arXiv subjects

C. Voisin

Publications and source records attributed to C. Voisin.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2024

Electroluminescence and Energy Transfer Mediated by Hyperbolic Polaritons

Under high electrical current, some materials can emit electromagnetic radiation beyond incandescence. This phenomenon, referred to as electroluminescence, leads to the efficient emission of visible photons and is the basis of domestic lighting devices (e.g., light-emitting diodes). In principle, electroluminescence can lead to mid-infrared (mid-IR) emission of confined light-matter excitations called phonon-polaritons, resulting from the coupling of photons with crystal lattice vibrations (optical phonons). In particular, phonon-polaritons arising in the van der Waals crystal hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) exhibit hyperbolic dispersion, which enhances light-matter coupling. For this reason, electroluminescence of hyperbolic phonon-polaritons (HPhPs) has been proposed as an explanation for the peculiar radiative energy transfer within hBN-encapsulated graphene transistors. However, since HPhPs are confined, they are inaccessible in the far-field, so that any hint of electroluminescence is only based on indirect electronic signatures and needs to be confirmed by direct observation. Here, we demonstrate far-field mid-IR (λ = 6.5 μm) electroluminescence of HPhPs excited by strongly biased high-mobility graphene within a van der Waals heterostructure, and we quantify the associated radiative energy transfer through the material. The presence of HPhPs is revealed via far-field mid-IR spectroscopy due to their elastic scattering at discontinuities in the heterostructure. The associated radiative flux is quantified by mid-IR pyrometry of the substrate receiving the energy. This radiative energy transfer is shown to be reduced in hBN with nanoscale inhomogeneities, demonstrating the central role of the electromagnetic environment in this process.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2023

Electroluminescence of the graphene 2D semi-metal

Electroluminescence, a non-thermal radiative process, is ubiquitous in semi-conductors and insulators but fundamentally precluded in metals. We show here that this restriction can be circumvented in high-quality graphene. By investigating the radiative emission of semi-metallic graphene field-effect transistors over a broad spectral range, spanning the near- and mid-infrared, we demonstrate direct far-field electroluminescence from hBN-encapsulated graphene in the mid-infrared under large bias in ambient conditions. Through a series of test experiments ruling out its incandescence origin, we determine that the electroluminescent signal results from the electrical pumping produced by interband tunneling. We show that the mid-infrared electroluminescence is spectrally shaped by a natural quarter-wave resonance of the heterostructure. This work invites a reassessment of the use of metals and semi-metals as non-equilibrium light emitters, and the exploration of their intriguing specificities in terms of carrier injection and relaxation, as well as emission tunability and switching speed.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2023

Symmetric tensors on the intersection of two quadrics and Lagrangian fibration

Let X be a n-dimensional (smooth) intersection of two quadrics, and let T*X be its cotangent bundle. We show that the algebra of symmetric tensors on X is a polynomial algebra in n variables. The corresponding map F: T*X -- > C^n is a Lagrangian fibration, which admits an explicit geometric description; its general fiber is a Zariski open subset of an abelian variety, quotient of a hyperelliptic Jacobian by a 2-torsion subgroup. For n = 3 F is the Hitchin fibration of the moduli space of rank 2 bundles with fixed determinant on a curve of genus 2.

math.AG↗

arXiv2023

Magneto-exciton limit of quantum Hall breakdown in graphene

One of the intrinsic drift velocity limit of the quantum Hall effect is the collective magneto-exciton (ME) instability. It has been demonstrated in bilayer graphene (BLG) using noise measurements. We reproduce this experiment in monolayer graphene (MLG), and show that the same mechanism carries a direct relativistic signature on the breakdown velocity. Based on theoretical calculations of MLG- and BLG-ME spectra, we show that Doppler-induced instabilities manifest for a ME phase velocity determined by a universal value of the ME conductivity, set by the Hall conductance.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2023

