@phdthesis{12366, abstract = {Recent substantial advances in the feld of superconducting circuits have shown its potential as a leading platform for future quantum computing. In contrast to classical computers based on bits that are represented by a single binary value, 0 or 1, quantum bits (or qubits) can be in a superposition of both. Thus, quantum computers can store and handle more information at the same time and a quantum advantage has already been demonstrated for two types of computational tasks. Rapid progress in academic and industry labs accelerates the development of superconducting processors which may soon fnd applications in complex computations, chemical simulations, cryptography, and optimization. Now that these machines are scaled up to tackle such problems the questions of qubit interconnects and networks becomes very relevant. How to route signals on-chip between diferent processor components? What is the most efcient way to entangle qubits? And how to then send and process entangled signals between distant cryostats hosting superconducting processors? In this thesis, we are looking for solutions to these problems by studying the collective behavior of superconducting qubit ensembles. We frst demonstrate on-demand tunable directional scattering of microwave photons from a pair of qubits in a waveguide. Such a device can route microwave photons on-chip with a high diode efciency. Then we focus on studying ultra-strong coupling regimes between light (microwave photons) and matter (superconducting qubits), a regime that could be promising for extremely fast multi-qubit entanglement generation. Finally, we show coherent pulse storage and periodic revivals in a fve qubit ensemble strongly coupled to a resonator. Such a reconfgurable storage device could be used as part of a quantum repeater that is needed for longer-distance quantum communication. The achieved high degree of control over multi-qubit ensembles highlights not only the beautiful physics of circuit quantum electrodynamics, it also represents the frst step toward new quantum simulation and communication methods, and certain techniques may also fnd applications in future superconducting quantum computing hardware. }, author = {Redchenko, Elena}, isbn = {978-3-99078-024-4}, issn = {2663-337X}, pages = {168}, publisher = {Institute of Science and Technology Austria}, title = {{Controllable states of superconducting Qubit ensembles}}, doi = {10.15479/at:ista:12132}, year = {2022}, } @phdthesis{12368, abstract = {Metazoan development relies on the formation and remodeling of cell-cell contacts. The binding of adhesion receptors and remodeling of the actomyosin cell cortex at cell-cell interaction sites have been implicated in cell-cell contact formation. Yet, how these two processes functionally interact to drive cell-cell contact expansion and strengthening remains unclear. Here, we study how primary germ layer progenitor cells from zebrafish bind to supported lipid bilayers (SLB) functionalized with E-cadherin ectodomains as an assay system for monitoring cell-cell contact formation at high spatiotemporal resolution. We show that cell-cell contact formation represents a two-tiered process: E-cadherinmediated downregulation of the small GTPase RhoA at the forming contact leads to both depletion of Myosin-2 and decrease of F-actin. This is followed by centrifugal actin network flows at the contact triggered by a sharp gradient of Myosin-2 at the rim of the contact zone, with Myosin-2 displaying higher cortical localization outside than inside of the contact. These centrifugal cortical actin flows, in turn, not only further dilute the actin network at the contact disc, but also lead to an accumulation of both F-actin and Ecadherin at the contact rim. Eventually, this combination of actomyosin downregulation and flows at the contact contribute to the characteristic molecular organization implicated in contact formation and maintenance: depletion of cortical actomyosin at the contact disc, driving contact expansion by lowering interfacial tension at the contact, and accumulation of both E-cadherin and F-actin at the contact rim, mechanically linking the contractile cortices of the adhering cells. Thus, using a biomimetic assay, we exemplify how adhesion signaling and cell mechanics function together to modulate the spatial organization of cell-cell contacts.}, author = {Arslan, Feyza N}, isbn = { 978-3-99078-025-1 }, issn = {2663-337X}, pages = {113}, publisher = {Institute of Science and Technology Austria}, title = {{Remodeling of E-cadherin-mediated contacts via cortical flows}}, doi = {10.15479/at:ista:12153}, year = {2022}, } @article{8909, abstract = {Spin qubits are considered to be among the most promising candidates for building a quantum processor. Group IV hole spin qubits have moved into the focus of interest due to the ease of operation and compatibility with Si technology. In addition, Ge offers the option for monolithic superconductor-semiconductor integration. Here we demonstrate a hole spin qubit operating at fields below 10 mT, the critical field of Al, by exploiting the large out-of-plane hole g-factors in planar Ge and by encoding the qubit into the singlet-triplet states of a double quantum dot. We observe electrically controlled X and Z-rotations with tunable frequencies exceeding 100 MHz and dephasing times of 1μs which we extend beyond 15μs with echo techniques. These results show that Ge hole singlet triplet qubits outperform their electronic Si and GaAs based counterparts in speed and coherence, respectively. In addition, they are on par with Ge single spin qubits, but can be operated at much lower fields underlining their potential for on chip integration with superconducting technologies.