Spin-Orbit induced phase-shift in Bi2_{2}Se3_{3} Josephson junctions

The transmission of Cooper pairs between two weakly coupled superconductors produces a superfluid current and a phase difference; the celebrated Josephson effect. Because of time-reversal and parity symmetries, there is no Josephson current without a phase difference between two superconductors. Reciprocally, when those two symmetries are broken, an anomalous supercurrent can exist in the absence of phase bias or, equivalently, an anomalous phase shift $\varphi_0$ can exist in the absence of a superfluid current. We report on the observation of an anomalous phase shift $\varphi_0$ in hybrid Josephson junctions fabricated with the topological insulator Bi$_2$Se$_3$ submitted to an in-plane magnetic field. This anomalous phase shift $\varphi_0$ is observed directly through measurements of the current-phase relationship in a Josephson interferometer. This result provides a direct measurement of the spin-orbit coupling strength and open new possibilities for phase-controlled Josephson devices made from materials with strong spin-orbit coupling

Quantum confinement effects in Pb Nanocrystals grown on InAs

In the recent work of Ref.\cite{Vlaic2017-bs}, it has been shown that Pb nanocrystals grown on the electron accumulation layer at the (110) surface of InAs are in the regime of Coulomb blockade. This enabled the first scanning tunneling spectroscopy study of the superconducting parity effect across the Anderson limit. The nature of the tunnel barrier between the nanocrystals and the substrate has been attributed to a quantum constriction of the electronic wave-function at the interface due to the large Fermi wavelength of the electron accumulation layer in InAs. In this manuscript, we detail and review the arguments leading to this conclusion. Furthermore, we show that, thanks to this highly clean tunnel barrier, this system is remarkably suited for the study of discrete electronic levels induced by quantum confinement effects in the Pb nanocrystals. We identified three distinct regimes of quantum confinement. For the largest nanocrystals, quantum confinement effects appear through the formation of quantum well states regularly organized in energy and in space. For the smallest nanocrystals, only atomic-like electronic levels separated by a large energy scale are observed. Finally, in the intermediate size regime, discrete electronic levels associated to electronic wave-functions with a random spatial structure are observed, as expected from Random Matrix Theory.Comment: Main 12 pages, Supp: 6 page

Meta-analysis of SHANK Mutations in Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Gradient of Severity in Cognitive Impairments.

International audienceSHANK genes code for scaffold proteins located at the post-synaptic density of glutamatergic synapses. In neurons, SHANK2 and SHANK3 have a positive effect on the induction and maturation of dendritic spines, whereas SHANK1 induces the enlargement of spine heads. Mutations in SHANK genes have been associated with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), but their prevalence and clinical relevance remain to be determined. Here, we performed a new screen and a meta-analysis of SHANK copy-number and coding-sequence variants in ASD. Copy-number variants were analyzed in 5,657 patients and 19,163 controls, coding-sequence variants were ascertained in 760 to 2,147 patients and 492 to 1,090 controls (depending on the gene), and, individuals carrying de novo or truncating SHANK mutations underwent an extensive clinical investigation. Copy-number variants and truncating mutations in SHANK genes were present in ∼1% of patients with ASD: mutations in SHANK1 were rare (0.04%) and present in males with normal IQ and autism; mutations in SHANK2 were present in 0.17% of patients with ASD and mild intellectual disability; mutations in SHANK3 were present in 0.69% of patients with ASD and up to 2.12% of the cases with moderate to profound intellectual disability. In summary, mutations of the SHANK genes were detected in the whole spectrum of autism with a gradient of severity in cognitive impairment. Given the rare frequency of SHANK1 and SHANK2 deleterious mutations, the clinical relevance of these genes remains to be ascertained. In contrast, the frequency and the penetrance of SHANK3 mutations in individuals with ASD and intellectual disability-more than 1 in 50-warrant its consideration for mutation screening in clinical practice

Andreev transport in quantum dots and Josephson effect in spin-orbit coupled thin films

