupling magneto-electric coupling, which opens up the possibility at the basis of programmable of programmable semiconductor-based spintronics. “Our previous work showed that magnetic fields can control semiconductor-based spins in these materials,” says Dil. “And now we have shown that spin manipulation is also possible using electric fields. spintronics Our experimental findings open up a promising path to only use electric fields in a spintronics device, strongly In order to build programmable spintronic devices we first reducing the energy consumption.” need to be able to manipulate spins in certain materials. So far, this has been done with magnetic fields, which are reference not easy to integrate into everyday applications. J. Krempaský, S. Muff, J. Minár, N. Pilet, M. Fanciulli, A.P. Weber, E.B. Guedes, M. Caputo, E. Mueller, V.V. Volobuiev, M. Gmitra, C. A. F. Vaz, V. Scagnoli, G. Springholz, and J. H. Dil, Operando imaging of all-electric spin texture In a new set of experiments, an international team of manipulation in ferroelectric and multiferroic Rashba semiconductors, physicists led by Hugo Dil at EPFL has now demonstrated Phys Rev X 8, 021067 (2018). DOI:10.1103/PhysRevX.8.021067 the ability to control what is called “the spin landscape” using electric fields. They accomplished this in a new class of materials based on germanium telluride (GeTe), which is the simplest ferroelectric material operating at room temperature.

5 RHESEARC

Chaperones can hold proteins in non-equilibrium states

haperones are specialized proteins in the cell that “What we found is that chaperones can actively repair help other proteins to reach their functional 3D and revert the proteins they act upon in a non-equilibrium Cshapes, which correspond to the states preferred at steady-state,” says De Los Rios. “In this state, the proteins thermodynamic equilibrium. But a new study by EPFL, UNIL are in their native state even if, from an equilibrium and INSERM (France) scientists shows that chaperones can thermodynamics perspective, they should not.” also maintain proteins in non-equilibrium states, potentially altering their fate. The researchers combined theoretical and experimental approaches to prove that chaperones are molecular After translation, proteins must fold to their functional motors, capable of performing work and extending the 3D shape and keep it while under attack by various per- stability range of proteins. The results may challenge turbations: external stress such as temperature changes, parts of the prevalent view that evolution has designed wrong interactions with other proteins in the cell, and amino acid sequences so that the functional state of even deleterious mutations. To ensure that proteins stay the protein they belong to is thermodynamically optimal. functional, the cell uses a particular class of proteins, the chaperones. These are present in all organisms Even thermodynamically and are among the most abundant proteins in cells, emphasizing how crucial they are to sustain life. sub-optimal proteins might The current view is that the functional 3D shape of a protein is also its most thermodynamically stable state, be able to reach their and that chaperones help proteins reaching this state by preventing them from aggregating and by allowing them to functional form escape so-called “kinetic traps” – points where the protein may get “stuck” in a non-functional state. And to do all “In the presence of chaperones, even thermodynamically this, chaperones need energy, which in the cell comes sub-optimal proteins might be able to reach their functional in the form of adenosine triphosphate, or ATP. form, facilitating evolution in its endless exploration of chemical possibilities,” says De Los Rios. The labs of Paolo De Los Rios at EPFL and Pierre Goloubinoff at UNIL, in collaboration with Alessandro Barducci (INSERM reference – Montpellier), have now shown that the energy from ATP P. Goloubinoff, A.S. Sassi, B. Fauvet, A. Barducci, P. De Los Rios, Chaperones convert the energy from ATP into the non-equilibrium stabilisation of native is used by chaperones to actively maintain the proteins proteins, Nat Chem Bio 14, 388 (2018). DOI: 10.1038/s41589-018-0013-8 they are working on in a non-equilibrium but transiently stable version of the functional form, even under conditions upon which the functional form should not be thermody- namically stable.

6 physics@epfl 2019 teaching pr omotions

Graduation Day Fabrizio Carbone reveals ultrafast phenomena at the nanometer scale

Every first week of October takes In the afternoon, the students split Fabrizio Carbone was named Associate place the Master’s degree graduation by sections and meet together with Professor of Physics as of 1st of August. day, the so-called Magistrale, which parents, families, friends, and teachers. honored 1,043 students this year. This year, 57 Master degrees (37 in Fabrizio joined Physics at EPFL in They were warmly applauded by their physics, 17 in physics engineering, 2009, after a PhD at the University parents, friends, professors, a crowd and 3 in nuclear engineering) were of Geneva and a postdoc at Caltech. of about 3,000 people under the roof handed out by Prof. Jean-Philippe There, working with Ahmed Zewail, of the Swiss Tech Convention Center. Ansermet, the former director of the 1999 Chemistry Nobel laureate, Among them, a distinguished group Physics section. This was a very emo- he demonstrated the first fs-resolved of 57 students received a degree tional moment after 12 years spent electron energy loss spectroscopy in physics, a passport for a rich as the head of the section. His strong experiments in a transmission elec- professional life! commitment to the management of tron microscope, a technique that the physics teaching was acknowl- enabled several new explorations of The Graduation Day, on Saturday edged by the new section director, solids, nanostructures and molecules. October 6th, closes a long journey for Prof. Nicolas Grandjean and high- EPFL’s students after 5 years - some- lighted by a warm applause from In his laboratory (LUMES), Fabrizio times more - of hard working, discov- the audience. There were also two Carbone implemented a state-of- ering, learning, and finally getting their special distinctions: Elodie Savary the-art apparatus capable of pushing Master degree. The ceremony was was awarded the merit prize, which the resolution limits of time-resolved honored by distinguished guests such recognizes an extraordinary educa- electron microscopy to the nanometer, as Daniel Borel, co-founder of Logitech tion path, and Gabriele D’Aversa the attosecond, and milli-electronvolt and EPFL’s alumni, and Guy Parmelin, Haussman prize, which rewards an space, time and energy scale. Thanks Federal Councilor. EPFL’s President outstanding Master thesis (see p. 22). to this instrument, his group made Martin Vetterli first delivered a con- The ceremony was also enlightened several breakthroughs, for instance gratulatory message to the students by a couple of inspiring speeches demonstrating the ability of light concluding by “never forget, you delivered by Prof. Jan Hesthaven, the pulses to write and erase topological are responsible for our planet”. The Dean of the School of Basic Sciences, magnetic patterns called skyrmions Award ceremony featured the third and Mr. Moussa Dialo, EPFL Physics and monitor their ensuing dynamical highest Master’s grade average going alumni (1997). Finally, one should evolution. He and his group were also to Lubomir Bures, a physics student keep in mind that behind the physics able to map and control plasmonic with 5.96 out of 6. Another important diploma is a team of teachers, tech- near fields in nanostructures and use award is the Golden Polysphère, nicians, and administrative staff who their interaction with free electrons recognizing the best teacher, that are fully dedicated to teaching, as to coherently manipulate their wave- was handed out this year to Antonio does Prof. Vincenzo Savona who was function down to the attosecond scale. Gentile from the Physics Section handed out the best teacher award (see p. 15). The general ceremony of the Physics Section (see p. 15). The Fabrizio Carbone was awarded the ended with an allocution by the Graduation Day is obviously a special 2016 Latsis University prize, an ERC Federal Councilor Guy Parmelin day for our Master students. The door Starting Grant in 2010 and an ERC recalling that “science is a form of suddenly opens on unknown and Consolidator Grant in 2017. The latter personal commitment to bettering limitless territories. Hopefully, the will enable a significant development the community.” physics education they received at of the ultrafast electron microscope EPFL will always be an outstanding with the aim of manipulating individual landmark. charges and spins in materials and nanostructures with light and electron pulses. 7 RHESEARC

Detecting the birth and death of a phonon

PFL physicists have developed a new technique to This is in strong contradiction with our intuition: we are probe elementary quantum excitations of atomic used to seeing vibrating objects progressively lose their Evibrations inside a diamond crystal under ambient energy over time, like a guitar string whose sound fades conditions. The technique uses ultra-short laser pulses and away. But in quantum mechanics this is “all or nothing”: detectors sensitive to single photons. the crystal either vibrates with a specific energy or it is in its resting state; there is no state allowed in between. Phonons are discrete units of vibrational energy predicted The decay of the phonon over time is therefore observed by quantum mechanics that correspond to collective as a decrease of the probability of finding it in the excited oscillations of atoms inside a molecule or a crystal. state instead of having jumped down to the rest state. When such vibrations are produced by light interacting with a material, the vibrational energy can be transferred back and forth between individual phonons and individual We just need to watch packets of light energy, the photons. This process is called the Raman effect. very fast

In a new study, the group of Christophe Galland has Through this approach, the scientists could reconstruct developed a technique to measure, in real time and at the birth and death of a single phonon by analyzing the room-temperature, the creation and destruction of indi- output of the two photon detectors. The new technique vidual phonons, opening up exciting possibilities in various can be applied to many different types of materials, from fields such as spectroscopy and quantum technologies. bulk crystals down to single molecules. It can also be refined to create more exotic vibrational quantum states, The technique uses ultra-short laser pulses, which are such as entangled states where energy is “delocalized” bursts of light that last for less than 10-13 second. First, one over two vibrational modes. And all this can be performed such pulse is shot onto a diamond crystal to excite a single in ambient conditions, highlighting that exotic quantum phonon inside. When this happens, a partner photon is phenomena may occur in our daily life – we just need to created at a new wavelength through the Raman effect, watch very fast. which is observed with a specialized detector, heralding the success of the preparation step. reference M.D. Anderson, S. Tarrago Velez, K. Seibold, H. Flayac, V. Savona, N. Sangouard, C. Galland, Two-color pump-probe measurement of photonic quantum Second, to interrogate the crystal and probe the newly correlations mediated by a single phonon, Phys Rev Lett 120, 233601 (2018). created phonon, the scientists fire another laser pulse DOI:10.1103/PhysRevLett.120.233601 into the diamond. Thanks to another detector, they now record photons that have reabsorbed the energy of the vibration. These photons are witnesses that the phonon was still alive, meaning that the crystal was still vibrating with exactly the same energy.

