With expertise across the entire detection chain, LabEx FOCUS makes a major contribution in the near-infrared to submillimetre field from the design to the characterisation of detectors with the best performance for astrophysics.

FOCUS brings together 60 experts from 9 of the major laboratories in the sector, exploiting their geographical proximity around Grenoble by joining the highly qualified laboratories of CEA/Irfu and ONERA in Ile de France and LAM in Marseille, which bring their expertise in the space domain.

The results of FOCUS over the past 8 years attest to its capacity for innovation : the highly multiplexed NIKA2 camera using KIDs installed at IRAM since 2016, is producing scientific observations ; the MIS bolometers developed by FOCUS teams, detecting polarisation in the pixel, were at the heart of the polarimetric camera of the SPICA candidate for the ESA M5 mission ; a first prototype of the ALFA near-infrared detector specified, developed and characterised via FOCUS has just been realised, aiming at equipping the ground-tracking telescope of the SVOM mission.
The demonstrated multiplier effect of FOCUS is even more important : the development of ALFA detectors has led to funding from ESA and the EU, 3 projects based on FOCUS technologies are the basis of H2020 contracts (Scarbo, Holdon, SuperTED) and 2 ERCs are based on FOCUS developments (curved detectors and KIDs for spectroscopy).

A dynamic community is now present in FOCUS and is ready to take up new challenges for which the LabEx, in its current form and scope, remains the best tool. Given the changing landscape in astrophysics and our own achievements, we have requested and obtained the renewal of the LabEx for 5 years.