Les jonctions Josephson sont les briques de base des circuits supraconducteurs. Elles sont constituées de deux supraconducteurs séparés par une barrière isolante. Dans cette thèse, nous présentons deux expériences où la barrière isolante est remplacée par un semi-conducteur. Dans la première, nous étudions des nanofils dans le régime du blocage de Coulomb, où le nombre d'électrons peut être controlé, un par un, jusqu'à induire une transition entre un régime métallique et un régime isolant. A travers cette transition, nous avons observé qu'un spin électronique se comporte comme une impureté magnétique et donne lieu à la formation d'états électroniques discrets entre les électrodes supraconductrices. La compréhension de ces dispositifs est essentielle pour le développement de la nanoélectronique à base de supraconducteur. Dans la seconde expérience, nous étudions l'effet Josephson dans des couches minces où le mouvement des électrons dépend de leur orientation de spin. Ce couplage spin-orbite est essentiel dans un grand nombres de travaux théoriques visant à découvrir des nouvelles phases de la matière. Nous démontrons par cette expérience que le couplage spin-orbite peut être sondé par des mesures sensibles à la différence de phase entre les électrodes supraconductrices qui forment la jonction Josephson.Josephson junctions are the building blocks of superconducting electronics. They are made of two superconductors separated by an insulating barrier. In this thesis, we present two experiments where the insulating barrier is replaced by a semiconductor. In the first one, we study nanowires in the regime of Coulomb blockade, where the number of electrons can be controlled, one by one, until a metal-insulator transition is induced. Across this transition, we observed that a single electronic spin behaves like a magnetic impurity and leads to the formation of discrete electronic states between the superconducting electrodes. The understanding of such devices is crucial for the development of superconducting nanoelectronics. In the second experiment, we study the Josephson effect in thin films where the electron motion is coupled to its spin. This spin-orbit interaction is essential in a wide number of theoretical works aiming at discover new phases of matter. We demonstrate that spin-orbit coupling can be probed by phase sensitive measurements of the Josephson current

Transport d’Andreev dans des boîtes quantiques et effet Josephson dans des couches minces à fort couplage spin-orbite

Josephson junctions are the building blocks of superconducting electronics. They are made of two superconductors separated by an insulating barrier. In this thesis, we present two experiments where the insulating barrier is replaced by a semiconductor.In the first one, we study nanowires in the regime of Coulomb blockade, where the number of electrons can be controlled, one by one, until a metal-insulator transition is induced. Across this transition, we observed that a single electronic spin behaves like a magnetic impurity and leads to the formation of discrete electronic states between the superconducting electrodes. The understanding of such devices is crucial for the development of superconducting nanoelectronics. In the second experiment, we study the Josephson effect in thin films where the electron motion is coupled to its spin. This spin-orbit interaction is essential in a wide number of theoretical works aiming at discover new phases of matter. We demonstrate that spin-orbit coupling can be probed by phase sensitive measurements of the Josephson current.Les jonctions Josephson sont les briques de base des circuits supraconducteurs. Elles sont constituées de deux supraconducteurs séparés par une barrière isolante. Dans cette thèse, nous présentons deux expériences où la barrière isolante est remplacée par un semi-conducteur. Dans la première, nous étudions des nanofils dans le régime du blocage de Coulomb, où le nombre d’électrons peut être controlé, un par un, jusqu’à induire une transition entre un régime métallique et un régime isolant. A travers cette transition, nous avons observé qu’un spin électronique se comporte comme une impureté magnétique et donne lieu à la formation d’états électroniques discrets entre les électrodes supraconductrices. La compréhension de ces dispositifs est essentielle pour le développement de la nanoélectronique à base de supraconducteur.Dans la seconde expérience, nous étudions l’effet Josephson dans des couches minces où le mouvement des électrons dépend de leur orientation de spin. Ce couplage spin-orbite est essentiel dans un grand nombres de travaux théoriques visant à découvrir des nouvelles phases de la matière. Nous démontrons par cette expérience que le couplage spin-orbite peut être sondé par des mesures sensibles à la différence de phase entre les électrodes supraconductrices qui forment la jonction Josephson

Métastases choroïdiennes des cancers broncho-pulmonaires

LE KREMLIN-B.- PARIS 11-BU Méd (940432101) / SudocPARIS-BIUM (751062103) / SudocSudocFranceF

Shiba Bound States across the Mobility Edge in Doped InAs Nanowires

International audienceWe present a study of Andreev quantum dots fabricated with small-diameter (30 nm) Si-doped InAs nanowires where the Fermi level can be tuned across a mobility edge separating localized states from delocalized states. The transition to the insulating phase is identified by a drop in the amplitude and width of the excited levels and is found to have remarkable consequences on the spectrum of superconducting subgap resonances. While at deeply localized levels only quasiparticle cotunneling is observed, for slightly delocalized levels Shiba bound states form and a parity-changing quantum phase transition is identified by a crossing of the bound states at zero energy. Finally, in the metallic regime, single Andreev resonances are observed

Do ScvO₂ variations induced by passive leg raising predict fluid responsiveness? A prospective study

The present study investigates whether ScvO2 variations induced by passive leg raising (PLR) are able to predict fluid responsiveness (FR) in mechanically ventilated patients