8 physics@epfl 2019 AWARDS AFFILIATIONS

F rédéric Courbin receives Anna Fontcuberta an ERC Advanced Grant i Morral: nanowires to harvest energy

Frédéric Courbin, adjunct professor the only one, that can yield H0 to better Anna Fontcuberta i Morral, associate at the Laboratory of Astrophysics than 2% using a single methodology. professor at the Institute of Materials (LASTRO), has received a European It involves no calibration, and is truly Science and Technology, is co-affiliated Research Council Advanced Grant independent of any other cosmological to the Institute of Physics since for 2018. probe. Capitalizing on the successful February 2018. pathfinders COSMOGRAIL, led by The ERC Advanced Grants are given Frédéric Courbin at EPFL and H0LiCOW Anna Fontcuberta i Morral obtained each year to established, leading prin- led by Sherry Suyu at MPA-Garching, her PhD at the Ecole Polytechnique cipal investigators to provide long-term the goal is to fully exploit time delays in Paris in 2001. After a postdoctoral funding for “ground-breaking, high-risk” with an observational, modeling and stay at the California Institute of research projects in any field. Frédéric technical boost, organized in 2 phases. Technology, she obtained a permanent Courbin was awarded such a grant for CNRS researcher position at the his project “COSMICLENS: Cosmology Phase I will secure H0 to 2% using the Ecole Polytechnique in 2003. Thanks with Strong Gravitational Lensing”. current chain of analysis, with feasible to a Marie Curie Excellence Grant, enhancements beyond the current she became a Team Leader at the Measuring cosmological distances state-of the-art. This will confirm or Technical University of Munich from has revolutionized our understanding refute the tension seen between H0 2005 to 2010. In 2008, she was ap- of the Universe, and is still doing so! values with different cosmological pointed Assistant Professor Tenure Early work in the 1920s led to probes (CMB, BAO, Cepheids and Track at the Institute of Materials the discovery of the expansion of Supernovae). Phase II targets 1% of EPFL and promoted to Associate the Universe. More precise distance precision, improving the Figure of Professor in 2014. She was awarded measurements in the 90s with type-Ia Merit of Stage-IV cosmological an ERC Consolidator Grant in 2015. supernovae revealed that this expan- surveys (Euclid, LSST) by 40%. sion is accelerating, with crucial con- sequences in cosmology and physics. The work is organized around 4 main The research of Anna Fontcuberta However, the unexpected discovery of axes that can potentially transform i Morral focuses on the synthesis the accelerated expansion now poses the field within the next 5 years by of novel semiconductor nanowires new challenges and questions. Is the 1- implementing the first high-ca- and the study of their properties. acceleration due to some repulsive dence photometric monitoring of Her laboratory is well-known for form of dark energy? To Einstein’s lensed quasars to measure 50 new innovations in wires involving cosmological constant? Do we need time delays, 2- providing new flexible hetero-structures interfacing p- and to consider new physics? Answering non-parametric lens models based n-doped regions, which are of interest these fundamental questions requires on sparse regularization of the recon- for solar cells. Specifically when a reliable measurement of the Hubble structed source and lens mass/light these regions are radially arranged, parameter, H0, the prime parameter distributions, 3- providing a modular the high surface-to-volume ratio in the distance ladder: this is precisely end-to-end simulation framework of the wire is beneficial. This also the goal of COSMICLENS using the to mock lensed systems from hy- holds for applications in sensors time delay method in strongly lensed dro-simulations and to evaluate in and nano-photonics. quasars. detail the impact model degeneracies

on H0, 4- discovering new suitable The time delay method exploits well- lensed quasars in current surveys. known physics on galaxy-scales. It is one of the very few techniques, maybe

9 PR OMOtioNS AWARDS

Pascale Jablonka: Henrik Rønnow and Gabriel Aeppli stars reveal the history awarded an ERC Synergy Grant of the Universe

Pascale Jablonka was named as Ad- Henrik Rønnow and Gabriel Aeppli revolution where we take more ad- junct Professor as of December 2018. have received a European Research vantage of quantum effects.” Council Synergy Grant together with Pascale Jablonka obtained her PhD in Nicola Spaldin and Alexander Balatsky The four experts teaming up now will Astrophysics and Space Techniques in in a collaboration between EPFL, PSI, greatly advance the field: “Every time 1991 from the University of Paris VII. ETHZ and Stockholm University. we sit together, we notice that we all For three years she was a postdoc come from very different angles but successively at the University of Paris Seeking to further our understanding are often looking at the same thing,” XI and the European Observatory of of quantum properties of materials, says Henrik Rønnow, neutron scientist Munich. She has held researcher posi- these expert scientists have success- at EPFL’s Institute of Physics. “Already tions at the Paris Observatory (CNRS) fully secured an extraordinary €14 in the past, listening to the viewpoints and the University of Geneva before million Synergy Grant, administered of the other three has given me new joining EPFL in 2009 as a scientific by the European Research Council and ideas on how to better find the things collaborator. She obtained the title of one of the most prestigious awards for I am searching. I am therefore very CNRS Directrice de Recherche in 2012. excellent European research projects. much looking forward to expanding this collaboration.” Pascale Jablonka is an internationally In this project entitled “Hidden, recognized scientist in the field of as- Entangled and Resonating Orders” Nicola Spaldin, theoretical chemist trophysics and cosmology, focusing on (HERO), the scientists will join their and material scientist at ETH Zurich, the formation and evolution of galaxies. respective expertise to look into “the explains “hidden” phenomena by an She combines multi-wavelength heart of materials” to uncover new, analogy: “Imagine a large area com- observations with chemo-dynamical “hidden” quantum properties in known posed of blue and yellow pixels. From numerical simulations. materials, meaning properties that a distance, it looks green; but when could not be seen by current methods we look more closely, we discover Pascale Jablonka seeks to under- or have perhaps been overlooked. They additional information – in this case stand the formation and properties will also design new materials with the way that the blue and yellow are of the first stars and galaxies in the useful quantum properties. Such new arranged to make the green color Universe. To this end, she is leading properties could be of use for data – hidden from plain sight.” In the several programs targeting the halo processing or storage in the future and case of quantum phenomena, she of our Galaxy and its satellites. She thus become the backbone of future explains, hidden properties are an- observationally characterizes and electronics, which need to be faster, ything but trivial to find and require subsequently models in detail the smaller, and more energy efficient. the advanced characterization tools chemical and dynamical evolution of the large research facilities at PSI. of dwarf galaxies, which are the best “Today’s silicon-based information analogues to the primordial galactic technology still relies on principles The team’s fourth scientist, Alexander systems. This allows to shed light on which have been discovered around Balatsky, is a theoretical physicist at the physical processes linked to star 70 years ago,” says Gabriel Aeppli, Stockholm University. “We say that formation, and on the nature and photon scientist at PSI and professor humanity has passed the stone age, distribution of dark matter. Finally, at EPFL. “This puts severe limits on the bronze age, the iron age, and is Pascale Jablonka is known for her what is possible, particularly where currently in the silicon age. What contribution to our understanding of speed and energy efficiency are con- comes next will quite certainly be the growth of the cosmic web, by un- cerned. Therefore, we need to work the quantum age – but which veiling the properties of void, filament on the next stage of the information quantum material will it be?” and cluster galaxies.

