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International audience; We report an original and straightforward method for both optical and electrical characterization of vertical GaN nanowire arrays epitaxially grown on silicon through visible-infrared spectroscopic ellipsometry methods. For the initial purpose of adding new inputs to the ellipsometry model, focused ion-beam tomography experiments were conducted to extract porosity/depth profiles of these systems. To reproduce the optical free-carrier behavior in the infrared, the ellipsometric data acquired were fitted to an anisotropic Bruggeman model including Tauc-Lorentz and Drude oscillators, which enabled the determination of carrier density and in-grain mobility. The nice agreement of these results with those obtained by combining Hall effect measurements, X-ray diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy studies supported the validity of the proposed method, opening new horizons in the characterization of nanowire-based semiconducting layers.

MXenes are a young family of two-dimensional transition metal carbides, nitrides, and carbonitrides with highly controllable structure, composition, and surface chemistry to adjust for target applications. Here, we demonstrate the modifications of two-dimensional MXenes by low-energy ion implantation, leading to the incorporation of Mn ions in Ti3C2Tx (where Tx is a surface termination) thin films. Damage and structural defects caused by the implantation process are characterized at different depths by XPS on Ti 2p core-level spectra, by ToF-SIMS, and with electron energy loss spectroscopy analyses. Results show that the ion-induced alteration of the damage tolerant Ti3C2Tx layer is due to defect formation at both Ti and C sites, thereby promoting the functionalization of these sites with oxygen groups. This work contributes to the inspiring approach of tailoring 2D MXene structure and properties through doping and defect formation by low-energy ion implantation to expand their practical applications.

International audience; MXenes are a new, and growing, family of 2D materials with very promising properties for a wide variety of applications. Obtained from the etching of MAX phases, numerous properties can be targeted thanks to the chemical richness of the precursors. Herein, we highlight how etching agents govern surface chemistries of Ti 3 C 2 T x , the most widely studied MXene to date. By combining characterization tools such as X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron, Raman and electron energy loss spectroscopies, scanning and transmission electron microscopies and a surface sensitive electrochemical reaction-the hydrogen evolution reaction, HER-we clearly demonstrate that the etching agent (HF, LiF/HCl or FeF 3 /HCl) strongly modifies the nature of surface terminal groups (F, OH and/or O), oxidation sensitivity, delamination ability, nature of the inserted species, interstratification, concentration of defects and size of flakes. Beyond showing how using these different characterization tools to analyze MXenes, this work highlights that the MXene synthesis routes can influence targeted applications.

The electric-field effect control of two-dimensional electron gases (2-DEGs) has allowed nanoscale electron quantum transport to be explored in semiconductors. Structures based on transition metal oxides have electronic states that favour the emergence of novel quantum orders that are absent in conventional semiconductors and the 2-DEG formed at a LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interface—a structure in which superconductivity and spin–orbit coupling can coexist—is a promising platform to develop devices for spintronics and topological electronics. However, field-effect control of the properties of this interface at the nanoscale remains challenging. Here we show that a quantum point contact can be formed in a LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interface through electrostatic confinement of the 2-DEG using a split gate. Our device exhibits a quantized conductance due to ballistic transport in a controllable number of one-dimensional conducting channels. Under a magnetic field, the direct observation of the Zeeman splitting between spin-polarized bands allows the determination of the Lande g-factor, whose value differs strongly from that of the free electrons. Through source–drain voltage measurements, we also performed a spectroscopic investigation of the 3d energy levels inside the quantum point contact. The LaAlO3/SrTiO3 quantum point contact could potentially be used as a spectrometer to probe Majorana states in an oxide 2-DEG. A quantum point contact formed in the two-dimensional electron gas of a LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interface exhibits quantized conductance due to ballistic transport in a controllable number of one-dimensional conducting channels.

