The Centre of Excellence in Low Temperature Quantum Phenomena and Devices LTQ

Research at LTQ

At low temperatures near absolute zero, physical systems eventually condense into their quantum mechanical ground state, and may exhibit extraordinary properties. In the superconducting state of metals, the electric current flows without loss, and in the superfluid state of helium, the flow is lossless as well. Both of these are macroscopic quantum-mechanical phenomena. The applications of the research include superconducting sensors for terahertz imaging and calorimeters and thermometers for low temperature research.

During 2012-2017 LTQ implemented an ambitious research program, focusing on investigations of quantum phenomena, both in extremely ideal continuous media, such as helium liquids and crystals, and in man-made nano structures. The program received support from the Academy of Finland, EU, universities, research institutes, the private business sector and many other sources. During its operation, the centre graduated nearly 40 Doctors and 30 Masters and its teams published more than 400 peer reviewed scientific papers. The research led to roughly 30 public patents and 3 spin-offs during the six years of operation.

Groups

LTQ was formed around eleven leading research groups of its field from Aalto University, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and University of Jyväskylä:

• ROTA led by Doc. Vladimir Eltsov
• µKI led by Doc. Juha Tuoriniemi
• NANO led by Prof. Pertti Hakonen
• PICO led by Prof. Jukka Pekola
• KVANTTI led by Doc. Sorin Paraoanu
• NEMS led by Prof. Mika Sillanpää
• QUANTUM TRANSPORT (QT) led by Prof. Christian Flindt
• JYU led by Prof. Tero Heikkilä
• STM led by Prof. Peter Liljeroth
• QUANTRONICS led byDoc. Panu Helistö
• TERAHERTZ SENSING led by Docent Juha Hassel

Scientific Advisory Board (SAB)

LTQ had a scientific advisory board which reviewed the scientific progress of the centre, and provided valuable support for its' development:

Prof. William Halperin, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA

Prof. Andrew Cleland, University of Chicago, USA

Prof. Milena Grifoni, Universität Regensburg, Germany 7.10.2014 -->

Awards and Honors

The research leaders of LTQ received following awards and honors during the centre's term of operation:

• Pekola Jukka, ERC Advanced Grant, 2017–2022 (5 years)
• Liljeroth Peter, Väisälä Award, Finnish Academy of Science and Letters, 2016
• Pekola Jukka, Professor Theodor Homén Prize, Finnish Academy of Science and Letters, 2016
• Volovik Grigory, ERC Advanced Grant, 2016–2021 (5 years)
• Sillanpää Mika, Väisälä Award, Finnish Academy of Science and Letters, 2015
• Hakonen Pertti, ERC Advanced Grant, 2016–2020
• Sllanpää Mika, ERC Consolidator Grant, 2015–2019
• Volovik Grigory, Lars Onsager Prize, APS Physics, 2014
• Pekola Jukka, Academy Professor position, Academy of Finland, 2014–2018

Spinoffs

Eigenco develops high fidelity microwave measurement solutions to nanoelectronics, quantum information processing, and correlation measurements. It was founded in 2016.

Beat2Phone is a company providing smart-phone-enabled monitoring of electrocardiography, founded in 2015.

Asqella is a company producing passive submillimetre-wave video cameras for loss prevention and physical security applications, founded in 2013.

Contact

Director: Acad. Prof. Jukka Pekola, Aalto University

Coordinator: Minna Günes, Aalto University