10 physics@epfl 2019 RHESEARC

FROM BOILING WATER TO PION SCATTERING: THE BOOTSTRAP APPROACH TO FIELD THEORY

he conformal bootstrap is a powerful first principle already in the 80’s but only more recently was it fully realized approach to studying Conformal Field Theories. in higher dimensions. This renaissance was made possible TBuilding on their pioneering work in this area, EPFL both by significant analytical progress in formulating the theoretical physicists are exploring a wide variety of systems consistency equations and by the development of numerical with this approach. techniques to find or constrain their solutions. This program was pioneered by the EPFL theory group [1]. The majority of physical systems can exist in many distinct phases. Although we are all familiar with phases of water, even such a common example can display a peculiar be- Studying Conformal Field havior under special circumstances: at the critical point in the vapor-liquid transition, the length scale of correla- Theories using only basic tions diverges and the system becomes scale-invariant. In a nutshell, the microscopic degrees of freedom organ- principles ize cohesively at all scales in a state whose description defies perturbative approaches. However, in many cases The first ten years of the bootstrap, reviewed in[ 2], have these critical systems magically acquire, as an added led to a number of groundbreaking results, including bonus, invariance under position dependent dilatations, world record determinations of critical exponents and also known as conformal transformations. They can thus correlation functions in the Ising and O(N) models in three be described by the powerful formalism of Conformal dimensions. More recently, the bootstrap philosophy Field Theory (CFT). has been applied to study generic QFTs. In this case, one imposes consistency conditions (like Lorentz invariance, CFTs are ubiquitous in condensed matter and statistical causality and unitarity) on scattering amplitudes. This physics, but also play a fundamental role in our modern idea combined with bootstrap numerical methods has understanding of particle physics. Indeed, quantum me- recently been used to study scattering of the lightest chanics and relativity dictate that fundamental interactions strongly interacting particle: the pion [3]. must be described by some Quantum Field Theory (QFT), whose specific form we do not yet fully know. However, we A synergy between the FSL lab, the LPTP lab and the group do know that any QFT becomes a CFT in the limit of short of Alessandro Vichi, is focused on exploring this uncharted (ultraviolet) or long (infrared) distances. Even more remark- territory, with the ambitious objective of unveiling new ably, CFT offers a glimpse into quantum gravity through the properties of strongly coupled systems and possibly AdS/CFT correspondence, a powerful duality according to discover new field theories. which space-time is not fundamental but instead emerges from quantum mechanics and symmetry. references [1] R. Rattazzi, S. Rychkov, E. Tonni, A. Vichi, Bounding scalar operator dimen- sions in 4D CFT, JHEP 12, 031 (2008). DOI: 10.1088/1126-6708/2008/12/031 Studying these often intricate CFTs, using only basic prin- [2] D. Poland, S. Rychkov, A. Vichi, The Conformal Bootstrap: Theory, ciples, like symmetry and quantum unitarity, has been a Numerical Techniques, and Applications, Review of Modern Physics 91, long-standing dream. Its implementation, called the con- 015002 (2019). DOI: 10.1103/RevModPhys.91.015002 [3] A.L. Guerrieri, J. Penedones, P. Vieira, Bootstrapping QCD: the Lake, formal bootstrap, saw some success in two dimensions the Peninsula and the Kink, arXiv:1810.12849

11 RHESEARC

Scattering of mm-wave beams by plasma turbulence in fusion devices

hysicists from the Swiss Plasma Center and their in- mm-wave beam is launched through plasmas that feature ternational colleagues have performed the first direct turbulence similar to that observed at the edge of tokam- Pmeasurements of the scattering of millimetre-waves aks. Using detailed measurements of the transmitted by turbulent plasmas, opening the way for modelling wave beam power combined with spatio-temporal imaging propagation in tokamaks. of the turbulent structures and full-wave numerical simulations, it was first demonstrated that small fluc- In the next generation of fusion devices, high-power tuations of the electron density, which are associated microwave sources at the electron cyclotron frequency with plasma turbulence, defocus the mm-wave beam, will be essential for plasma operation. On the one hand, possibly resulting in beam spreading at larger densities. millimeter-waves (mm-waves) will be used to heat the Similar experiments were conducted on the TCV tokamak electrons to temperatures close to 100 million degrees, by injecting from the top of the device microwave beams necessary to achieve the fusion of deuterium and tritium with hundreds of kW of power in conditions more relevant nuclei, and, on the other hand, they will drive electron to ITER plasmas. Similar to TORPEX experiments, the current, creating part of the magnetic field necessary for turbulence at the edge of the tokamak was identified as plasma confinement and stability. For example, in ITER, being responsible for the fluctuations of the transmitted the largest tokamak device presently under construction mm-wave beam power measured at the bottom of TCV. in the South of France, up to 10 MW of microwave power will control the so-called neoclassical tearing modes, which are responsible for the degradation of the core Small fluctuations of the confinement and hence of the device performance. For this purpose, a narrow mm-wave beam will be injected electron density defocus from the outside of the fusion device into the plasma to target specific regions with a surgical precision. How- the mm-wave beam ever, when entering the plasma, the high-power beam will traverse a strongly turbulent plasma layer at the These results represent an important test bed for validating edge, which is characterized by large fluctuations of the numerical simulations and the theory of mm-wave prop- electron density, scattering mm-waves and defocusing agation in fusion devices. Presently, a joint international them as a blurring lens. This could result in a decrease of effort is ongoing using state-of-the-art numerical codes efficiency in the use of the microwaves, thus altering ITER to simulate plasma turbulence in TCV and to model operation and performance. A collaboration was initiated the propagation of microwaves in its turbulent plasmas. in the frame of the Enabling Research programme of This will allow laying the foundation of validated modelling EUROfusion to understand and predict how plasma of wave propagation in burning plasmas to reach predicting turbulence will affect high-power mm-beams in ITER. capabilities for ITER.

First direct measurements of mm-wave scattering by tur- reference bulent structures have been performed on the basic-plas- O. Chellaï et al, Millimeter-Wave Beam Scattering by Field-Aligned Blobs in Simple Magnetized Toroidal Plasmas, Phys Rev Lett 120, 105001 (2018). ma-physics device TORPEX and the TCV tokamak at the DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.120.105001 Swiss Plasma Center of EPFL. In TORPEX, a low-power

12 physics@epfl 2019 AWARDS PR OMOtioNS

Christophe Galland receives Christopher Mudry re- an ERC Consolidator Grant veals the effects of disor- der in quantum systems

Christophe Galland, professeur the exact positions of atoms in a vi- Christopher Mudry was named external boursier FNS, has received a European brating molecule. The vibration can be Adjunct Professor as of December 2018. Research Council Consolidator Grant. excited only by absorbing a discrete amount of energy (a “quantum”), while An ETHZ graduate, Christopher Mudry The purpose of Consolidator Grants the resulting excitation is associated obtained his PhD from the University from the European Research Council with a continuous probability distri- of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (ERC) is to strengthen independent bution for the position and velocity in 1994. After postdocs at MIT and and excellent new individual research of the atoms (the “wavefunction”). Harvard, he joined the Paul Scherrer teams that have been recently created. In order to understand the inner Institute in 1999 as a researcher. Christophe Galland was awarded the working of matter, we must therefore In 2002 he became Senior Scientific grant for his project entitled “Quantum recourse to “quantum mechanics”, Associate, and since 2009 he heads Plasmomechanics with THz Phonons a more fundamental theory than the Condensed Matter Theory Group. and Molecular Nano-junctions” classical mechanics, which we use He was elected Fellow of the American (QTONE). intuitively in our daily life to interact Physical Society in 2011. with moving, vibrating or rotating Christophe Galland’s research objects. New experimental tools must Christopher Mudry is one of the lead- focuses on developing new optical be developed – this is the realm of ing experts in quantum field theory techniques and nanostructures to quantum science. applied to condensed matter and measure and control the dynamics the author of a reference book on the of internal vibrations in crystals and The goal of the new ERC-funded pro- subject. Developed in the framework molecules, with a focus on revealing ject is to use light to manipulate the of the relativistic generalization of phenomena that can only be described quantum state of high-frequency quantum mechanics, quantum field by quantum mechanics. In both crys- internal vibrational modes. Extremely theory has become the reference tals and molecules, the links between short laser pulses and ultra-sensitive, method for describing certain states atoms are not perfectly rigid; they ultra-rapid detectors will be employed of matter, including quantum phases rather behave like springs. As a result, to create and detect individual quanta in one dimension and quantum critical molecules and crystals can internally of vibration. Moreover, new nanos- points. Christopher Mudry was one of vibrate, at the atomic level… And the tructures will be developed to focus the pioneers in using these methods typical frequency of these vibrations light down to the molecular scale, to address the effects of disorder. is about 10’000 times faster than the thereby enabling a dramatic increase clock speed of a modern computer! of its interaction with vibrations. Christopher Mudry has also been a With these new experiments, we hope prominent actor in the emergence of To accurately describe these atomic to better understand how matter the notion of topology in condensed oscillations, we have to abandon our behaves in the quantum regime, and matter. Topology is generally expressed classical intuition of a mass attached how we could use this non-classical by the existence of one or more to a spring, whose position and velocity behavior at our advantage to create properties that cannot be altered at any time after an impulsion can be new information technologies or by local modifications. Christopher precisely determined. Instead, it is sensing devices. Mudry has in particular demonstrat- fundamentally impossible to predict ed that a new class of insulating materials, dubbed “fractional Chern insulators”, exhibit surface states protected from disorder by the topol- ogy of the underlying band structure and carry fractional charges.