}, author = {Jirovec, Daniel and Hofmann, Andrea C and Ballabio, Andrea and Mutter, Philipp M. and Tavani, Giulio and Botifoll, Marc and Crippa, Alessandro and Kukucka, Josip and Sagi, Oliver and Martins, Frederico and Saez Mollejo, Jaime and Prieto Gonzalez, Ivan and Borovkov, Maksim and Arbiol, Jordi and Chrastina, Daniel and Isella, Giovanni and Katsaros, Georgios}, issn = {1476-4660}, journal = {Nature Materials}, number = {8}, pages = {1106–1112}, publisher = {Springer Nature}, title = {{A singlet triplet hole spin qubit in planar Ge}}, doi = {10.1038/s41563-021-01022-2}, volume = {20}, year = {2021}, } @article{8910, abstract = {A semiconducting nanowire fully wrapped by a superconducting shell has been proposed as a platform for obtaining Majorana modes at small magnetic fields. In this study, we demonstrate that the appearance of subgap states in such structures is actually governed by the junction region in tunneling spectroscopy measurements and not the full-shell nanowire itself. Short tunneling regions never show subgap states, whereas longer junctions always do. This can be understood in terms of quantum dots forming in the junction and hosting Andreev levels in the Yu-Shiba-Rusinov regime. The intricate magnetic field dependence of the Andreev levels, through both the Zeeman and Little-Parks effects, may result in robust zero-bias peaks—features that could be easily misinterpreted as originating from Majorana zero modes but are unrelated to topological superconductivity.}, author = {Valentini, Marco and Peñaranda, Fernando and Hofmann, Andrea C and Brauns, Matthias and Hauschild, Robert and Krogstrup, Peter and San-Jose, Pablo and Prada, Elsa and Aguado, Ramón and Katsaros, Georgios}, issn = {10959203}, journal = {Science}, number = {6550}, publisher = {American Association for the Advancement of Science}, title = {{Nontopological zero-bias peaks in full-shell nanowires induced by flux-tunable Andreev states}}, doi = {10.1126/science.abf1513}, volume = {373}, year = {2021}, } @misc{9389, abstract = {This .zip File contains the transport data for "Non-topological zero bias peaks in full-shell nanowires induced by flux tunable Andreev states" by M. Valentini, et. al. The measurements were done using Labber Software and the data is stored in the hdf5 file format. Instructions of how to read the data are in "Notebook_Valentini.pdf".}, author = {Valentini, Marco}, publisher = {Institute of Science and Technology Austria}, title = {{Research data for "Non-topological zero bias peaks in full-shell nanowires induced by flux tunable Andreev states"}}, doi = {10.15479/AT:ISTA:9389}, year = {2021}, } @phdthesis{9623, abstract = {Cytoplasmic reorganizations are essential for morphogenesis. In large cells like oocytes, these reorganizations become crucial in patterning the oocyte for later stages of embryonic development. Ascidians oocytes reorganize their cytoplasm (ooplasm) in a spectacular manner. Ooplasmic reorganization is initiated at fertilization with the contraction of the actomyosin cortex along the animal-vegetal axis of the oocyte, driving the accumulation of cortical endoplasmic reticulum (cER), maternal mRNAs associated to it and a mitochondria-rich subcortical layer – the myoplasm – in a region of the vegetal pole termed contraction pole (CP). Here we have used the species Phallusia mammillata to investigate the changes in cell shape that accompany these reorganizations and the mechanochemical mechanisms underlining CP formation. We report that the length of the animal-vegetal (AV) axis oscillates upon fertilization: it first undergoes a cycle of fast elongation-lengthening followed by a slow expansion of mainly the vegetal pole (VP) of the cell. We show that the fast oscillation corresponds to a dynamic polarization of the actin cortex as a result of a fertilization-induced increase in cortical tension in the oocyte that triggers a rupture of the cortex at the animal pole and the establishment of vegetal-directed cortical flows. These flows are responsible for the vegetal accumulation of actin causing the VP to flatten. We find that the slow expansion of the VP, leading to CP formation, correlates with a relaxation of the vegetal cortex and that the myoplasm plays a role in the expansion. We show that the myoplasm is a solid-like layer that buckles under compression forces arising from the contracting actin cortex at the VP. Straightening of the myoplasm when actin flows stops, facilitates the expansion of the VP and the CP. Altogether, our results present a previously unrecognized role for the myoplasm in ascidian ooplasmic segregation. }, author = {Caballero Mancebo, Silvia}, isbn = {978-3-99078-012-1}, issn = {2663-337X}, pages = {111}, publisher = {Institute of Science and Technology