High-field 1/f noise in hBN-encapsulated graphene transistors

Low-frequency 1/f noise in electronics is a conductance fluctuation, that has been expressed in terms of a mobility "$α$-noise" by Hooge and Kleinpenning. Understanding this noise in graphene is a key towards high-performance electronics. Early investigations in diffusive graphene have pointed out a deviation from the standard Hooge formula, with a modified expression where the free-carrier density is substituted by a constant density $n_Δ\sim10^{12}\;\mathrm{cm^{-2}}$. We investigate hBN-encapsulated graphene transistors where high mobility gives rise to the non-linear velocity-saturation regime. In this regime, the $α$-noise is accounted for by substituting conductance by differential conductance $G$, ressulting in a bell-shape dependence of flicker noise with bias voltage $V$. The same analysis holds at larger bias in the Zener regime, with two main differences: the first one is a strong enhancement of the Hooge parameter reflecting the hundred-times larger coupling of interband excitations to the hyperbolic phonon-polariton (HPhP) modes of the mid-infrared Reststrahlen (RS) bands of hBN. The second is an exponential suppression of this coupling at large fields, which we attribute to decoherence effects. We also show that the HPhP bands control the amplitude of flicker noise according to the graphene-hBN thermal coupling estimated with microwave noise thermometry. The phenomenology of $α$-noise in graphene supports a quantum-coherent bremsstrahlung interpretation of flicker noise.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2023

Mesoscopic Klein-Schwinger effect in graphene

Strong electric field annihilation by particle-antiparticle pair creation, also known as the Schwinger effect, is a non-perturbative prediction of quantum electrodynamics. Its experimental demonstration remains elusive, as threshold electric fields are extremely strong and beyond current reach. Here, we propose a mesoscopic variant of the Schwinger effect in graphene, which hosts Dirac fermions with an approximate electron-hole symmetry. Using transport measurements, we report on universal 1d-Schwinger conductance at the pinchoff of ballistic graphene transistors. Strong pinchoff electric fields are concentrated within approximately 1 $μ$m of the transistor's drain, and induce Schwinger electron-hole pair creation at saturation. This effect precedes a collective instability toward an ohmic Zener regime, which is rejected at twice the pinchoff voltage in long devices. These observations advance our understanding of current saturation limits in ballistic graphene and provide a direction for further quantum electrodynamic experiments in the laboratory.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2022

Dielectric permittivity, conductivity and breakdown field of hexagonal boron nitride

In view of the extensive use of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) in 2D material electronics, it becomes important to refine its dielectric characterization in terms of low-field permittivity and high-field strength and conductivity up to the breakdown voltage. The present study aims at filling this gap using DC and RF transport in two Au-hBN-Au capacitor series of variable thickness in the 10--100 nm range, made of large high-pressure, high-temperature (HPHT) crystals and a polymer derivative ceramics (PDC) crystals. We deduce an out-of-plane low field dielectric constant $ε_\parallel=3.4\pm0.2$ consistent with the theoretical prediction of Ohba et al., that narrows down the generally accepted window $ε_\parallel=3$--$4$. The DC-current leakage at high-field is found to obey the Frenkel-Pool law for thermally-activated trap-assisted electron transport with a dynamic dielectric constant $ε_\parallel\simeq3.1$ and a trap energy $Φ_B\simeq1.3\;\mathrm{eV}$, that is comparable with standard technologically relevant dielectrics.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2019

Hyperbolic Phonon Polariton Electroluminescence as an Electronic Cooling Pathway

Engineering of cooling mechanism is of primary importance for the development of nanoelectronics. Whereas radiation cooling is rather inefficient in nowadays electronic devices, the strong anisotropy of 2D materials allows for enhanced efficiency because their hyperbolic electromagnetic dispersion near phonon resonances allows them to sustain much larger ($\sim 10^5$) number of radiating channels. In this review, we address radiation cooling in 2D materials, specifically graphene hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) heterostructures. We present the hyperbolic dispersion of electromagnetic waves due to anisotropy, and describe how the spontaneous fluctuations of current in a 2D electronic channel can radiate thermal energy in its hyperbolic surrounding medium. We show that both the regime of (i) thermal current fluctuations and (ii) out-of-equilibrium current fluctuations can be described within the framework of transmission line theory leading to (i) superPlanckian thermal emission and (ii) electroluminescent cooling. We discuss a recent experimental investigation on graphene-on-hBN transistors using electronic noise thermometry. In a high mobility semimetal like graphene at large bias, a steady-state out-of-equilibrium situation is caused by the constant Zener tunneling of electrons opening a route for electroluminescence of hyperbolic electromagnetic modes. Experiments reveal that, compared to superPlanckian thermal emission, electroluminescence cooling is particularly prominent once the Zener tunneling regime is reached: observed cooling powers are nine orders of magnitude larger than in conventional LEDs.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2018

