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Institution

École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne

FacilityLausanne, Switzerland
About: École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne is a facility organization based out in Lausanne, Switzerland. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Catalysis. The organization has 44041 authors who have published 98296 publications receiving 4372092 citations. The organization is also known as: EPFL & ETHL.


Papers
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Journal ArticleDOI
28 Sep 2006-Nature
TL;DR: A comprehensive set of experiments giving compelling evidence for BEC of polaritons of bosonic quasi-particles are detailed, which indicate the spontaneous onset of a macroscopic quantum phase.
Abstract: Phase transitions to quantum condensed phases—such as Bose–Einstein condensation (BEC), superfluidity, and superconductivity—have long fascinated scientists, as they bring pure quantum effects to a macroscopic scale. BEC has, for example, famously been demonstrated in dilute atom gas of rubidium atoms at temperatures below 200 nanokelvin. Much effort has been devoted to finding a solid-state system in which BEC can take place. Promising candidate systems are semiconductor microcavities, in which photons are confined and strongly coupled to electronic excitations, leading to the creation of exciton polaritons. These bosonic quasi-particles are 109 times lighter than rubidium atoms, thus theoretically permitting BEC to occur at standard cryogenic temperatures. Here we detail a comprehensive set of experiments giving compelling evidence for BEC of polaritons. Above a critical density, we observe massive occupation of the ground state developing from a polariton gas at thermal equilibrium at 19 K, an increase of temporal coherence, and the build-up of long-range spatial coherence and linear polarization, all of which indicate the spontaneous onset of a macroscopic quantum phase. Bose–Einstein condensation (BEC), a form of matter first postulated in 1924, has famously been demonstrated in dilute atomic gases at ultra-low temperatures. Much effort is now being devoted to exploring solid-state systems in which BEC can occur. In theory semiconductor microcavities, where photons are confined and coupled to electronic excitations leading to the creation of polaritons, could allow BEC at standard cryogenic temperatures. Kasprzak et al. now present experiments in which polaritons are excited in such a microcavity. Above a critical polariton density, spontaneous onset of a macroscopic quantum phase occurs, indicating a solid-state BEC. BEC should also be possible at higher temperatures if coupling of light with solid excitations is sufficiently strong. Demokritov et al. have achieved just that, BEC at room temperature in a gas of magnons, which are a type of magnetic excitation. This paper presents a comprehensive set of experiments in which polaritons are excited in a semiconductor microcavity. Above a critical density of polaritons, massive occupation of the ground state at 19 K is observed and various pieces of experimental evidence point to a spontaneous onset of a macroscopic quantum phase.

2,527 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
14 May 2008-Nature
TL;DR: Knowing how organisms retain the ability to regenerate tissue throughout adult life might help to unlock latent regenerative pathways in humans, which would change medical practice as much as the introduction of antibiotics did in the twentieth century.
Abstract: The repair of wounds is one of the most complex biological processes that occur during human life. After an injury, multiple biological pathways immediately become activated and are synchronized to respond. In human adults, the wound repair process commonly leads to a non-functioning mass of fibrotic tissue known as a scar. By contrast, early in gestation, injured fetal tissues can be completely recreated, without fibrosis, in a process resembling regeneration. Some organisms, however, retain the ability to regenerate tissue throughout adult life. Knowledge gained from studying such organisms might help to unlock latent regenerative pathways in humans, which would change medical practice as much as the introduction of antibiotics did in the twentieth century.

2,513 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, general guidelines for the development of lead-free piezoelectric ceramics are presented, ranging from atom to phase diagram, and the current development stage in lead free piezoceramics is then critically assessed.
Abstract: A large body of work has been reported in the last 5 years on the development of lead-free piezoceramics in the quest to replace lead–zirconate–titanate (PZT) as the main material for electromechanical devices such as actuators, sensors, and transducers. In specific but narrow application ranges the new materials appear adequate, but are not yet suited to replace PZT on a broader basis. In this paper, general guidelines for the development of lead-free piezoelectric ceramics are presented. Suitable chemical elements are selected first on the basis of cost and toxicity as well as ionic polarizability. Different crystal structures with these elements are then considered based on simple concepts, and a variety of phase diagrams are described with attractive morphotropic phase boundaries, yielding good piezoelectric properties. Finally, lessons from density functional theory are reviewed and used to adjust our understanding based on the simpler concepts. Equipped with these guidelines ranging from atom to phase diagram, the current development stage in lead-free piezoceramics is then critically assessed.

2,510 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a new analysis tool was developed to quantify the experimentally observed changes in morphology of portlandite, allowing the calculation of the relative surface energies of the crystal facets.

2,498 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The discussion focuses on mesoscopic solar cells, in particular, dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs), which have been developed in the laboratory and remain the focus of the investigations, and aims at identifying and providing solutions to the efficiency problems that the OPV field is still facing.
Abstract: Perhaps the largest challenge for our global society is to find ways to replace the slowly but inevitably vanishing fossil fuel supplies by renewable resources and, at the same time, avoid negative effects from the current energy system on climate, environment, and health. The quality of human life to a large degree depends upon the availability of clean energy sources. The worldwide power consumption is expected to double in the next 3 decades because of the increase in world population and the rising demand of energy in the developing countries. This implies enhanced depletion of fossil fuel reserves, leading to further aggravation of the environmental pollution. As a consequence of dwindling resources, a huge power supply gap of 14 terawatts is expected to open up by year 2050 equaling today’s entire consumption, thus threatening to create a planetary emergency of gigantic dimensions. Solar energy is expected to play a crucial role as a future energy source. The sun provides about 120 000 terawatts to ...

2,490 citations


Authors

Showing all 44420 results

NameH-indexPapersCitations
Michael Grätzel2481423303599
Ruedi Aebersold182879141881
Eliezer Masliah170982127818
Richard H. Friend1691182140032
G. A. Cowan1592353172594
Ian A. Wilson15897198221
Johan Auwerx15865395779
Menachem Elimelech15754795285
A. Artamonov1501858119791
Melody A. Swartz1481304103753
Henry J. Snaith146511123155
Kurt Wüthrich143739103253
Richard S. J. Frackowiak142309100726
Jean-Paul Kneib13880589287
Kevin J. Tracey13856182791
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Performance
Metrics
No. of papers from the Institution in previous years
YearPapers
2023234
2022704
20215,247
20205,644
20195,432
20185,094