Aurore: A platform for ultrafast sciences.

We present the Aurore platform for ultrafast sciences. This platform is based on a unique 20 W, 1 kHz, 26 fs Ti:sapphire laser system designed for reliable operation and high intensity temporal contrast. The specific design ensures the high stability in terms of pulse duration, energy, and beam pointing necessary for extended experimental campaigns.

Bright room temperature single photon source at telecom range in cubic silicon carbide.

Single-photon emitters (SPEs) play an important role in a number of quantum information tasks such as quantum key distributions. In these protocols, telecom wavelength photons are desired due to their low transmission loss in optical fibers. In this paper, we present a study of bright single-photon emitters in cubic silicon carbide (3C-SiC) emitting in the telecom range.

Glass-like stress relaxation of a permanent gelatin network as a signature of pretransitional helix-coil fluctuations.

The stress response of permanently crosslinked gelatin gels was recently observed to display glass-like features, namely, a stretched-exponential behavior terminated by an exponential decay, the characteristic time scales of which increase dramatically with decreasing temperature. This phenomenon is studied here using a model of flexible polymer gel network where relaxation proceeds via elementary monomer exchanges between helix and coil segments. The relaxation dynamics of a full network simulation is found to be nearly identical to that of a model of independent strands, which shows that for flexible polymer gels in the range of elastic moduli of interest, both strand contour length disorder and elastic couplings are irrelevant.

Two-dimensional topological superconductivity in Pb/Co/Si(111).

Just like insulators can present topological phases characterized by Dirac edge states, superconductors can exhibit topological phases characterized by Majorana edge states. In particular, one-dimensional topological superconductors are predicted to host zero-energy Majorana fermions at their extremities. By contrast, two-dimensional superconductors have a one-dimensional boundary which would naturally lead to propagating Majorana edge states characterized by a Dirac-like dispersion.

Ultra-low and ultra-broad-band nonlinear acoustic metamaterials.

Linear acoustic metamaterials (LAMs) are widely used to manipulate sound; however, it is challenging to obtain bandgaps with a generalized width (ratio of the bandgap width to its start frequency) >1 through linear mechanisms. Here we adopt both theoretical and experimental approaches to describe the nonlinear chaotic mechanism in both one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) nonlinear acoustic metamaterials (NAMs). This mechanism enables NAMs to reduce wave transmissions by as much as 20-40 dB in an ultra-low and ultra-broad band that consists of bandgaps and chaotic bands.

Micropillar Resonators for Optomechanics in the Extremely High 19-95-GHz Frequency Range.

Strong confinement, in all dimensions, and high mechanical frequencies are highly desirable for quantum optomechanical applications. We show that GaAs/AlAs micropillar cavities fully confine not only photons but also extremely high frequency (19-95 GHz) acoustic phonons. A strong increase of the optomechanical coupling upon reducing the pillar size is observed, together with record room-temperature Q-frequency products of 10^{14}.

Sequential self-assembly of DNA functionalized droplets.

Complex structures and devices, both natural and manmade, are often constructed sequentially. From crystallization to embryogenesis, a nucleus or seed is formed and built upon. Sequential assembly allows for initiation, signaling, and logical programming, which are necessary for making enclosed, hierarchical structures.

Effects of disorder and chain stiffening on the elasticity of flexible polymer networks.

We examine how the distribution of contour lengths and the high-stretch stiffening of individual chain segments affect the macroscopic shear modulus of flexible polymer gels, using a two-dimensional numerical model in which polymer segments form a triangular network and disorder is introduced by varying their contour lengths. We show that, in the relevant parameter range: (i) the nonaffine contribution to the shear modulus is negligible, i.e.

Evidence for Marginal Stability in Emulsions.

We report the first measurements of the effect of pressure on vibrational modes in emulsions, which serve as a model for soft frictionless spheres at zero temperature. As a function of the applied pressure, we find that the density of states D(ω) exhibits a low-frequency cutoff ω^{*}, which scales linearly with the number of extra contacts per particle δz. Moreover, for ω<ω^{*}, our results are consistent with D(ω)∼ω^{2}/ω^{*2}, a quadratic behavior whose prefactor is larger than what is expected from Debye theory.

All-Dielectric Silicon Nanogap Antennas To Enhance the Fluorescence of Single Molecules.

Plasmonic antennas have a profound impact on nanophotonics as they provide efficient means to manipulate light and enhance light-matter interactions at the nanoscale. However, the large absorption losses found in metals can severely limit the plasmonic applications in the visible spectral range. Here, we demonstrate the effectiveness of an alternative approach using all-dielectric nanoantennas based on silicon dimers to enhance the fluorescence detection of single molecules.

Glass-like dynamics of the strain-induced coil/helix transition on a permanent polymer network.

We study the stress response to a step strain of covalently bonded gelatin gels in the temperature range where triple helix reversible crosslink formation is prohibited. We observe slow stress relaxation towards a T-dependent finite asymptotic level. We show that this is assignable to the strain-induced coil → helix transition, previously evidenced by Courty et al.

Cis and Trans Cooperativity of E-Cadherin Mediates Adhesion in Biomimetic Lipid Droplets.

The regulation of cell-cell adhesion is important in cell motility, tissue growth, and for the mechanical integrity of tissues. Although the role of active cytoskeleton dynamics in regulating cadherin interactions is crucial in vivo, here we present a biomimetic emulsion system to characterize the passive E-cadherin-mediated adhesion between droplets. The visualization of a three-dimensional assembly of lipid droplets, functionalized with extracellular E-cadherin domains, reveals a hierarchy of homophilic interactions.