13 PR OMOtioNS AWARDS

Philippe Spaetig: under- Suliana Manley receives standing the effects of an ERC Consolidator Grant irradiation on materials

Philippe Spaetig was named Adjunct Suliana Manley, associate professor signatures reminiscent of the colloidal Professor as of December 2018. and head of the Laboratory of Experi- glass transition, with increasingly mental Biophysics, has received slow and heterogeneous diffusion. Philippe Spaetig obtained his PhD at a European Research (ERC) Council Simultaneously, evenly spaced, dense the Institute of Atomic Engineering Consolidator Grant. granules form. The complex state of EPFL in 1995. After a postdoctoral behavior of the bacterial cytoplasm is period at the Center for Research in ERC Consolidator Grants are given therefore important for their survival, Plasma Physics (CRPP, now Swiss annually to researchers with 7-12 but the physical nature of each of Plasma Center), he spent two years years of research experience after these processes is poorly understood. at the University of California at Santa their PhD, as well as “a scientific track Barbara, before returning to the CRPP record showing scientific talent and an Our own cells are typically tens of mi- as a researcher. In 2008 he was excellent research proposal”. Suliana crons in size and contain mitochondria, named Senior Scientist (MER) at the Manley was awarded the grant for her which generate most of the ATP used Laboratory for Reactor Physics and project entitled “Revealing the adaptive for life. But little is known about the Systems Behaviour of EPFL. Since internal organization and dynamics of physical properties of the mitochon- 2013 he is Senior Scientist at the bacteria and mitochondria” (Piko). drial matrix, or how they are linked Laboratory for Nuclear Materials to energy production. at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI). In her research, Suliana Manley com- bines super-resolution fluorescence A major obstacle to elucidating the Philippe Spaetig is a recognized imaging techniques with live cell organization and dynamics of these scientist in the field of nuclear fusion imaging and single molecule tracking systems is the relevant length scales, reactors and in particular the relation- to determine how the dynamics of which lie below the diffraction limit. ship between microstructures and the protein assembly are coordinated. Furthermore, to observe and quantify mechanical properties of materials at “This project will take my group’s re- their adaptive response, many cells high temperature. His main research search in new and exciting directions,” must be measured. Our strategy to topics are the aging and degradation says Suliana Manley. “We will develop overcome both of these technical of structural nuclear materials in clear smarter super-resolution microscopy challenges is to develop “smart mi- water environments, the effects of that will allow our instruments to croscopes” for multiplexed structured irradiation on the evolution of mechan- adapt to the samples they image, and illumination and long-term molecular ical properties of structural steels, use that feature to reveal the physical tracking, capable of capturing the and the development of tests on small principles governing the tiny interiors dynamics of thousands of cells or or non-standard samples. of bacteria and mitochondria.” organelles in each experiment. These are broadly applicable to the quanti- The activity of Philippe Spaetig is Bacterial cells appear less complex tative study of nanoscale heteroge- important for understanding the than our own cells - yet they are better neous dynamics in living systems. behavior of materials under neutron able to survive harsh conditions. How irradiation, which will play a major role they do this is not well understood, Earlier in the year, Suliana Manley in the licensing and commissioning but there are clues that physical state was awarded a Medal for Innovation of the future ITER and DEMO fusion transitions may be important. Bacteria in Light Microscopy by the Royal facilities. His expertise is a major faced with low nutrient conditions can Microscopy Society (RMS) “for asset for the Swiss Plasma Center enter a non-proliferating quiescent outstanding scientific achievements as part of the European research state in which their cytoplasm displays applying or developing new forms programs on fusion, EuroFusion of light microscopy.” and Fusion4Energy.

14 physics@epfl 2019 AWARDS AWARDS AWARDS

Antonio Gentile award- Vincenzo Savona award- Craie d’Or 2018 ed the Polysphère ed the Teacher Prize of awarded to d’Or 2018 the Physics Section Frédéric Mila

The Polysphère d’Or 2018 was award- The Physics Section honours every The 3rd year Bachelor students in ed to Antonio Gentile of the Physics year one teacher who has particularly Physics have awarded the Craie Section. excelled in this important mission. d’Or of the best Bachelor Teacher The trophy of the Teaching Prize 2018 to Frédéric Mila for his course in Every year, during the Graduation was presented to Prof. Vincenzo Savona statistical physics. Ceremony, the students honour during the master’s graduation the best teacher of each faculty ceremony. Continuing the tradition initiated with a polysphere. The teacher who last year, 3rd year physics students obtains the highest mark in the vote The award recognizes the excellence presented the Craie d’Or to the Best receives the Polysphère d’Or. of Vincenzo Savona’s teaching in Teacher in their bachelor curriculum, the course of Quantum Physics I and following the Practical Work III poster This year, the Polysphère d’Or has II. This course is at the heart of the presentations on June 1st. been awarded to Antonio Gentile, ET training of physicists. The third year technician at the Physics Section and of this curriculum is considered by This year, the Craie d’Or was awarded involved in the course “Introduction Physics students as an exciting and to Frédéric Mila for his course in to construction technics” for 3rd year essential year, so much so that some Statistical Physics (3rd year). He said students in the Physics bachelor. of them give up a year of exchange he was very surprised to have received Students learn in this course to design to follow the training offered by this award, considering what he had mechanical elements, to make them the Physics Section. made his students endure. But he in the mechanical workshop, and to admits that he had great fun and build electronic circuits. Antonio also Vincenzo Savona made this Quantum that he was always eager to go to supports all the practical work. Physics course evolve in a remarkable class. This enthusiasm was obviously In particular, he took part in the way. The section has increased communicative. preparation of the team of students the volume of the course, following who won the International Physicists’ a redesign of the third year, which As one of the reasons for his Tournament last April in Moscow. was largely promoted by Vincenzo ever-renewed enthusiasm for Savona himself. The satisfaction of teaching, Frédéric Mila cites the the students shows that he saw very fact that he has concentrated all well which changes were needed in his teaching during the fall semester. the study plan. Thanks to the increase Thus, he can devote himself to it in the weekly workload of the Quan- during that semester and focus tum Physics course, he was able to on his research during the spring add advanced subjects in the second semester. This ensures him a good semester. balance between teaching and research. According to the verdict of Vincenzo Savona has set up a class the students, this is very beneficial. in Quantum Physics I and II unique in the scope of the subjects offered and their modernity. This is not a one-off effort, but a long-term work that has been built on the basis of the many commitments he has made in the teaching of physics.

15 AWARDS AWARDS INSTRUMENTATION

Oleg Yazyev wins Christian Theiler New detector the University Latsis receives two for LHCb experiment Award important grants

The award distinguishes Oleg Yazyev’s Christian Theiler, tenure-track assistant The Large Hadron Collider beauty (LHCb) work in the field of in silico materials professor at the Swiss Plasma Center, experiment at CERN is being updated discovery. was awarded an Eccellenza Grant from to increase its potential to discover the SNSF and an Enabling Research tiny signals of New Physics, beyond The award was given “for his comput- Grant from the EUROfusion Consortium. the Standard Model. The Laboratory of er-based search for low-dimensional High Energy Physics (LPHE) participates materials with novel electronic and The Swiss National Foundation’s in this activity, with a strong contribution transport properties. He has predicted Eccellenza Grants, offering project from the mechanical and electronic a novel topological insulator phase funds up to 1,5 MCHF over five years, workshops of the Cubotron. in quasi-one-dimensional bismuth aim at “researchers in all disciplines iodide, and a robust Weyl semimetal who have recently been appointed as A new particle detector consisting phase in molybdenum and tungsten tenure-track assistant professors at of 10,000 km of scintillating fibers is diphosphides. Both predictions have a Swiss higher education institution.” presently under construction. The LPHE been confirmed experimentally and has already produced about one third created a field of intense research.” Christian Theiler’s project is entitled of the total number of the detector “Alternative divertors for improved to- elements, or a total of 3900 km. The Last decades have been marked by the kamak operation”. “In fusion devices, detector elements are fiber mats, discoveries of new paradigm-shifting such as tokamaks,” says Theiler, “the composed of layers of fibers assem- classes of materials. Two notable ex- edge region of the magnetically con- bled by a winding machine. For this amples are two-dimensional materials, fined plasma has to simultaneously purpose, the machine shop realized made of atomically thin crystals, and assure good confinement of the core multiple positioning templates, made topological materials, which emerged plasma and guarantee acceptable many high-precision collages, and following the rigorous topological heat fluxes to the surrounding wall optical cuts with diamond burs. classification of the electronic band structures. We propose to use EPFL’s structures. Progress towards potential Tokamak à Configuration Variable In parallel, the electronic workshop applications of this type of materials (TCV) to explore alternative magnetic has participated in the development critically depends on discovering new geometries of the tokamak edge of new solid-state photodetectors to materials of this kind. Oleg Yazyev and region, a promising path to develop capture the light produced by parti- his laboratory tackle this challenge by a robust tokamak edge solution.” cles passing through the fibers (silicon performing computational, or in silico, photomultipliers with 128 channels, materials discovery. The aim of Enabling Research Grants 125 μm each). In the construction is to provide “a special path to bring phase, detailed quality controls on Early achievements are related to the new ideas and techniques into the the various parts of the detector are structure and properties of disorder in programme in ways not easily achieved mandatory. graphene. These predictions received within the strongly goal-oriented main full experimental confirmation. More Work Packages.” Christian Theiler will The success of the project strongly recently, Yazyev’s laboratory has lead a two-year collaborative research depends on the expertise of both revealed a number of new topolog- project entitled “Towards a first-prin- workshops, and in particular on the ical insulators and semimetals with ciples understanding of fluctuations ability of engineers and technicians the high-throughput computational and flows in the X-point region of to work in the framework of a large screening of known materials. The tokamaks” with an international international collaboration. predicted topological properties of team of 21 researchers. some of these materials have already been found experimentally.

