Technique - (8) Photoelectrochemical stimulation

Type: Experimental

Description: Light-driven electrochemical modulation of cells using semiconductor photoelectrodes.

Department(s)/lab(s): Physics โ€“ Particle Physics Group | AION Sr Atom Interferometry Lab (Buchmueller) @ Imperial
Summary:

Buchmueller is the lead PI of the AION consortium (~ยฃ10M funded by UKRI/STFC), leading Imperial's ultracold strontium lab developing single-photon large-momentum-transfer atom interferometry on the Sr clock transition. Key achievements: prototype Sr differential atom interferometer operating at the Standard Quantum Limit with laser noise rejection demonstrated (arXiv 2504.09158, Apr 2025); AION-10 technical design report published (Aug 2025). Buchmueller also leads the AEDGE space mission concept for the European Space Agency, seeking to deploy a km-scale Sr atom interferometer in space for dark matter and mid-frequency gravitational wave detection. Deeply involved in MAGIS-100 partnership (Fermilab) and Cold Atoms in Space community building with 130+ proponents. Active in CMS Collaboration at CERN.

Department(s)/lab(s): Physics โ€“ QOLS / Centre for Cold Matter | Centre for Cold Matter โ€“ eEDM / Precision Molecular Sensing @ Imperial
Summary:

Lim is an Advanced Research Fellow jointly responsible for the ultracold eEDM experiment at Imperial. He contributed to demonstrating sub-Doppler laser cooling of YbF to 100 ฮผK (PRL 2018), the first demonstration of laser cooling of a heavy polar molecule to ultracold temperatures. He now leads development of the lattice eEDM experiment, developing techniques for loading laser-cooled YbF into a 3D optical lattice for precision eEDM measurements with coherence times far exceeding those of the beam experiment.

Department(s)/lab(s): Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Physics | Park Group @ Harvard
Summary:

Park's group works at the interface of physics, chemistry, and neuroscience, developing nanowire- and nanoelectrode-based intracellular electrophysiology probes as well as NV-diamond quantum sensing platforms (often in collaboration with Lukin), building on the same NV ensemble quantum-sensing lineage (DEER, nanoscale NMR, T1 relaxometry, pT/โˆšHz sensitivity) while also pushing nanoscale bioelectronic recording.

Department(s)/lab(s): Physics โ€“ QOLS / Centre for Cold Matter | Centre for Cold Matter โ€“ eEDM / Precision Molecular Sensing @ Imperial
Summary:

Sauer co-leads both YbF eEDM experiments at the Centre for Cold Matter together with Tarbutt and Lim. Key contributions: magnetometry for EDM measurement (design and characterisation of precision magnetic field systems for the ultracold eEDM experiment), precision spectroscopy of heavy polar molecules (YbF, lattice eEDM), and development of spin polarisation/analysis schemes. Co-PI on STFC grants for eEDM and magnetometry. Together the group aims to probe the eEDM at the 10^โˆ’30 eยทcm level โ€” several orders of magnitude improvement over existing measurements from ACME (Harvard/Yale).

Department(s)/lab(s): Physics โ€“ QOLS / Centre for Cold Matter | Centre for Cold Matter โ€“ eEDM / Precision Molecular Sensing @ Imperial
Summary:

Tarbutt co-leads the Imperial eEDM experiment using YbF molecules and runs an independent molecular array quantum computing/sensing programme. Two parallel eEDM experiments: (1) Ultracold YbF beam โ€” 2D transverse laser cooling producing 200 ฮผK, 2ร—10^5 molecules/shot, eEDM sensitivity of 1.8ร—10^โˆ’28 eยทcm/day (near shot-noise limit); (2) YbF 3D optical lattice โ€” aiming for 10^โˆ’30 eยทcm/year, requires laser cooling to ฮผK and loading into 3D optical lattice, using novel all-optical spin polarisation and analysis. Also leads UKRI project on testing fundamental physics using arrays of ultracold molecules (CaF in optical tweezers for two-qubit molecular gates). These experiments probe CP-violation and BSM physics at PeV energy scales through precision molecular spectroscopy.

Department(s)/lab(s): Physics โ€“ QOLS / Centre for Cold Matter | Ion Trapping Group (Thompson) @ Imperial
Summary:

Thompson leads the Ion Trapping Group at Imperial using RF (Paul) traps with laser-cooled Ca-40 ions and Penning traps. Research foci: (1) High-fidelity quantum logic gates โ€” optimal control techniques for single-ion state manipulation and two-qubit gates; demonstrated >1 s coherence times via Ramsey interferometry in a Penning trap; (2) Precision spectroscopy โ€” ytterbium ion optical clock uncertainty characterisation at 2.2ร—10^โˆ’18 fractional uncertainty (NPL collaboration); proposed precision laser spectrometer for highly charged ions (HCI) in cylindrical Penning traps for QED tests; (3) Axion sensing โ€” collaborating with Devlin on the Penning-trap single-electron photon counter for axion searches; (4) Coulomb crystals โ€” ultrahigh resolution spectroscopy of ion crystals. Past work includes SPECTRAP project at GSI Darmstadt for HCI spectroscopy.

Department(s)/lab(s): Chemistry | Tian Research Group @ UChicago
Summary:

Pioneers living bioelectronics integrating semiconductor nanostructures with biological systems. Primary directions: (1) silicon nanowire / nanoporous silicon photoelectrochemical interfaces for optical neuromodulation with subcellular spatial resolution; (2) intracellular silicon nanowire probes for recording action potentials from individual organelles; (3) bioinspired flexible mesh electronics for in vivo neural and cardiac interfaces. QuBBE member. 2026 Marian and Stuart Rice Research Award.

Department(s)/lab(s): Physics โ€“ QOLS / Centre for Cold Matter | Centre for Cold Matter โ€“ Ultracold Molecular Spectroscopy (Truppe) @ Imperial
Summary:

Truppe is an Associate Professor at the Centre for Cold Matter, specialising in laser cooling of atoms and diatomic molecules using deep-UV lasers. His current focus is aluminium monofluoride (AlF) and magnesium fluoride (MgF): AlF can be produced in a bright cryogenic buffer-gas beam and rapidly optically cycled on the Aยนฮ โ†”Xยนฮฃโบ transition, making it a candidate for high-density laser trapping; MgF is characterised for its Aยฒฮ โ†”Xยฒฮฃโบ hyperfine structure, relevant to laser cooling. These molecules open routes to ultracold chemistry studies, precision spectroscopy, and quantum simulation. Truppe returned to Imperial as faculty after a period at the Fritz Haber Institute (ERC Starting Grant, 'CoMoFun', cold molecules for fundamental physics).