An antireflective coating presenting a continuous refractive index gradient is theoretically better than its discrete counterpart because it can give rise to a perfect broadband transparency. This kind of surface treatment can be obtained with nanostructures like moth-eye. Despite the light scattering behavior must be accounted as it can lead to a significant transmittance drop, no methods are actually available to anticipate scattering losses in such nanostructured antireflective coatings. To overcome this current limitation, we present here an original way to simulate the scattering losses in these systems and routes to optimize the transparency. This method, which was validated by a comparative study of coatings presenting refractive indices with either discrete or continuous gradient, shows that a discrete antireflective coating bilayer made by oblique angle deposition allows reaching ultra-high mean transmittance of 98.97% over the broadband [400–1800] nm. Such simple surface treatment outperforms moth-eye architectures thanks to both interference effect and small dimensions nanostructures that minimize the scattering losses as confirmed by finite-difference time domain simulations performed on reconstructed volumes obtained from electron tomography experiments.

ARXIV PAPER

One of the hallmarks of the Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless (BKT) transition in two-dimensional superconductors is the universal jump of the superfluid density that can be indirectly probed via the nonlinear exponent of the current-voltage $I\text{\ensuremath{-}}V$ characteristics. Here, we compare the experimental measurements of $I\text{\ensuremath{-}}V$ characteristics in two cases, namely NbN thin films and ${\mathrm{SrTiO}}_{3}$-based interfaces. While the former display a paradigmatic example of BKT-like nonlinear effects, the latter do not seem to justify a BKT analysis. Rather, the observed $I\text{\ensuremath{-}}V$ characteristics can be well reproduced theoretically by modeling the effect of mesoscopic inhomogeneity of the superconducting state. Our results offer an alternative perspective on the spontaneous fragmentation of the superconducting background in confined two-dimensional systems.

International audience; In this paper, we report the fabrication of porous and crystalline tin-doped indium oxide (ITO) thin films at room temperature by ion beam sputtering deposition at oblique angles using either argon or xenon ions. Deep insights into these systems are provided by coupling nanostructural (scanning and transmission electron microscopies, X-ray diffraction) and optical (spectroscopic ellipsometry, spectral reflectometry) characterizations. This original approach allows extracting important features of the films (porosity, refractive indexes, in-grain carrier densities, and mobilities) not easy to reach locally by other techniques. We propose a model decomposing the complex film’s nanostructure into two layers presenting different electro-optical properties, which are attributed to the shadowing effect, but also to the presence of growth defects and impurities due to the atomic peening. In particular, we demonstrate that ITO films deposited with Xe present a better crystallinity and larger porosity, providing superior in-grain carrier transport and offering more flexibility to design broad-band low-reflectivity surfaces. These results widen the possibilities to engineer transparent and conductive thin films at room temperature with enhanced properties, especially in the near-infrared range where oblique angle deposition allows a reduction of reflectivity even at high doping.

In this article, we show that the two-dimensional electron gas formed at the ${\mathrm{LaAlO}}_{3}/{\mathrm{SrTiO}}_{3}$ interface behaves as a Josephson junction array. In particular, it exhibits a stochastic switching of the superconducting critical current, which qualitatively follows the dynamics of the resistively and capacitively shunted Josephson junction model. The switching current distribution (SCD) has been measured as a function of temperature and back-gate voltage. At low temperatures a clear saturation of the standard deviation of the SCD is observed, possibly indicating the presence of a macroscopic quantum tunneling regime with phase diffusion. Through the gate voltage we modify the damping of the array and compare it to artificial arrays of junctions.

The synthesis of Ti3C2Tx (and Ti2CTx alike) MXenes is performed with a new etching environment (FeF3/HCl). Significant differences in terms of surface functionalization (including the insertion of iron cations between the MXene sheets), morphology, nature of impurities, water intercalation and reactivity are obtained in comparison with samples prepared by conventional HF or LiF/HCl etching methods. In particular, the new synthesis method allows modifying the reactivity of Ti3C2vs. water with improved selectivity towards the formation of TiO2 anatase nanoparticles on the MXene sheets whereas rutile TiO2 nanoparticles are favoured by the LiF/HCl method. The role of the Fen+ and Al3+ cations inherent to this synthesis process in the inhibition of the anatase to rutile transformation is shown to be a key parameter. In addition, the MXene oxidation rate in water is also increased when the material is prepared with FeF3/HCl compared to the LiF/HCl method owing to the surface modification of the MXene during the etching step. This oxidation rate can easily be tuned by adjusting the duration of immersion. This work expands the number of etching methods to form MXenes while offering new opportunities in the rationalized design of MXene@TiO2 nanocomposite structures for future applications.