16 physics@epfl 2019 TEACHING PR OMOtioNS

EPFL wins the F rédéric Blanc, Arnaud International Physicists’ Magrez, and Holger Re- Tournament imerdes promoted MER

A team of students from EPFL won After an intense week, the six team Frédéric Blanc, Arnaud Magrez, and the 2018 International Physicists’ members and their three accompaniers Holger Reimerdes have been promoted Tournament in Moscow, beating returned exhausted but thrilled and Senior Scientists (MER). the French and Brazilian teams having learned a lot from the expe- in the final. rience. Alberto Rolandi, EPFL’s team Frédéric (Fred) Blanc is a member captain: “I’d really like to thank our of EPFL’s Laboratory of High Energy Sixteen teams from around the world three coaches and my teammates Physics and of the LHCb collabora- gathered for a week in April at the for their great work throughout the tion at CERN since 2007. He made Moscow Institute of Physics and Tech- semester and at the tournament. crucial contributions to the LHCb nology for the 10th annual International I’m also grateful to the technical staff tracking detectors and to flavor- Physicists’ Tournament. At the final, in the physics labs for their support physics analyses of the LHCb data. EPFL, representing Switzerland, edged in both theoretical and practical He teaches particle physics at out its rivals to win the tournament. matters.” the master level since 2010, and EPFL’s team was selected to represent general physics since 2014. Switzerland at a national competition The new EPFL team is already in full held on campus last December. A Swiss preparation for the 2019 edition of Arnaud Magrez joined EPFL’s Labo- team also won the competition in 2013. the competition. This year, Switzerland ratory of Nanostructures and Novel will be represented by a second team, Electronic Materials in 2003 as a For this tournament, the teams receive namely from the University of Geneva. scientist. From 2012 on, he took on a series of physics problems several The two teams had a friendly fight the lead of the crystal growth and months prior to the competition. This on the Swiss National Selection that characterization facility. His research year’s challenges included: estimating took place in December in Fribourg, aims at the synthesis of novel crys- the temperature of a liquid from the where they were the only two teams talline materials with controlled size sound it makes when poured, deter- competing. and morphology including low- mining the statistical distribution of dimensional systems such as carbon sparks created by an angle grinder, The 2019 edition of the International nanotubes and single crystalline and making a speaker without any Physicists’ Tournament will take monolayers. He teaches physics lab moving parts. At EPFL, the third-year place at EPFL from April 21st till 26th. work to bachelor students and physics physics bachelor curriculum includes The Local Organization Committee, of novel materials at the master level. time to prepare for the tournament. under the presidency of Jean-Philippe Ansermet and chaired by Evgenii Holger Reimerdes has a remarkably The teams have to come up with Glushkov, includes many former IPT broad background in tokamak physics solutions, which they present at the team members and coaches. We are research, having worked extensively competition and confront with those looking forward to follow the perfor- in various fields. Since joining the of the rival teams. An international mance of our students. Swiss Plasma Center in 2010 he has panel of professional physicists eval- become an internationally recognized uates the teams on the basis of their expert in alternative divertor con- solutions and their critique of their figurations. He is also the recipient rivals’ work. of the 2016 Landau-Spitzer Award delivered jointly by the APS and EPS. He teaches plasma physics at the master and doctoral levels and is supervising several PhD students.

17 RHESEARC TEACHING

Physics Day 2018 A long mandate at the Physics Section even bigger than last year

Physics Day was organized by the As of August 1st, Nicolas Grandjean made by teachers worldwide who PolyPhys association October 1st has taken the duty of Director of the wished to gain access to videos of 2018, in the Forum Rolex. The event Physics Section over from Jean-Philippe our teaching material. consisted of a series of talks by invited Ansermet, who reflects here on his 12 speakers on various topics in physics, years of service. Watching students team up and tap and a poster session. More than 150 into the many resources of our DLL students, postdocs, and professors When EPFL restructured into Schools (Discovery Learning Lab) in order to attended the event. in early 2000, the Physics Section was prepare for contests, such as the In- the gathering point of all physicists. ternational Physicists’ Tournaments, Among the invited speakers were the This resulted in a renewed unity of is a thrilling show of teaching in action. charismatic Jeffrey Hangst, spokes- Physics, built around teaching matters. It was easy to insert these students’ person of the CERN antihydrogen The “REB” meeting (“Réunion des involvements into the stream of lab project, Eric Lutz with his quantum Enseignants de Base”) for example courses that runs through our under- arrow of time, and Yiwen Chu, recently allowed young and experienced graduate program. As senior scientists appointed at ETHZ, who spoke on teachers to share best practices. agreed to take part in our lab courses, the topic of quantum acoustics. João Our extra muros biennial meetings the section has been able to supervise Penedones contributed with thought served to chart future strategies re- all of our students with the highest experiments in particle physics. garding both teaching and research. professionalism. The final event of the day was a key- note lecture by 2007 Nobel laureate Eight collaborators joined the section, Our third year is such a success that Claude Cohen-Tannoudji. Vincenzo which enjoys a staff of ten, during some students are said to have given Savona, Christophe Galland, and the time span of my three mandates. up on an exchange year, just to be Harald Brune chaired the talk ses- The stability of the section over a 12- able to follow our course offer. This is sions. The poster session attracted year period has put us in a position of a great reward for all teachers who more than 30 posters, and the best strength to create a 120-credit master fine-tuned our curriculum, course three were awarded prizes. that includes a highly successful volumes and objectives. semester of internships in industry or Physics Day 2018 was a success, academic specializations; to clarify High school teachers are developing gathering a large audience of physics the teaching objectives and processes relationships with us and discovering enthusiasts, and attracting world of our general physics courses; and the environment into which their stu- renowned speakers. The event was to cooperate with the director of the dents are going thanks to their teaming organized thanks to the generous preparatory year “CMS” in the creation up for a semester with general physics support of the Doctoral Program in of the now-running “MAN” (remedial teachers or attending summer training Physics, the Physics Section, as well 2nd semester for 1st year students in camps. as the EPS Young Minds project. difficulty). Special thanks go to members of Time has come after these three Les Irrotationnels and the International AUDIWEB is coming online soon: this mandates to hand over the baton to Physicists’ Tournament organizing website will showcase our fantastic my colleague, Prof. Nicolas Grandjean. committee for their help. collection of physics auditorium I wish him all the best in his new demonstrations. This spin-off from endeavor. the MOOCs responds to requests

18 physics@epfl 2019 TEACHING AWARDS

New Director heads the Doctoral Tobias Kippenberg Program in Physics wins ZEISS Research Award

After heading the Doctoral Program in This higher education also relies Tobias J. Kippenberg is one of the Physics for four years, Vincenzo Savona on advanced lectures by external two winners of the prestigious ZEISS passed the torch on October 1st to experts to bring ideas from outside Research Award for 2018. Frédéric Mila, who presents here his and open new perspectives. The end view on the future. of the physics program of CUSO in The ZEISS Research Award, succes- 2016 calls for a replacement, and sor to the Carl Zeiss Research Award, First of all, I would like to thank my I have initiated a collaboration with is presented every two years and has predecessor Vincenzo Savona for his our colleagues in Geneva to organize been allocated prize money totaling action during the nearly four years he a series of advanced lectures in 40,000 euros. The selected candidates has spent as a director of the Doctoral the Geneva Lake area. Attracting PhD should have already demonstrated Program in Physics. When I started candidates among the best in the outstanding achievements in the field on October 1st, 2018, I found a very world should also be a priority of of optics or photonics. Their work well-organized program, and with his the Doctoral Program in Physics. should offer major potential for gaining help and that of Anh Eymann, it has Proposing and advertising a coherent further knowledge and enabling been very easy to step in. set of advanced lectures should practical applications. Many winners also help promoting high level of the Carl Zeiss Research Award As I see it, the main challenge of spontaneous applications. went on to obtain further awards the Doctoral Program in Physics is and distinctions; four of them were to give our PhD students access to The other very important challenge even honored with the Nobel Prize. the advanced courses they need of the Doctoral Program in Physics is to complete their education. This the well-being of our PhD students Tobias Kippenberg directs the Lab- relies in the first place on basic and (and of their supervisors!). The men- oratory of Photonics and Quantum specialized courses given by EPFL toring system is a key instrument to Measurements. He is a pioneer in professors, and thanks to the action detect problems early on, and I would the field of cavity optomechanics of my predecessors, there is already like to take this opportunity to thank and microresonator-based optical a broad offer in all fields. all the mentors who do not spare frequency combs. His research their time and energy to discuss with has demonstrated that, by using Regarding basic courses, there is the PhD students they are following, microresonators – which can confine now a coherent offer of courses in and to help them whenever possible. light in an extremely small space and high-energy physics that can also guide it – the faint forces exerted by be followed by students during the Finally, the fact that physics is now light rays can be used to measure semester of specialization of the organized around three well-defined and cool down mechanical move- second year of Master. This could entities, the Institute of Physics, ments in the quantum regime. This serve as a model for other fields such the Physics Section, and the Doctoral means, for instance, that high-pre- as condensed matter or statistical/ Program of Physics, is a great oppor- cision sensors can be developed to biophysics, and I hope that we will tunity to fully synchronize our actions measure mechanical movements manage to increase the number of and cooperate on all aspects of the that are several orders of magnitude basic courses and have a coherent physics life on the EPFL campus. Let’s more precise than the currently offer in all fields with the help of the try to use this opportunity to make available position sensors. new professors that will join IPHYS in physics as visible as it deserves to be! the coming years. The other winner of the 2018 ZEISS award is Jean-Pierre Wolf, Professor at the Biophotonics Institute at the University of Geneva.