Onset of optical-phonon cooling in multilayer graphene revealed by RF noise and black-body radiation thermometries

We report on electron cooling power measurements in few-layer graphene excited by Joule heating by means of a new setup combining electrical and optical probes of the electron and phonon baths temperatures. At low bias, noise thermometry allows us to retrieve the well known acoustic phonon cooling regimes below and above the Bloch Grüneisen temperature, with additional control over the phonon bath temperature. At high electrical bias, we show the relevance of direct optical investigation of the electronic temperature by means of black-body radiation measurements that provide higher accuracy than noise thermometry. In this regime, the onset of new efficient relaxation pathways involving optical modes is observed

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2018

A graphene Zener-Klein transistor cooled by a hyperbolic substrate

Engineering of cooling mechanisms is a bottleneck in nanoelectronics. Whereas thermal exchanges in diffusive graphene are mostly driven by defect assisted acoustic phonon scattering, the case of high-mobility graphene on hexagonal Boron Nitride (hBN) is radically different with a prominent contribution of remote phonons from the substrate. A bi-layer graphene on hBN transistor with local gate is driven in a regime where almost perfect current saturation is achieved by compensation of the decrease of the carrier density and Zener-Klein tunneling (ZKT) at high bias. Using noise thermometry, we show that this Zener-Klein tunneling triggers a new cooling pathway due to the emission of hyperbolic phonon polaritons (HPP) in hBN by out-of-equilibrium electron-hole pairs beyond the super-Planckian regime. The combination of ZKT-transport and HPP-cooling promotes graphene on BN transistors as a valuable nanotechnology for power devices and RF electronics.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2018

Single photon emission from graphene quantum dots at room temperature

In the field of condensed matter, graphene plays a central role as an emerging material for nanoelectronics. Nevertheless, graphene is a semimetal, which constitutes a severe limitation for some future applications. Therefore, a lot of efforts are being made to develop semiconductor materials whose structure is compatible with the graphene lattice. In this perspective, little pieces of graphene represent a promising alternative. In particular, their electronic, optical and spin properties can be in principle controlled by designing their size, shape and edges. As an example, graphene nanoribbons with zigzag edges have localized spin polarized states. Likewise, singlet-triplet energy splitting can be chosen by designing the structure of graphene quantum dots. Moreover, bottom-up molecular synthesis put these potentialities at our fingertips. Here, we report on a single emitter study that directly addresses the intrinsic properties of a single graphene quantum dot. In particular, we show that graphene quantum dots emit single photons at room temperature with a high purity, a high brightness and a good photostability. These results pave the way to the development of new quantum systems based on these nanoscale pieces of graphene.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2017

Optical properties of an ensemble of G-centers in silicon

We addressed the carrier dynamics in so-called G-centers in silicon (consisting of substitutional-interstitial carbon pairs interacting with interstitial silicons) obtained via ion implantation into a silicon-on-insulator wafer. For this point defect in silicon emitting in the telecommunication wavelength range, we unravel the recombination dynamics by time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy. More specifically, we performed detailed photoluminescence experiments as a function of excitation energy, incident power, irradiation fluence and temperature in order to study the impact of radiative and non-radiative recombination channels on the spectrum, yield and lifetime of G-centers. The sharp line emitting at 969 meV ($\sim$1280 nm) and the broad asymmetric sideband developing at lower energy share the same recombination dynamics as shown by time-resolved experiments performed selectively on each spectral component. This feature accounts for the common origin of the two emission bands which are unambiguously attributed to the zero-phonon line and to the corresponding phonon sideband. In the framework of the Huang-Rhys theory with non-perturbative calculations, we reach an estimation of 1.6$\pm$0.1 $\angstrom$ for the spatial extension of the electronic wave function in the G-center. The radiative recombination time measured at low temperature lies in the 6 ns-range. The estimation of both radiative and non-radiative recombination rates as a function of temperature further demonstrate a constant radiative lifetime. Finally, although G-centers are shallow levels in silicon, we find a value of the Debye-Waller factor comparable to deep levels in wide-bandgap materials. Our results point out the potential of G-centers as a solid-state light source to be integrated into opto-electronic devices within a common silicon platform.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2015

