Heat flux exchanged between two hot bodies at subwavelength separation distances can exceed the limit predicted by the blackbody theory. However, this super-Planckian transfer is restricted to these separation distances. Here we demonstrate the possible existence of a super-Planckian transfer at arbitrary large separation distances if the interacting bodies are connected in the near field with weakly dissipating hyperbolic waveguides. This result opens the way to long-distance transport of near-field thermal energy.

Morphological transformations of living cells, such as shape adaptation to external stimuli, blebbing, invagination, or tethering, result from an intricate interplay between the plasma membrane and its underlying cytoskeleton, where molecular motors generate forces. Cellular complexity defies a clear identification of the competing processes that lead to such a rich phenomenology. In a synthetic biology approach, designing a cell-like model assembled from a minimal set of purified building blocks would allow the control of all relevant parameters. We reconstruct actomyosin vesicles in which the coupling of the cytoskeleton to the membrane, the topology of the cytoskeletal network, and the contractile activity can all be precisely controlled and tuned. We demonstrate that tension generation of an encapsulated active actomyosin network suffices for global shape transformation of cell-sized lipid vesicles, which are reminiscent of morphological adaptations in living cells. The observed polymorphism of our cell-like model, such as blebbing, tether extrusion, or faceted shapes, can be qualitatively explained by the protein concentration dependencies and a force balance, taking into account the membrane tension, the density of anchoring points between the membrane and the actin network, and the forces exerted by molecular motors in the actin network. The identification of the physical mechanisms for shape transformations of active cytoskeletal vesicles sets a conceptual and quantitative benchmark for the further exploration of the adaptation mechanisms of cells.

We report on sub-terahertz photoconductivity under the magnetic field of a two dimensional topologicalinsulator based on HgTe quantum wells. We perform a detailed visualization of Landau levelsby means of photoconductivity measured at different gate voltages. This technique allows oneto determine a critical magnetic field, corresponding to topological phase transition from invertedto normal band structure, even in almost gapless samples. The comparison with realistic calculationsof Landau levels reveals a smaller role of bulk inversion asymmetry in HgTe quantum wellsthan it was assumed previously.

I will discuss our recent experiments by two-photon spectroscopy demonstrating that hBN is an indirect bandgap material. I will show that the optical properties of hBN are profoundly determined by phonon-assisted transitions involving either virtual or real excitonic states. I will present our measurements of the exciton binding energy by two-photon excitation, leading to the estimation of 6.08 eV for the single-particle bandgap in hBN. I will also discuss our experimental evidence that transverse optical phonons at the K point of the Brillouin zone assist inter-K valley scattering in hexagonal boron nitride.

I will discuss our recent studies showing that the optical response in hBN displays prominent evidence for phonon-assisted optical transitions. First of all, by two-photon spectroscopy, we have demonstrated that the intrinsic optical properties at the band edge are characteristic of an indirect bandgap material. I will further discuss our experimental evidence that transverse optical phonons at the K point of the Brillouin zone assist inter-K valley scattering in hexagonal boron nitride, thanks to the presence of a density of final electronic states coming from extended stacking faults. Finally, I will present our measurements of the vibronic spectrum in a point defect in hBN, displaying a remarkable mapping with the phonon density of states, and in particular a suppression of the phonon-assisted recombination signal at the phonon gap energy.

I will review our recent experiments revisiting the optical properties of G centers in silicon.

I will discuss our recent experiments by two-photon spectroscopy demonstrating that hBN is an indirect bandgap material. I will show that the optical properties of hBN are profoundly determined by phonon-assisted transitions involving either virtual or real excitonic states. I will present our measurements of the exciton binding energy by two-photon excitation, leading to the estimation of 6.08 eV for the single-particle bandgap in hBN. I will also show that transverse optical phonons at the K point of the Brillouin zone assist intervalley scattering, which becomes observable because stacking faults in bulk hexagonal boron nitride provide a density of final electronic states.