International audience; The MXenes, among which Ti 3 C 2 T x is the most studied, are a large family of two-dimensional materials with proven potential in a variety of application fields (e.g., energy storage and conversion, water purification, electromagnetic interference shielding, humidity sensor, etc.). For most of these applications, the properties of MXenes depend, at least partly, on their water sorption ability and on the induced structural swelling, which is commonly considered a stepwise process, like in claylike materials. In the present study, we rather evidence the systematic coexistence of different hydrates in MXene interstratified crystals. Hydration heterogeneity and related structure disorder are described from the quantitative analysis of X-ray diffraction data. This specific methodological approach allows disentangling the complex interstratification and rationalizing the prediction of MXene electrical properties. The widespread use of this approach paves the way for a systematic and thorough determination of MXene structure, including order−disorder, and thus for grasping the influence of structural disorder (hydration heterogeneity) on a large number of MXene physical properties (e.g., optical transparency, capacitance). Deciphering this complex structural disorder is also essential in the design of new MXene-based materials for a variety of applications (supercapacitors, batteries, water treatment, etc.).

Oblique angle deposition (OAD) is a nanostructuration method widely used to tune the optical properties of thin films. The introduction of porosity controlled by the deposition angle is used to develop the architecture of each layer and stack that enable modifying and optimizing the optical properties of the constituent layers for optimal design. However, optical properties of these nanostructured layers may differ greatly from those of dense layers due to the presence of anisotropy, refractive index gradient and scattering. This work focuses on OAD layers based on a reference photonic material such as SiO2 and it aims at taking into account all these effects in the description of the optical response. For that, the nanostructure has been analyzed with a complete SEM study and key parameters like the porosity gradient profile and aspect ratio of the nanocolumns were extracted. The samples were then characterized by generalized ellipsometry to evaluate the influence of morphological anisotropy and porosity gradient on the optical response of the films. Based on this microstructural study, an original optical model is presented to fit the features of new optical properties. A reliable correspondence is observed between the optical model parameters and the microstructure characteristics like the column angle and the porosity gradient. This demonstrates that such complex microstructural parameters can be easily accessed solely from optical measurements. All the work has enabled us to develop a two-layer anti-reflective coating that already demonstrate high level of transmission.

A rather unique feature of the two-dimensional electron gas formed at the interface between the two insulators LaAlO3 and SrTiO3 is to host both gate-tunable superconductivity and strong spin-orbit coupling. In the present work, we use the disorder generated by Cr substitution of Al atoms in LaAlO3 as a tool to explore the nature of superconductivity and spin-orbit coupling in these interfaces. We analyze the transport properties of three different samples whose only relevant difference is their elastic scattering time tau(e). A reduction of the superconducting T-c is observed with Cr doping consistent with an increase of electron-electron interaction in the presence of disorder. In addition, the evolution of spin-orbit coupling with gate voltage and Cr doping evidences a Dyakonov-Perel mechanism of spin relaxation (tau(SO) proportional to tau(-1)(e)) in the presence of a Rashba-type spin-orbit interaction.

The diverse phenomena associated with the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) that occurs at oxide interfaces include, among others, exceptional carrier mobilities, magnetism and superconductivity. Although these have mostly been the focus of interest for potential future applications, they also offer an opportunity for studying more fundamental quantum many-body effects. Here, we examine the magnetic-field-driven quantum phase transition that occurs in electrostatically gated superconducting LaTiO3/SrTiO3 interfaces. Through a finite-size scaling analysis, we show that it belongs to the (2+1)D XY model universality class. The system can be described as a disordered array of superconducting puddles coupled by a 2DEG and, depending on its conductance, the observed critical behaviour is single (corresponding to the long-range phase coherence in the whole array) or double (one related to local phase coherence, the other one to the array). A phase diagram illustrating the dependence of the critical field on the 2DEG conductance is constructed, and shown to agree with theoretical proposals. Moreover, by retrieving the coherence-length critical exponent ν, we show that the quantum critical behaviour can be clean or dirty according to the Harris criterion, depending on whether the phase-coherence length is smaller or larger than the size of the puddles.

