We present a series of microdisk lasers realized within the same GaN-on-Si photonic platform scheme, and operating at room temperature under pulsed optical pumping over a broad spectral range extending over λ = 275 nm–470 nm. The III-nitride microdisks embed either binary GaN/AlN multiple quantum wells (MQWs) for UV operation, or ternary InGaN/GaN MQWs for violet and blue operation. This demonstrates the versatility of this nitride-on-silicon platform, and the realization on this platform of efficient active layers for lasing action over a 200 nm broad UV to visible spectral range. We probe the lasing threshold carrier density over the whole spectral range and found that it is similar whatever the emission wavelength for these Q > 1000 microdisk resonators with a constant material quality until quantum confined Stark effect takes over. The threshold is also found independent of microdisk diameters from 3 to 12 μm, with a β factor intermediate between the one of vertical cavity lasers and the one of small modal volume “thresholdless” lasers.

HgTe quantum wells possess remarkable physical properties as for instance the quantum spin Hall state and the “single-valley” analog of graphene, depending on their layer thicknesses and barrier composition. However, double HgTe quantum wells yet contain more fascinating and still unrevealed features. Here we report on the study of the quantum phase transitions in tunnel-coupled HgTe layers separated by CdTe barrier. We demonstrate that this system has a 3/2 pseudo spin degree of freedom, which features a number of particular properties associated with the spin-dependent coupling between HgTe layers. We discover a specific metal phase arising in a wide range of HgTe and CdTe layer thicknesses, in which a gapless bulk and a pair of helical edge states coexist. This phase holds some properties of bilayer graphene such as an unconventional quantum Hall effect and an electricallytunable band gap. In this “bilayer graphene” phase, electric field opens the band gap and drives thesystem into the quantum spin Hall state. Furthermore, we discover a new type of quantum phase transition arising from a mutual inversion between second electron- and hole-like subbands. This work paves the way towards novel materials based on multi-layered topological insulators.

We present theoretical investigations of pressure- and temperature-driven phase transitions in HgTequantumwells grown on a CdTe buffer. Using the eight-band k·p Hamiltonian we calculate evolution of energy-band structure at different quantum well widths with hydrostatic pressure up to 20 kbars and temperature ranging up to 300 K. In particular, we show that, in addition to temperature, tuning of hydrostatic pressure allows us to drive transitions between semimetal, band insulator, and topological insulator phases. Our realistic band-structure calculations reveal that the band inversion under hydrostatic pressure and temperature may be accompanied by nonlocal overlapping between conduction and valence bands. The pressure and temperature phase diagrams are presented.

The most life‐threatening aspect of cancer is metastasis; cancer patient mortality is mainly due to metastasis. Among all metastases, presence of brain metastasis is one with the poorest prognosis; the median survival time can be counted in months. Therefore, prevention or decreasing their incidence would be highly desired both by patients and physicians. Metastatic cells invading the brain must breach the cerebral vasculature, primarily the blood‐brain barrier. The key step in this process is the establishment of firm adhesion between the cancer cell and the cerebral endothelial layer.Using the atomic force microscope, a high‐resolution force spectrograph, our aim was to explore the connections among the cell morphology, cellular mechanics, and biological function in the process of transendothelial migration of metastatic cancer cells. By immobilization of a mela- noma cell to an atomic force microscope's cantilever, intercellular adhesion was directly mea- sured at quasi‐physiological conditions. Hereby, we present our latest results by using this melanoma‐decorated probe. Binding characteristics to a confluent layer of brain endothelial cells was directly measured by means of single‐cell force spectroscopy. Adhesion dynamics and strength were characterized, and we present data about spatial distribution of elasticity and detachment strength.These results highlight the importance of cellular mechanics in brain metastasis formation and emphasize the enormous potential toward exploration of intercellular dynamic‐related processes.