ETH grant funds development of mid-infrared photonics for the LIFE space mission
The ETH-led LIFE space mission aims at the detection and atmospheric characterization of small, temperate exoplanets, to asses if some of them show signs of biological activity, i.e. life outside our solar system.
Current concepts for broad-band mid-infrared (MIR) nulling interferometers rely on bulk optics with large volume and mass, limiting their application in space. The research groups of Sascha Quanz, Rachel Grange, and Jerome Faist, secured a joint ETH grant (~580 kCHF) to develop integrated photonic chips that could replace bulk optics for the mission.