International audience; We present a method to fabricate top-gated field-effect devices in a LaAlO3/SrTiO3 two-dimensional electron gas (2-DEG). Prior to the gate deposition, the realisation of micron size conducting channels in the 2-DEG is achieved by an ion-irradiation with high-energy oxygen ions. After identifying the ion fluence as the key parameter that determines the electrical transport properties of the channels, we demonstrate the field-effect operation. At low temperature, the normal state resistance and the superconducting Tc can be tuned over a wide range by a top-gate voltage without any leakage. A superconductor-to-insulator quantum phase transition is observed for a strong depletion of the 2-DEG.

Several experiments reveal the inhomogeneous character of the superconducting state that occurs when the carrier density of the two-dimensional electron gas formed at the LaXO3/SrTiO3 (X=Al or Ti) interface is tuned above a threshold value by means of gating. Re-analyzing previous measurements, that highlight the presence of two kinds of carriers, with low and high mobility, we shall provide a description of multi-carrier magneto-transport in an inhomogeneous two-dimensional electron gas, gaining insight into the properties of the physics of the systems under investigation. We shall then show that the measured resistance, superfluid density, and tunneling spectra result from the percolative connection of superconducting "puddles" with randomly distributed critical temperatures, embedded in a weakly localizing metallic matrix. We shall also show that this scenario is consistent with the characteristics of the superconductor-to-metal transition driven by a magnetic field. A multi-carrier description of the superconducting state, within a weak-coupling BCS-like model, will be finally discussed., Comment: 12 pages 10 figures

The recent development in the fabrication of artificial oxide heterostructures opens new avenues in the field of quantum materials by enabling the manipulation of the charge, spin and orbital degrees of freedom. In this context, the discovery of two-dimensional electron gases (2-DEGs) at LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interfaces, which exhibit both superconductivity and strong Rashba spin-orbit coupling (SOC), represents a major breakthrough. Here, we report on the realisation of a field-effect LaAlO3/SrTiO3 device, whose physical properties, including superconductivity and SOC, can be tuned over a wide range by a top-gate voltage. We derive a phase diagram, which emphasises a field-effect-induced superconductor-to-insulator quantum phase transition. Magneto-transport measurements show that the Rashba coupling constant increases linearly with the interfacial electric field. Our results pave the way for the realisation of mesoscopic devices, where these two properties can be manipulated on a local scale by means of top-gates.

In LaTiO3/SrTiO3 and LaAlO3/SrTiO3 heterostructures, the bending of the SrTiO3 conduction band at the interface forms a quantum well that contains a superconducting two-dimensional electron gas (2-DEG). Its carrier density and electronic properties, such as superconductivity and Rashba spin-orbit coupling can be controlled by electrostatic gating. In this article we show that the Fermi energy lies intrinsically near the top of the quantum well. Beyond a filling threshold, electrons added by electrostatic gating escape from the well, hence limiting the possibility to reach a highly-doped regime. This leads to an irreversible doping regime where all the electronic properties of the 2-DEG, such as its resistivity and its superconducting transition temperature, saturate. The escape mechanism can be described by the simple analytical model we propose.

In LaTiO3/SrTiO3 and LaAlO3/SrTiO3 heterostructures, the bending of the SrTiO3 conduction band at the interface forms a quantum well that contains a superconducting two-dimensional electron gas (2-DEG). Its carrier density and electronic properties, such as superconductivity and Rashba spin-orbit coupling can be controlled by electrostatic gating. In this article we show that the Fermi energy lies intrinsically near the top of the quantum well. Beyond a filling threshold, electrons added by electrostatic gating escape from the well, hence limiting the possibility to reach a highly-doped regime. This leads to an irreversible doping regime where all the electronic properties of the 2-DEG, such as its resistivity and its superconducting transition temperature, saturate. The escape mechanism can be described by the simple analytical model we propose.