19 AWARDS INNOVATION INSTRUMENTATION

Harald Brune named Nano-motion detection Inauguration of Max Planck Fellow for antibiotic testing AstroDome and new TELESTO telescope

Harald Brune was named Max Planck Resistell, a start-up created in 2017, On November 5th, 2018 took place Fellow at the Max Planck Institute for develops a new diagnostic method to the inauguration of AstroDome (Centre Solid State Research in Stuttgart as test bacteria for their susceptibility to André Coliac) and of the new TELESTO of November 1st 2018. antibiotics, without having to take days telescope on the Observatory of to grow these bacteria. This reduces Sauverny site. The Max Planck Fellow Programme the time for getting test results from promotes cooperation between out- days to minutes. Resistell has received, Following an anonymous donation standing University Professors and among other awards, the Swiss Nano- to the University of Geneva to help researchers from Max Planck Society. technology Startup Award for the Best outreach in astronomy, the Depart- This award involves a grant for a Nanotechnology Startup 2018. ment of Astronomy of the University 5-year project in collaboration with of Geneva and the Laboratory of the hosting Max Planck Institute. The technology was originally devel- Astronomy of EPFL have renovated oped by the Laboratory of Physics the dome on the Vaud-side of the Ob- Together with the team of Klaus Kern of Living Matter led by Prof. Giovanni servatory of Sauverny site to develop and Christian Ast in Stuttgart, Harald Dietler and Dr. Sandor Kasas. It is “AstroDome” (Centre André Coliac). Brune will investigate the nuclear based on the detection of the motion This unique place for astronomy in spin moments in individual surface caused by living bacteria attached French-speaking Switzerland is now adsorbed lanthanide atoms. Due to to Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) home to a new telescope and better protection from the environ- cantilevers. Living bacteria cause a control center. ment, the coherence time of nuclear oscillations of the cantilever, which spin states is known to be much longer can be detected by the device. This The new 60 cm diameter telescope has than that of magnetic quantum states device is much simpler and cheaper been named TELESTO (for TELescope of electrons. The aim is to demonstrate than a commercial AFM, as only for Science, Teaching and Outreach). the coherent control of single atom the deflection of the cantilever Telesto is also the name of a Greek nuclear magnetic quantum states. is measured. mythology character and means “success”. The control center, located Earlier in the year, Harald Brune was When an antibiotic is added to which “under” the telescope will drive distinguished as Technical University of the bacteria are sensitive, the canti- TELESTO but also other telescopes Munich (TUM) Ambassador because lever’s vibrations return to the level such as the Swiss telescope Euler he “gained international recognition of a sample without bacteria within (1.2 m in diameter), which is on with seminal contributions to nuclea- minutes. However, if the bacteria are the site of ESO-Lasilla in Chile. tion and growth phenomena in metal resistant to that particular antibiotic, epitaxy, and more recently developed the lever’s vibrations persist. A custom- AstroDome will allow to share the a vigorous research line in the field made software processes the signal beauties of the sky with the visitors of nanomagnetism. He is engaged in and classifies the bacteria strain as of all ages coming to the Observatory many international cooperations, doc- susceptible or resistant to the antibiotic. of Sauverny, and to teach our students, umented by guest scientist activities mostly with practical work, the tech- and visiting professorships.” Bringing this new diagnostic tool on niques for observing celestial objects the market could help mitigate one of that are used on the largest telescopes the biggest threats to global health. in Chile or in space. Finally, it will It is estimated that at least 700 000 allow professional observations on people die every year from infections larger telescopes controlled remotely. caused by antibiotic resistant bacteria and this number is expected to grow.

20 physics@epfl 2019 TEACHING OUTREACH

IBM recognizes QST teaching The “Show” of the Physics Section

Having identified Quantum Science This view is apparently shared by This year, more than a thousand children and Technology as a strategic area to IBM, an industry pioneer in the field. and their families had the chance to be developed and reinforced, EPFL’s In 2016, the tech giant launched experience spectacular and fascinating Institute of Physics is plunging headlong “the IBM Quantum Experience (QX)”, physics experiments thanks to into the field with two new faculty a cloud-based platform on which the EPFL Physics Show. openings, a master course, and part- students and researchers can learn, nering with IBM and their cutting-edge research, and interact with a real In partnership with the Science quantum-computer platform. A team of quantum computer housed in an Outreach Department of EPFL, the students following these courses won IBM Research lab through a simple Physics Section organized several the second Best Paper Award from internet connection and a browser. shows in which spectacular exper- IBM Q. In 2017, IBM chose EPFL alongside iments entertained the audience MIT and the University of Waterloo with various facets of the world of Harnessing the properties of quantum to be one of the first institutions in Physics. Lasting about an hour, this systems, the world is preparing to the world to use its quantum computer show took the public on a journey usher in technologies that seem to be- for teaching. across mechanics, electricity, elec- long to mere science fiction, such as tromagnetism, and thermodynamics. light-based quantum communications, As part of the QST teaching initiative, It was full of flashes and bangs, unbreakable quantum cryptography, IBM made the QX platform available with up to 30 experiments. and quantum computers that run to master students taking Dupertuis’ a million times faster than today’s course. Using this platform, a team of The following is a summary of the fastest supercomputers. bachelor and master students, led by main events we organized or par- Clément Javerzac-Galy, Marc-André ticipated in this year. In June, 200 Europe has already heavily invested Dupertuis and Nicolas Macris (IC), school children from the Canton of in Quantum Science and Technology developed efficient algorithms for Jura and their families attended (QST), with its FET Flagship on Quantum the generation of entangled quantum the “Science discovery” show; as in Technologies, while Switzerland runs states, and demonstrated an im- previous years, a similar event was its own, federally funded NCCR-QSIT plementation on the IBM quantum set up for 800 children coming from project. Now, the Institute of Physics computer in an article that won the the region around EPFL. On 7th and (IPHYS) is reinforcing its own QST second Best Paper Award from IBM 8th of July, the Physics Section had a efforts with two openings in this field. Q, given for highest-scientific impact large booth at the “Night of Science” papers by master, PhD student, or public event in Geneva. The theme of In addition to its research efforts, postdoctoral researcher. the booth was “time” and it was very EPFL’s teaching in QST enjoys high successful; in just two days the total visibility. Dr Marc-André Dupertuis Recognizing EPFL’s effort in QST number of visitors reached 30,000. In from IPHYS, has been running a master teaching, IBM also marked EPFL’s November, the Physics Section took course in quantum optics and quantum access to QX with a lengthy tweet. part in the “Scientastic” festival and information since 2013. The course “This shows that EPFL is already a created a virtual show on the physics came to life through the efforts of top institution in the world for what of computers (bringing together about Dupertuis and his assistant Clément concerns teaching in this domain,” 1200 people). Finally, each year the Javerzac-Galy, and represents a ma- says Harald Brune, director of IPHYS. Physics Section promotes its educa- jor commitment by EPFL to establish tion curriculum to future EPFL stu- itself as a leader in the future of QST. dents by presenting physics demon- strations, which illustrate the different research domains currently ongoing within the Institute of Physics. 21 AWARDS AWARDS awards

Gilbert Hausmann Mauro Fanciulli gets Claudia Tambasco Award attributed to the Physics Doctoral receives CHIPP Prize Gabriele D’Aversa Thesis Award