Polariton Resonances for Ultrastrong Coupling Cavity Optomechanics in GaAs/AlAs Multiple Quantum Wells.

Polariton-mediated light-sound interaction is investigated through resonant Brillouin scattering experiments in GaAs/AlAs multiple-quantum wells. Photoelastic coupling enhancement at exciton-polariton resonance reaches 10(5) at 30 K as compared to a typical bulk solid room temperature transparency value. When applied to GaAs based cavity optomechanical nanodevices, this result opens the path to huge displacement sensitivities and to ultrastrong coupling regimes in cavity optomechanics with couplings g(0) in the range of 100 GHz.

Two step formation of metal aggregates by surface X-ray radiolysis under Langmuir monolayers: 2D followed by 3D growth.

In order to form a nanostructured metallic layer below a Langmuir monolayer, radiolysis synthesis was carried out in an adapted geometry that we call surface X-ray radiolysis. In this procedure, an X-ray beam produced by a synchrotron beamline intercepts the surface of an aqueous metal-ion solution covered by a Langmuir monolayer at an angle of incidence below the critical angle for total internal reflection. Underneath the organic layer, the X-ray beam induces the radiolytic synthesis of a nanostructured metal-organic layer whose ultrathin thickness is defined by the vertical X-ray penetration depth.

From Homogeneous to Segregated Structure of Poly(dimethylsiloxane)/Cellulose Derivative Mixed Langmuir Films Depending on Composition: An in Situ Neutron Reflectivity Study.

The mixing behavior of deuterated polydimethylsiloxane (PDMSd) and cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB) spread as Langmuir films at the air-water interface was studied by means of surface pressure-area isotherms, Brewster angle microscopy (BAM) observations, and in situ neutron reflectivity. The contrast variation method was used with different D2O/H2O mixtures as subphase, allowing contrast matching to either CAB, PDMSd, or PDMSd/CAB mixed film if homogeneous. At PDMSd volume fractions Φ lower than 0.

Towards GHz-THz cavity optomechanics in DBR-based semiconductor resonators.

Resonators based on acoustic distributed Bragg reflectors (DBRs) were optimized to work in the GHz-THz regime, and grown by molecular beam epitaxy. We show that in structures made of GaAlAs alloys a simultaneous optimal confinement of light in the visible range and phonons in the tens of GHz range can be achieved. We report time resolved differential optical reflectivity experiments performed with fs-ps laser pulses.

Fabry-Pérot-multichannel spectrometer tandem for ultra-high resolution Raman spectroscopy.

We present a novel ultra-high resolution Raman spectroscopy technique based in a Fabry-Pérot/triple spectrometer tandem with multichannel acquisition. We describe the system, detail the calibration process, and experimentally test the technique, showing that effective finesses in excess of 1000 are possible. The technique is specifically tailored for low intensity, complex and spectrally extended Raman spectra, providing shorter acquisition times with respect to similar tandem systems with monochannel detectors.

Vortex polarization dynamics in a square magnetic nanodot.

Langevin simulations at finite temperature of two-dimensional magnetic nanodots were performed using the Landau-Lifshitz equation with exchange and dipolar interactions. In a wide range of temperatures, the dynamics of square samples with one central vortex was studied, focusing on the out-of-plane magnetic component at the vortex-core. This vortex-core undergoes polarization sign reversals in a thermally activated process.

Resistive switching at the nanoscale in the Mott insulator compound GaTa4Se8.

We study the Mott insulator compound GaTa4Se8 in which we previously discovered an electric-field-induced resistive transition. We show that the resistive switching is associated to the appearance of metallic and super-insulating nanodomains by means of scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy (STM/STS). Moreover, we show that local electronic transitions can be controlled at the nanoscale at room temperature using the electric field of the STM tip.

Scanning tunneling spectroscopy study of the proximity effect in a disordered two-dimensional metal.

The proximity effect between a superconductor and a highly diffusive two-dimensional metal is revealed in a scanning tunneling spectroscopy experiment. The in situ elaborated samples consist of superconducting single crystalline Pb islands interconnected by a nonsuperconducting atomically thin disordered Pb wetting layer. In the vicinity of each superconducting island the wetting layer acquires specific tunneling characteristics which reflect the interplay between the proximity-induced superconductivity and the inherent electron correlations of this ultimate diffusive two-dimensional metal.

Interrupted self-organization of SiGe pyramids.

We investigate the morphological evolution of SiGe quantum dots deposited on Si(100) during long-time annealing. At low strain, the dots' self-organization begins by an instability and interrupts when (105) pyramids form. This evolution and the resulting island density are quantified by molecular-beam epitaxy.

Finite element modeling of the radiative properties of Morpho butterfly wing scales.

With the aim of furthering the explanation of iridescence in Morpho butterflies, we developed an optical model based on the finite-element (FE) method, taking more accurately into account the exact morphology of the wing, origin of iridescence. We modeled the photonic structure of a basal scale of the Morpho rhetenor wing as a three-dimensional object, infinite in one direction, with a shape copied from a TEM image, and made out of a slightly absorbing dielectric material. Periodic boundary conditions were used in the FE method to model the wing periodic structure and perfectly matched layers permitted the free-space scattering computation.

Identification of the nitrogen split interstitial (N-N)(N) in GaN.

Combining electron paramagnetic resonance, density functional theory, and positron annihilation spectroscopy (PAS), we identify the nitrogen interstitial defect in GaN. The isolated interstitial is unstable and transforms into a split interstitial configuration (N-N)(N). It is generated by particle irradiation with an introduction rate of a primary defect, pins the Fermi level at E(C)-1.