The 2D electron gas (2DEG) formed at the LaXO 3/ SrTiO 3( X = Al , Ti ) oxide interface appears inhomogeneous in several experiments. In particular, we discuss evidences of electron inhomogeneities provided by the phenomenology of the superconducting (SC) phase, which occurs when the carrier density is tuned above a critical value by means of gating, and of the superconductor-to-metal transition driven by gate voltage or magnetic field. The measured resistance and superfluid density result from the percolative connection of superconducting "puddles" with randomly distributed critical temperatures, embedded in a weakly localizing metallic matrix. We propose a possible intrinsic origin of the electron inhomogeneity, resulting from the strong Rashba spin–orbit coupling (RSOC) measured at these oxide interfaces.

The two-dimensional electron gas at the LaTiO3/SrTiO3 or LaAlO3/SrTiO3 oxide interfaces becomes superconducting when the carrier density is tuned by gating. The measured resistance and superfluid density reveal an inhomogeneous superconductivity resulting from percolation of filamentary structures of superconducting "puddles" with randomly distributed critical temperatures, embedded in a non-superconducting matrix. Following the evidence that superconductivity is related to the appearance of high-mobility carriers, we model intra-puddle superconductivity by a multi-band system within a weak coupling BCS scheme. The microscopic parameters, extracted by fitting the transport data with a percolative model, yield a consistent description of the dependence of the average intra-puddle critical temperature and superfluid density on the carrier density., 7 pages with 3 figures + supplemental material (4 pages and 5 figures)

Superconductivity at the LaTiO3/SrTiO3 interface is studied by low temperature and high magnetic field measurements as a function of a back-gate voltage. We show that it is intimately related to the appearance of a low density (a few 1012 cm-2) of high mobility carriers, in addition to low mobility ones always present in the system. These carriers form superconducting puddles coupled by a metallic two-dimensional electron gas, as revealed by the analysis of the phase transition driven by a perpendicular magnetic field. Two critical fields are evidenced, and a quantitative comparison with a recent theoretical model is made.

In this Letter, we show that a superconducting two-dimensional electron gas is formed at the LaTiO3/SrTiO3 interface whose transition temperature can be modulated by a back-gate voltage. The gas consists of two types of carriers: a majority of low-mobility carriers always present, and a few high-mobility ones that can be injected by electrostatic doping. The calculation of the electron spatial distribution in the confinement potential shows that the high-mobility electrons responsible for superconductivity set at the edge of the gas whose extension can be tuned by the field effect.

In this Letter, we show that a superconducting two-dimensional electron gas is formed at the LaTiO3/SrTiO3 interface whose transition temperature can be modulated by a back-gate voltage. The gas consists of two types of carriers: a majority of low-mobility carriers always present, and a few high-mobility ones that can be injected by electrostatic doping. The calculation of the electron spatial distribution in the confinement potential shows that the high-mobility electrons responsible for superconductivity set at the edge of the gas whose extension can be tuned by the field effect.

Propagation and mode coupling within relatively short (∼1–10 m) large core, nominally multimode, fibers are of interest in a number of applications. In this research, we have studied the output beam quality and mode coupling in various fibers with core diameters of 100–400 μm and lengths of 2 m. Output beam quality (M2) and mode-coupling coefficients (D) have been studied for different clad dimensions, numerical apertures, and wavelengths. The mode-coupling coefficients have been determined based on modal power diffusion considerations. The results show that D scales approximately as the inverse square of the clad dimension and inverse square root of the wavelength. Output from a 2 m length fiber of 100 μm core and 660 μm clad fiber is close to single mode (M2=1.6), while output from a 200 μm core and 745 μm clad fiber also has high beam quality.