Gabriele D’Aversa won the award for Mauro Fanciulli got the award for his Accelerator physicist Claudia Tambasco, his master thesis entitled “Metasurface thesis entitled “Spin polarization and working at the Particle Accelerator diffraction gratings for parallel polar- attosecond time delay in photoemis- Physics Laboratory (LPAP), has been ization analysis and imaging: from sion from solids’ supervised by Prof. awarded the 2018 Swiss Institute of vectorial diffraction and numerical Hugo Dil, professeur boursier SNSF. Particle Physics (CHIPP) Prize for optimization to a camera prototype”. research that has helped to improve He performed his master project dur- In his thesis work, Mauro Fanciulli the stability of proton beams in CERN’s ing an internship at Harvard University developed and applied a novel Large Hadron Collider (LHC). in the laboratory of Prof. Federico approach to determine the attosec- Capasso and was supervised from the ond time scale of the photoemission The CHIPP Prize rewards annually EPFL side by Prof. Romuald Houdré. process from the measured spin the best PhD student in Experimental polarization. In contrast to other or Theoretical Particle Physics. The Gilbert Hausmann Award, approaches in the time domain, the It is the first time that the prize goes supported by a donation by Mr Gilbert unique combination of theory and to the research and developments in Hausmann, was founded in 2015 experiment employed by Mauro allows accelerator physics. The jury honored and rewards two graduates having to extract the absolute, and not only Claudia Tambasco “for her decisive completed an EPFL master project and relative, time delay. Furthermore, the contributions to the understanding one PhD student having completed method does not require ultrashort of Landau damping and beam-beam an EPFL PhD thesis in the field of photon pulses or an external reference effects at the LHC with Beam-Trans- mechanical engineering, electricity time and as such allows to “measure fer-Function measurements that led or physics. The three prize-winning time without a clock”. Mauro applied to a substantial increase in luminosity”. projects should stand out through his method to plain copper and to the Landau damping has been used since their excellence, particularly in terms high temperature superconductor the start of the LHC operations to of originality and the prospects that BSCCO, which yielded time scales of reduce losses caused by interactions they open. 26 and 85 attoseconds, respectively, between the proton beam and the indicating the possible influence of surrounding vacuum pipe. In his master diploma work Gabriele correlation effects on the process. D’Aversa demonstrated that he was The developed method can also be With Claudia Tambasco’s thesis work able to master the theoretical aspects, applied to other physical processes under the supervision of Prof. Leonid the modelling and design as well relying on the transition from an ini- Rivkin and Dr. Tatiana Pieloni, the as the optical measurements, up to tial to a final state, such as tunneling. impact of the beam-beam interac- the point of finally making a small In a broader context Mauro’s results tions has been measured for the first prototype of an imaging camera with open up a new research direction time in LHC using the Beam Transfer full polarization analysis. All these and yield a thrilling new insight in the Function (BTF) method and results aspects are theoretically and experi- fundamental time scale of quantum led to a proposal that increased the mentally complex. Not only this work mechanical processes. integrated luminosity in the LHC. is important and fundamental in the field of metasurface lenses, for which The Doctoral School has also recog- Dr Tambasco continues her research the group of Prof. Federico Capasso nized the following doctorates with a studying the Future Circular Collider is worldwide leading, but it can also special distinction: Nikolay Bykovskiy, (FCC) designs at the Swiss Accelerator have an impact for real commercial Mauro Fanciulli, Doccio Malinverni Research and Technology (CHART) applications such as imaging cameras and Anna Teplukhina. institute that provides the Swiss with polarization analysis. support for the future high-energy frontier projects at CERN.

22 physics@epfl 2019 AWARDS innovation in memoriam

Honorary Professors EPFL helps the Inter- Professor Emeritus Martin and Schneider national Cycling Union Philippe Choquard honored by foreign combat technological passed away academies fraud

Emeritus Professor Jean-Luc Martin The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) Professor Emeritus Philippe Choquard received the Ernst Mach Honorary has unveiled new X-ray methods to passed away on August 24th, 2018 at Medal for Merit in Physical Sciences detect technological fraud in biking the age of 89. from the Czech Academy of Sciences. competitions. The Institute of Physics On this occasion, a symposium on offered scientific and technological Born in Porrentruy, Philippe Choquard “Current trends in materials science” support to the project. graduated from ETHZ in theoretical was organized in Prague. Professor physics in 1951 under the guidance Martin is well-known for his studies The possibility to hide performant of Wolfgang Pauli. Already in 1953, of the mechanical properties of motors in bicycles has led to a chal- he obtained his PhD with Pauli, ex- various materials in terms of defect lenge for cycling as a sport. Since 2010 ploring new methods for Feynman’s microstructures, using experimental rumors have circulated of so-called path integrals. In 1954, he entered techniques such as transmission and technological fraud in professional Battelle, the newly founded research scanning electron microscopy and bicycle races, but cyclists and fans institute in Geneva. He became inter- mechanical testing. alike deserve assurance that the ested in various research problems, outcomes of bicycle races are not such as the study of thermal and influenced by mechanical doping. transport properties of crystal lattices, Emeritus Professor Wolf-Dieter the subject of his monograph “The Schneider got the Award of the 141st To this end, the UCI revealed in Geneva Anharmonic Crystal” (1967). Committee of the Japan Society for an X-ray inspection unit designed the Promotion of Sciences “for pio- to scan bicycles for hidden motors. In 1968, Philippe Choquard was neering research work in nano-scale EPFL’s Institute of Physics and the appointed professor at EPUL, which surface physics achieved by low-tem- University of Lausanne’s Center of became the EPFL a few months later. perature scanning tunneling micros- Research and Expertise in anti-Doping In 1969 he created the Laboratoire copy and spectroscopy”. Professor sciences assisted UCI in the realization. de Physique Théorique, promoting Schneider has had a long and highly Initial X-ray tests were performed at important research lines on sta- successful research career in surface EPFL, and the institute’s expertise in tistical properties of lattices and physics and surface chemistry at the radiation safety ensured a completely mathematical models. He excelled nanoscale, employing photoemission safe operation. in academic management: Dean of techniques and predominantly local the Department of Physics (1969-70, scanning probe methods. Since his “One downside is that the machine is 1981-82), President of the Swiss retirement in 2009, he is a scientific heavy (1500 kg), expensive, and that Physical Society (1978-79), member consultant at the Fritz-Haber-Institute there is only one – which means that of the Executive Committee of the of the Max-Planck-Society in Berlin. only the most important cycling races European Physical Society. can be controlled,” says EPFL’s Profes- sor Henrik Rønnow. “But this is only In the eighties, with his collaborators, the beginning. By using a special X-ray Philippe Choquard became interested source emitting only 50-nanosecond in the computer simulation of the short pulses, our lab was able to design equilibrium properties of Coulomb and construct a setup weighing less systems. He retired in 1996 but was than 100 kg, which can be transported scientifically very active, publishing in a regular car. Each national cycling numerous works till 2017. Philippe federation could have such a setup to Choquard has achieved a remarkable ensure efficient controls at all levels.” scientific career, characterized by a strong commitment to EPFL and to the Physics community. 23 in brief

Studying dwarf galaxies Observing topologically Super-resolution microscopy to get the big picture protected states builds multicolor 3D from 2D

Researchers from the Laboratory of Materials exhibiting the quantum A new technique developed by the Astrophysics (LASTRO) have completed spin Hall effect host topologically lab of Suliana Manley overcomes the fastidious task of analyzing 27 protected one-dimensional helical the noise and color limitations of su- dwarf galaxies in detail, identifying edge states. However, control over per-resolution microscopy by creating the conditions under which they were the edges and associated edge three-dimensional reconstructions formed and how they have since states is hard to achieve in practice. from single-color, two-dimensional evolved. These small-scale galaxies An international team, with the images of protein complexes. In collab- are perfect for studying the mecha- theoretical support of Oleg Yazyev’s oration with the lab of Pierre Gönczy nisms of new star formation and lab, has demonstrated structurally (SV), the researchers tested the meth- the very first steps in the creation of well-defined boundaries in a fully od on human centriole complexes that the universe. The LASTRO team found accessible quantum spin Hall insu- are crucial in helping the cell divide. that the specific formation mechanism They were able to uncover the 3D lator by growing mixed-phase WSe2 depends on the density of the galaxy’s monolayers. These interfaces create architecture of four proteins critical dark and baryonic matter. opportunities both for studying the for centriolar assembly during topologically protected boundary organelle biogenesis. Y. Revaz & P. Jablonka, Pushing back the limits: states and, potentially, for realizing detailed properties of dwarf galaxies in a LCDM practical devices based on them. C. Sieben et al, Multicolor single particle recon- universe, A&A 616, A96 (2018). DOI: 10.1051/0004- struction of protein complexes, Nat Methods 15, 6361/201832669 777 (2018). DOI: 10.1038/s41592-018-0140-x M.M. Ugeda et al, Observation of topologically protected states at crystalline phase boundaries

in single-layer WSe2, Nat Comm 9, 3401 (2018). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-05672-w

Slowing light down Knotted loops fall flat Fabio Donati receives the Max-Auwärter Award 2018

Slow light propagation in nanostruc- Researchers from the Laboratory of Fabio Donati has received the tured materials is a key component Physics of Living Matter and their Max-Auwärter Award 2018 from the for realizing chip-integrated photonic collaborators at the Universities of Austrian Physical Society for his work devices controlling the relative phase Lausanne and Warsaw have used on magnetic remanence of single of light and enhancing optical non- knotted loops of metal beads to magnets. This work was performed linearities. EPFL physicists, together model knotted molecules, such while Fabio Donati was a postdoc in with an international team, have as knotted DNA, and their motion the Laboratory of Nanostructures at reported coupled-cavity-waveguides through a viscous fluid. They found Surfaces of Prof. Harald Brune. Fabio formed by photonic crystal cavities that while sedimenting, the loops Donati is now Research Professor that were optimized using a genetic reach a remarkably regular horizontal at the Ewha Womans University in algorithm to achieve a record value of toroidal structure, with a number of Seoul, Korea. the group-index-bandwidth product. intertwined loops, oscillating periodi- cally around each other. Y. Lai et al, Ultra-wide-band structural slow light, Sci Rep 8, 14311 (2018). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018- M. Gruziel et al, Periodic Motion of Sedimenting 33090-x Flexible Knots, Phys Rev Lett 121, 127801 (2018). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.121.127801

