Funding

This project, coordinated by F. Teppe (L2C), brings together L2C, LNCMI (Grenoble), CEA (Grenoble), and MPQ (Paris).

TEASER aims to achieve amplification of spontaneous THz cyclotron emission, paving the way toward the realization of a cyclotron-resonance (CR) laser diode, thereby bridging the long-standing THz gap.

Recently, TEASER partners have experimentally demonstrated that, owing to their relativistic properties, two-dimensional Dirac fermions in HgTe quantum wells subjected to a perpendicular magnetic field can overcome non-radiative recombination processes and produce intense cyclotron radiation in the most inaccessible region of the THz spectrum.

The wavelength of this spontaneous emission is tunable not only by the magnetic field but also by the carrier density, which can be adjusted via gate voltage while keeping the magnetic field fixed using a permanent magnet.

Developing a THz CR laser diode now requires amplifying this spontaneous emission. To achieve this, TEASER proposes a radically new approach based on Landau polaritons (LPs), created by coupling cyclotron resonance with THz cavity modes.

Because LPs exhibit a low density of states, they allow stimulated scattering processes into the final polariton state, thereby facilitating polariton laser emission without requiring population inversion.

TEASER brings together recognized expertise in HgCdTe material growth and device technology, THz/MIR magneto-optical spectroscopy, Landau emission spectroscopy, and Landau polariton theory.

The knowledge gained through this project will mark the emergence of a new research field led exclusively by French teams, opening the path to a disruptive THz technology that positions France with a significant competitive advantage on the international stage.

This project, coordinated by F. Teppe (L2C), aims to support the emergence of pioneering research leading to a major breakthrough in the THz domain.

The amplification of spontaneous cyclotron emission in the THz range would pave the way toward a tunable cyclotron-resonance laser, thus bridging the long-standing “THz gap.”

The L2C recently demonstrated experimentally that two-dimensional Dirac fermions in HgTe quantum wells, subjected to a perpendicular magnetic field, can produce intense THz cyclotron radiation.

To amplify this spontaneous emission, L2C proposes a radically new approach based on Landau polaritons, formed through the coupling between cyclotron resonance and THz cavity modes.

This mechanism could enable polariton laser emission without requiring population inversion.

L2C has already obtained promising experimental results, which now need to be validated and consolidated in order to provide strong arguments for funding agencies and to sustain this high-risk, high-reward research initiative.

This project, coordinated by B. Jouault (L2C), is dedicated to the study of materials whose topology can be modified under electrical stimulation, with the goal of developing a new generation of electronic components that could serve as qubits for quantum technologies.

NITRO is aligned with the Regional Innovation Strategy (SRI), addressing Axis 1 (Smart Materials) and Axis 2 (Big Data), and will have a direct impact on the key challenge of quantum technologies. It also responds to the objectives of the Regional Strategy for Higher Education, Research and Innovation (SRESRI) by aiming for technological proof of concept, strengthening knowledge sharing and scientific excellence, and bringing together key actors in the Occitanie region.

Furthermore, the development of energy-efficient, non-dissipative electronics contributes to the goals of the European Green Deal.

NITRO funds a PhD position, prepares the student for careers in digital and quantum technologies, encourages international mobility, and helps raise awareness among regional industrial partners about these emerging technologies.

This Franco-German project brings together two laboratories from Montpellier — the L2C and the Institut d’Électronique et des Systèmes (IES) — along with the University of Würzburg. On the French side, the project is coordinated by B. Jouault (L2C).

Topological insulators (TIs) represent a new state of matter, characterized by an insulating bulk and conductive surface or edge states protected by topology. Among the wide range of known TIs, composite heterostructures of quantum wells based on III–V semiconductor materials, such as InAs/GaSb, offer unprecedented device functionality when combined with advanced epitaxy and III–V semiconductor device fabrication techniques.

The project first aims to overcome key obstacles to the observation of the quantum spin Hall effect in these materials, such as the small bandgap inherent to asymmetric structures. It also seeks to establish a flexible platform for the study of 2D and 3D topological states.

This project is a “Structuring Research Equipment” (ESR) – EquipEx+ contract, coordinated by E. Tournie (IES, Montpellier), F. Teppe (for CNRS), and A. Giani (for the CTM–Montpellier).

III–Sb materials have been studied at the University of Montpellier (UM) for several decades, with a strong focus on mid-infrared (MIR) optoelectronics. The IES is the French reference center in III–Sb optoelectronics, and one of the world’s leading research hubs in this field. In 2011, the institute obtained the EquipEx “EXTRA” – Excellence Center on Antimonides (4.2 M€), which led in 2018 to a CNRS–SATT technology maturation of quantum cascade laser (QCL) technology.

The HYBAT project aims both to complete this technology transfer and to pursue new research directions, focusing on emerging materials, novel heterostructures, new physical effects, and innovative device functionalities.

HYBAT is structured around four main work packages (WPs): Materials, Devices, Physics, Applications.

The project brings together three Montpellier partners: IES, L2C (TEST team), and the University of Montpellier’s Technology Center (CTM).

For low-frequency operation (0.3–3 THz), this project — coordinated in Montpellier by F. Teppe — focuses on three main objectives:

• Optimization of bolometers by LETI for incoherent detection in both active and passive imaging applications.
• Development and optimization by L2C of CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) and HBT (Heterojunction Bipolar Transistor) sensors based on silicon technology, operating in the 300–600 GHz range. These detectors target applications in the life sciences, particularly biophysics and agronomy, where water plays a central role.
• Development of narrowband THz detectors in the 0.5–5 THz range, based on semiconductor nanocrystals, for multispectral active imaging and selective gas detection. Some of these ultrasensitive sensors will later be integrated into a dedicated imaging system specifically designed by IMS, and a performance comparison will be conducted across the different detector technologies.

Winner of the European “Future and Emerging Technologies – OPEN-1-2018-2020” call, the LINkS project, coordinated by J. Torres, has been awarded €3.1 million in funding and brings together eight partners, including two private companies.

The goal of LINkS is to demonstrate the existence of long-range electrodynamic interactions (LEDI) between biomolecules as a mechanism underpinning molecular dynamics within cells. To this end, the researchers are developing an unprecedented biosensing technology capable of measuring LEDI in the real complexity of biological systems.

In the long term, the LINkS technology will help clarify the impact of electromagnetic fields on living organisms and contribute to drug discovery and the identification of biomarkers in both biomedical research and clinical applications.

The CPER QuET project aims to support the development of quantum technologies in the Occitanie region by structuring the academic and industrial community around experimental resources and shared platforms coordinated by a network of experts.

These resources and platforms, designed to promote disruptive research, innovation, and training in the field of quantum technologies, are distributed across several sites in the region, including the L2C.

One of the participating teams within this CPER is the TEST team.

This collective initiative is jointly led by five institutions — CIRAD, University of Montpellier (UM), INRA, IRD, and CNRS — and initiated by five research units: BPMP, DIADE–IPME, AGAP, L2C, and IES, with the support of the BioCampus Montpellier service unit.

The PlantEnvi project aims to promote innovative approaches based on THz technologies, building on the outcomes of the PRIME II THz project funded by the University of Montpellier and Labex Agro. The experimental techniques developed within PlantEnvi are designed to bridge the gap between laboratory studies and field applications, enabling the investigation of adaptive plant responses in vivo (in planta).

From a THz perspective, three key research topics are addressed in collaboration with the project partners:

• Depth-resolved observation of the multilayer leaf structure in metal-accumulating plants, related to heavy-metal detection
• Monitoring of plant water status
• Study of circadian rhythms in plants