Physics and Applications of Negative IONS

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The structures of atoms and positive ions are well known for more than 100 years. In contrast, negative ions are less well understood as they are much more difficult to investigate and detect. This is because their binding energies are very small, and only a handful of them have excited states with the same parity as the ground state. Hence, traditional spectroscopic methods cannot be applied to most negative ions, leaving them poorly characterised despite their importance for many scientific and technological applications. The PANIONS Doctoral Network aims at substantially advancing our understanding of negative ions beyond the state-of-the-art from atomic to cosmic scales and bridging the gap between fundamental science and applications. Our interdisciplinary approach will be implemented by 14 DCs employing advanced theoretical models and sophisticated experimental methods. Key properties of atomic and molecular anions and their interactions with other particles will be investigated to fully describe negative ions in a variety of environments, from vacuum to plasmas, interstellar clouds and planetary surfaces. This ambitious research and training programme is only possible through a collaborative effort of a pan-European consortium of scientific excellence with access to a range of experimental facilities and the involvement of innovative companies with complementary expertise. Exploiting the full potential of the scientific discoveries requires a structured training programme to equip the next generation of experts in negative ions with advanced scientific and transferable skills. Acquiring a comprehensive skillset that is relevant to essentially any field of advanced science and technology, will prepare the recruited DCs for future careers in academia and industry. In the long-term, PANIONS will unleash various applications of negative ions with a profound impact on how we generate energy, investigate our universe, and on medical applications.