24 physics@epfl 2019 in brief

Controlling skyrmions “Good vibrations” in Quantum interference with lasers strained nanomechanics opens up a new source for single photons

A skyrmion is a collection of electron High quality factor mechanical oscil- The predictions of Vincenzo Savona’s spins that look like a vortex in certain lators have applications both in practi- lab for a new kind of single photon magnetic materials. They have cal sensing and fundamental science. source have come to life in a recent attracted attention in particular Researchers in Tobias Kippenberg’s collaboration with the universities for memory-storage technologies. laboratory have used insights from of Leiden and Santa Barbara. The so- Skyrmions can be rather stable and the semiconductor industry to reduce called unconventional photon block- require very little energy for writing the dissipation in mechanical oscil- ade was experimentally realized with or erasing them. The labs of Fabrizio lators. The 7-mm long, 20-nm thick a semiconductor quantum dot em- Carbone and Henrik M. Rønnow have nanobeams were fabricated in the CMi bedded in a micropillar optical cavity. now been able to write and erase and have mechanical quality factors This is a promising and relatively easy stable skyrmions using laser pulses. of 800 million at room temperature—a method for quickly generating single The forming skyrmions were imaged world record. These devices will now be photons, as it requires only weak with time-resolved cryogenic Lorentz used to explore the limits of quantum interactions with the emitter electron microscopy, which can follow measurements in room temperature to generate single photons. magnetic domain structures in real experiments. space and real time. H.J. Snijders et al, Observation of the unconventional A. Ghadimi et al, Elastic strain engineering for photon blockade, Phys Rev Lett 121, 043601 (2018). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.121.043601 G. Berruto et al, Laser-induced skyrmion ultralow mechanical dissipation, Science 360, writing and erasing in an ultrafast cryo-Lorentz 6390 (2018). DOI: 10.1126/science.aar6939 transmission electron microscope, Phys Rev Lett 12, 117201 (2018). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRev- Lett.120.117201

Ambrogio Fasoli the new Magalí Lingenfelder included Joël Mesot appointed Chair of EUROfusion in RSC’s “100 Women of new ETH President Chemistry”

Prof. Ambrogio Fasoli was recently A paper by Magalí Lingenfelder, who The Federal Council has appointed elected as Chair of the General leads the Max Planck-EPFL Nanolab, Prof. Joël Mesot, Director of the Paul Assembly of EUROfusion, the European has been included in a collection of Scherrer Institute and part-time pro- Consortium for the development of papers compiled by the Royal Society fessor at the Institute of Physics, as fusion energy. His nomination at of Chemistry under the theme “Cele- the new President of ETH Zurich. the highest level in the fusion com- brating Excellence in Research: 100 He took office on January st1 2019. munity in Europe constitutes not only Women of Chemistry”. a recognition of his competence and commitment, but also a proof of the prominent role that EPFL and Switzerland play in this field.

25 in brief physics in figures

WORLD / EUROPE TEACHING (year 2018) RANKINGS 92 bachelor degrees delivered th th 13 / 5 57 master degrees delivered 39 PhD degrees delivered 652 physics students th th 29 / 9 3441 other students receiving physics courses 3800 experiments demonstrated

31st / 10th number of students in Physics

700

600 45th / 19th 500

400

Total 300

200 FACULTY AND STAFF (in fte) 100 1st year

0 31.1 1983 1988 1993 1998 2003 2008 2013 2018 professors (chairs), of which 3 at SPC

135 RECORD BREAKING NUMBERS scientific staff and lecturers 20 meV 8x108 640 152 energy resolution in quality factor of mechanical crystals of graphite in a graduate students Dynamic Transmission resonator at room new neutron spectrometer Electron Microscopy temperature (LPQM) for investigating quantum 21 (LUMES) materials (LQM) administrative staff 35 K 2 43 maximum temperature for ultra metal-poor stars with- technical staff stable magnetic moment in out carbon enhancement in single atom magnet (LNS) the Milky Way (LASTRO)

26 physics@epfl 2019 in brief

PTUBLICA IONS 2012-2016 (InCites 28/01/2019) TECH TRANSFER 2013-2018 Category normalized citation impact % International collaborations Citations/paper normalized for subject, year, % of publications that have and document type international co-authors 27 3.5 90 patent applications 3 80 70 2.5 60 16 2 50 patents pending 1.5 40 30 1 20 6 0.5 10 patents granted 0 0 T T Z Z I I H H t. U t. U M M T T S S EPFL EPFL E E altech altech ollege ollege C C C C arvard U arvard U anford U anford U anford 6 U Oxford U Oxford t t Berkeley Berkeley ambridge ambridge H H omonosov omonosov omonosov S S C C C C L L

U U start-up companies created U U U Manchester U Manchester Moscow Moscow Moscow mperial mperial I I

PROPORTION OF WOMEN EXTERNAL FUNDING

Faculty and staff Physics students 35% 35% 2017 2018 2017 2018 30% 30% 48% external funding 25% 25% in total budget 20% 20% 15% 15% 8 10% 10% ERC grants running 5% 5% 0% 0% professors scientific graduate administrative 1st year bachelor master PhD 3 staff students & technical students graduates graduates graduates staff SNSF professorships

FULL-YEAR IPHYS EXPENDITURE 6 Ambizione grants running

Staff Operating costs external funds & equipment 14.7 MCHF external funds 9.3 MCHF

Operating costs EPFL funds Staff 5 MCHF EPFL funds 21.4 MCHF

27 Physics@EPFL Institute of Physics EPFL SB IPHYS Direction Bâtiment PH Station 3 CH-1015 Lausanne [email protected] iphys.epfl.ch

Physics@EPFL 2019 p. 14: Suliana Manley p. 23: X-ray unit for the detection of technological © Alain Herzog, EPFL fraud in cycling events text ©UCI Mediacom, Institute of Physics, Swiss Plasma p. 15: Antonio Gentile with the Polysphère d’Or Jean-Luc Martin Center, Physics Section and Doctoral Program Frédéric Mila receiving the Craie d’Or © Katerina Sulova, CTK in Physics, EPFL © Physics Section, EPFL Wolf-Dieter Schneider Vincenzo Savona receiving the Trophy of Physics © EPFL design Teacher of the Year Philippe Choquard cullycully.studio © Benoît Jeannet, EPFL © Christian Coigny photography p. 16: Oleg Yazyev, Christian Theiler p. 24: Dwarf galaxies’ haloes © Alain Herzog, EPFL © LASTRO, EPFL Front cover: The scintillating fiber winding machine Interface between the normal insulator and

Multicolor 3D image of a protein complex © LPHE, EPFL the quantum spin Hall insulator phases in WSe2 reconstructed from 2D super-resolution © M.M. Ugeda et al 2018 microscopy images. p. 17: EPFL team at the International Physicists’ Multicolor 3D model of human centrioles © Christian Sieben, EPFL Tournament in Moscow reconstructed from super-resolution micrographs © DR © Christian Sieben, EPFL p. 4: Lesya Shchutska Coupled-cavity-waveguide made of a photonic © Heidi Hostettler, ETHZ p. 18: Physics Day crystal cavity Large Hadron Collider tunnel at CERN © PolyPhys, EPFL © Antonio Badolato, University of Ottawa © CERN Jean-Philippe Ansermet A knotted loop of metal beads mimicking © Aladin Borioli, EPFL a knotted molecule p. 5: Hugo Dil and Juraj Krempaský with the ex- Nicolas Grandjean © Piotr Szymczak, University of Warsaw perimental set-up at the Paul Scherrer Institute © Benoît Jeannet, EPFL © Hugo Dil, EPFL p. 25: Formation of a skyrmion lattice triggered p. 20: Prototype diagnostic device for antibiotic by a laser pulse p. 6: A top-view of the GroES/GroEL bacterial testing © LUMES, EPFL chaperone complex model © Resistell Artist’s rendition of vibrating nanostrings © Wikipedia The TELESTO telescope © Woogieworks © LASTRO, EPFL Principle of the unconventional photon p. 7: Graduating class of 2018 blockade Elodie Savary receiving her diploma from p. 21: The IBM Q Experience running on a tablet © LTPN, EPFL Jean-Philippe Ansermet at IBM Research Ambrogio Fasoli © Benoît Jeannet, EPFL © Connie Zhou, IBM © Alain Herzog, EPFL The Physics Show Joël Mesot p. 8: Exciting and probing phonons with © SPH, EPFL © ScanderbegSauer Photography, ultra-short laser pulses Paul Scherrer Institute © Christophe Galland, EPFL p. 22: Gabriele D’Aversa receiving his diploma from Jean-Philippe Ansermet p. 11: Critical exponents for the 3D Ising model © Benoît Jeannet, EPFL printing © Alessandro Vichi, EPFL Claudia Tambasco receiving the CHIPP Prize Polygravia Arts Graphiques SA © Tatiana Pieloni, EPFL p. 12: The TORPEX device at the Swiss Plasma © 2019 Center ÉCOLE POLYTECHNIQUE FÉDÉRALE © Swiss Plasma Center DE LAUSANNE