Luttinger liquid behavior in weakly disordered quantum wires

We have measured the temperature dependence of the conductance in long V-groove quantum wires (QWRs) fabricated in GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructures. Our data is consistent with recent theories developed within the framework of the Luttinger liquid model, in the limit of weakly disordered wires. We show that for the relatively small amount of disorder in our QWRs, the value of the interaction parameter g is g=0.66, which is the expected value for GaAs. However, samples with a higher level of disorder show conductance with stronger temperature dependence, which does not allow their treatment in the framework of perturbation theory. Trying to fit such data with perturbation-theory models leads inevitably to wrong (lower) values of g.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Stability of adhesion clusters under constant force

We solve the stochastic equations for a cluster of parallel bonds with shared constant loading, rebinding and the completely dissociated state as an absorbing boundary. In the small force regime, cluster lifetime grows only logarithmically with bond number for weak rebinding, but exponentially for strong rebinding. Therefore rebinding is essential to ensure physiological lifetimes. The number of bonds decays exponentially with time for most cases, but in the intermediate force regime, a small increase in loading can lead to much faster decay. This effect might be used by cell-matrix adhesions to induce signaling events through cytoskeletal loading.Comment: Revtex, 4 pages, 4 Postscript files include

Enhancement of the Binding Energy of Charged Excitons in Disordered Quantum Wires

Negatively and positively charged excitons are identified in the spatially-resolved photoluminescence spectra of quantum wires. We demonstrate that charged excitons are weakly localized in disordered quantum wires. As a consequence, the enhancement of the "binding energy" of a charged exciton is caused, for a significant part, by the recoil energy transferred to the remaining charged carrier during its radiative recombination. We discover that the Coulomb correlation energy is not the sole origin of the "binding energy", in contrast to charged excitons confined in quantum dots.Comment: 4 Fig

Limiting the Spectral Diffusion of Nano-Scale Light Emitters using the Purcell effect in a Photonic-Confined Environment

Partial suppression of the spectral diffusion of quantum dot (QD) excitons tuned to resonance of a nano-photonic cavity is reported. The suppression is caused by the Purcell enhancement of the QD-exciton recombination rate, which alters the rate of charging of the solid-state environment by the QD itself. The effect can be used to spectrally-stabilize solid-state emitters of single photons and other non-classical states of light

Timely N-Acetyl-Cysteine and Environmental Enrichment Rescue Oxidative Stress-Induced Parvalbumin Interneuron Impairments via MMP9/RAGE Pathway: A Translational Approach for Early Intervention in Psychosis.

Research in schizophrenia (SZ) emphasizes the need for new therapeutic approaches based on antioxidant/anti-inflammatory compounds and psycho-social therapy. A hallmark of SZ is a dysfunction of parvalbumin-expressing fast-spiking interneurons (PVI), which are essential for neuronal synchrony during sensory/cognitive processing. Oxidative stress and inflammation during early brain development, as observed in SZ, affect PVI maturation. We compared the efficacy of N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) and/or environmental enrichment (EE) provided during juvenile and/or adolescent periods in rescuing PVI impairments induced by an additional oxidative insult during childhood in a transgenic mouse model with gluthation deficit (Gclm KO), relevant for SZ. We tested whether this rescue was promoted by the inhibition of MMP9/RAGE mechanism, both in the mouse model and in early psychosis (EP) patients, enrolled in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial of NAC supplementation for 6 months. We show that a sequential combination of NAC+EE applied after an early-life oxidative insult recovers integrity and function of PVI network in adult Gclm KO, via the inhibition of MMP9/RAGE. Six-month NAC treatment in EP patients reduces plasma sRAGE in association with increased prefrontal GABA, improvement of cognition and clinical symptoms, suggesting similar neuroprotective mechanisms. The sequential combination of NAC+EE reverses long-lasting effects of an early oxidative insult on PVI/perineuronal net (PNN) through the inhibition of MMP9/RAGE mechanism. In analogy, patients vulnerable to early-life insults could benefit from a combined pharmacological and psycho-social therapy

Photocurrent spectroscopy of site-controlled pyramidal quantum dots

Intraband photocurrent spectroscopy of site-controlled pyramidal quantum dots by inserting them into the intrinsic region of n-i-n like quantum dot infrared photodetector structure is reported. The photovoltaic response is observed in the mid-infrared region. A peak responsivity of 0.4 mA/W at 120meV (lambda = 10 mu m) is observed at 10K at -2 V bias. The ability to engineer states in the conduction band of the QDs has been exploited to tune their photocurrent response from 10 mu m to 18 mu m with a narrow spectral width of Delta lambda/lambda = 0.17. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4737426

Annular aperture arrays: study in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum

http://www.opticsinfobase.org/abstract.cfm?URI=ol-30-13-1611Baida and Van Labeke recently proposed a structure that exhibits a supertransmission of light through an array of nanometric coaxial apertures in a metallic film that has been named an annular aperture array (AAA) [Opt. Commun.209, 17 (2002); Phys. Rev. B67, 155314 (2003); J. Microsc.213, 140 (2003)]. We present the first experimental study, to our knowledge, of an AAA structure in the visible region. For technological reasons, the structure under study does not produce a supertransmission of 80% as in Baida and Van Labeke [Opt. Commun.209, 17 (2002)]. We built the nanostructure and experimentally recorded its far-field spectral response. This transmission shows only one broad band with a maximum around lambda=700 nm, giving a maximum efficiency around 17%. A finite-difference time-domain simulation reproduces quite well the obtained transmission spectrum

Optoelectronic analogue signal transfer for LHC detectors, 1991

We propose to study and develop opto-electronic analogue front-ends based on electro-optic intensity modulators. These devices translate the detector electrical analogue signals into optical signals which are then transferred via optical fibres to photodetector receivers at the remote readout. In comparison with conventional solutions based on copper cables, this technique offers the advantages of high speed, very low power dissipation and transmission losses, compactness and immunity to electromagnetic interference. The linearity and dynamic range that can be obtained are more than adequate for central tracking detectors, and the proposed devices have considerable radiation- hardness capabilities. The large bandwidth and short transit times offer possibilities for improved triggering schemes. The proposed R&D programme is aimed at producing multi-channel "demonstrator" units for evaluation both in laboratory and beam tests. This will allow the choice of the most effective technology. A detailed study will also be carried out on packaging and interconnection to large arrays of fibres, as well as on the optimization of the processes for the production of large quantities

Active Semiconductor Nanophotonics based on Deterministic Quantum Wire and Dot Systems

investigate the use of MOVPE-grown ordered nanostructures on non-planar substrates for quantum nano-photonics and quantum electrodynamics-based applications. The mastering of surface adatom fluxes on patterned GaAs substrates allows for forming nanostrucutres confining well-defined charge carrier states. An example given is the formation of quantum dot (QD) molecules tunneled-coupled by quantum wires (QWRs), in which both electron and hole states are hybridized. In addition, it is shown that the high degree of symmetry of QDs grown on patterned (111) B substrates makes them efficient entangled-photons emitters. Thanks to the optimal control over their position and emission wavelength, the fabricated nanostructures can be efficiently coupled to photonic nano-cavities. Low-threshold, optically pumped QWR laser incorporating photonic crystal (PhC) membrane cavities are demonstrated. Moreover, phonon-mediated coupling of QD exciton states to PhC cavities is observed. This approach should be useful for integrating more complex systems of QWRs and QDs for forming a variety of active nano-photonic structures