Strong reduction of exciton-phonon coupling in high crystalline quality single-wall carbon nanotubes: a new insight into broadening mechanisms and exciton localization

Carbon nanotubes are quantum sources whose emission can be tuned at telecommunication wavelengths by choosing the diameter appropriately. Most applications require the smallest possible linewidth. Therefore, the study of the underlying dephasing mechanisms is of utmost interest. Here, we report on the low-temperature photoluminescence of high crystalline quality individual single-wall carbon nanotubes synthesized by laser ablation (L-SWNTs) and emitting at telecommunication wavelengths. A thorough statistical analysis of their emission spectra reveals a typical linewidth one order of magnitude narrower than that of most samples reported in the literature. The narrowing of the PL line of L-SWNTs is due to a weaker effective exciton-phonon coupling subsequent to a weaker localization of the exciton. These results suggest that exciton localization in SWNTs not only arises from interfacial effects, but that the intrinsic crystalline quality of the SWNT plays an important role.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2013

Pseudo-effective classes and pushforwards

Given a morphism between complex projective varieties, we make several conjectures on the relations between the set of pseudo-effective (co)homology classes which are annihilated by pushforward and the set of classes of varieties contracted by the morphism. We prove these conjectures for classes of curves or divisors. We also prove that one of these conjectures implies Grothendieck's generalized Hodge conjecture for varieties with Hodge coniveau at least 1.

math.AG↗

arXiv2012

Hot electron cooling by acoustic phonons in graphene

We have investigated the energy loss of hot electrons in metallic graphene by means of GHz noise thermometry at liquid helium temperature. We observe the electronic temperature T / V at low bias in agreement with the heat diffusion to the leads described by the Wiedemann-Franz law. We report on $T\propto\sqrt{V}$ behavior at high bias, which corresponds to a T4 dependence of the cooling power. This is the signature of a 2D acoustic phonon cooling mechanism. From a heat equation analysis of the two regimes we extract accurate values of the electron-acoustic phonon coupling constant $Σ$ in monolayer graphene. Our measurements point to an important effect of lattice disorder in the reduction of $Σ$, not yet considered by theory. Moreover, our study provides a strong and firm support to the rising field of graphene bolometric detectors.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2007

Excitation transfer and luminescence in porphyrin-carbon nanotube complexes

Functionalization of carbon nanotubes with hydrosoluble porphyrins (TPPS) is achieved by "$π$-stacking". The porphyrin/nanotube interaction is studied by means of optical absorption, photoluminescence and photoluminescence excitation spectroscopies. The main absorption line of the porphyrins adsorbed on nanotubes exhibits a 120 meV red shift, which we ascribe to a flattening of the molecule in order to optimize $π-π$ interactions. The porphyrin-nanotube complex shows a strong quenching of the TPPS emission while the photoluminescence intensity of the nanotubes is enhanced when the excitation laser is in resonance with the porphyrin absorption band. This reveals an efficient excitation transfer from the TPPS to the carbon nanotube.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2007

On the Chow ring of certain algebraic hyper-Kähler manifolds

We study a generalization of a conjecture made by Beauville on the Chow ring of hyper-Kähler algebraic varieties. Namely we prove in a number of cases that polynomial cohomological relations involving only CH^1(X) and the Chern classes of X are satisfied in CH(X). These cases are : punctual Hilbert schemes of a K3 surface S parameterizing subschemes of length n, for n<2b_2(S)_tr+5; Fano varieties of lines in a cubic fourfold.

math.AG↗

arXiv2007

Temperature dependence of exciton recombination in semiconducting single-wall carbon nanotubes

We study the excitonic recombination dynamics in an ensemble of (9,4) semiconducting single-wall carbon nanotubes by high sensitivity time-resolved photo-luminescence experiments. Measurements from cryogenic to room temperature allow us to identify two main contributions to the recombination dynamics. The initial fast decay is temperature independent and is attributed to the presence of small residual bundles that create external non-radiative relaxation channels. The slow component shows a strong temperature dependence and is dominated by non-radiative processes down to 40 K. We propose a quantitative phenomenological modeling of the variations of the integrated photoluminescence intensity over the whole temperature range. We show that the luminescence properties of carbon nanotubes at room temperature are not affected by the dark/bright excitonic state coupling.

cond-mat.other↗