Austria}, title = {{Fertilization-induced deformations are controlled by the actin cortex and a mitochondria-rich subcortical layer in ascidian oocytes}}, doi = {10.15479/at:ista:9623}, year = {2021}, } @unpublished{10029, abstract = {Superconductor-semiconductor hybrids are platforms for realizing effective p-wave superconductivity. Spin-orbit coupling, combined with the proximity effect, causes the two-dimensional semiconductor to inherit p±ip intraband pairing, and application of magnetic field can then result in transitions to the normal state, partial Bogoliubov Fermi surfaces, or topological phases with Majorana modes. Experimentally probing the hybrid superconductor-semiconductor interface is challenging due to the shunting effect of the conventional superconductor. Consequently, the nature of induced pairing remains an open question. Here, we use the circuit quantum electrodynamics architecture to probe induced superconductivity in a two dimensional Al-InAs hybrid system. We observe a strong suppression of superfluid density and enhanced dissipation driven by magnetic field, which cannot be accounted for by the depairing theory of an s-wave superconductor. These observations are explained by a picture of independent intraband p±ip superconductors giving way to partial Bogoliubov Fermi surfaces, and allow for the first characterization of key properties of the hybrid superconducting system.}, author = {Phan, Duc T and Senior, Jorden L and Ghazaryan, Areg and Hatefipour, M. and Strickland, W. M. and Shabani, J. and Serbyn, Maksym and Higginbotham, Andrew P}, booktitle = {arXiv}, title = {{Breakdown of induced p±ip pairing in a superconductor-semiconductor hybrid}}, year = {2021}, } @phdthesis{10030, abstract = {This PhD thesis is primarily focused on the study of discrete transport problems, introduced for the first time in the seminal works of Maas [Maa11] and Mielke [Mie11] on finite state Markov chains and reaction-diffusion equations, respectively. More in detail, my research focuses on the study of transport costs on graphs, in particular the convergence and the stability of such problems in the discrete-to-continuum limit. This thesis also includes some results concerning non-commutative optimal transport. The first chapter of this thesis consists of a general introduction to the optimal transport problems, both in the discrete, the continuous, and the non-commutative setting. Chapters 2 and 3 present the content of two works, obtained in collaboration with Peter Gladbach, Eva Kopfer, and Jan Maas, where we have been able to show the convergence of discrete transport costs on periodic graphs to suitable continuous ones, which can be described by means of a homogenisation result. We first focus on the particular case of quadratic costs on the real line and then extending the result to more general costs in arbitrary dimension. Our results are the first complete characterisation of limits of transport costs on periodic graphs in arbitrary dimension which do not rely on any additional symmetry. In Chapter 4 we turn our attention to one of the intriguing connection between evolution equations and optimal transport, represented by the theory of gradient flows. We show that discrete gradient flow structures associated to a finite volume approximation of a certain class of diffusive equations (Fokker–Planck) is stable in the limit of vanishing meshes, reproving the convergence of the scheme via the method of evolutionary Γ-convergence and exploiting a more variational point of view on the problem. This is based on a collaboration with Dominik Forkert and Jan Maas. Chapter 5 represents a change of perspective, moving away from the discrete world and reaching the non-commutative one. As in the discrete case, we discuss how classical tools coming from the commutative optimal transport can be translated into the setting of density matrices. In particular, in this final chapter we present a non-commutative version of the Schrödinger problem (or entropic regularised optimal transport problem) and discuss existence and characterisation of minimisers, a duality result, and present a non-commutative version of the well-known Sinkhorn algorithm to compute the above mentioned optimisers. This is based on a joint work with Dario Feliciangeli and Augusto Gerolin. Finally, Appendix A and B contain some additional material and discussions, with particular attention to Harnack inequalities and the regularity of flows on discrete spaces.}, author = {Portinale, Lorenzo}, issn = {2663-337X}, publisher = {Institute of Science and Technology Austria}, title = {{Discrete-to-continuum limits of transport problems and gradient flows in the space of measures}}, doi = {10.15479/at:ista:10030}, year = {2021}, } @phdthesis{10058, abstract = {Quantum information and computation has become a vast field paved with opportunities for researchers and investors. As large multinational companies and international funds are heavily investing in quantum technologies it is still a question which platform is best suited for the task of realizing a scalable quantum processor. In this work we investigate hole spins in Ge quantum wells. These hold great promise as they possess several favorable properties: a small effective mass, a strong spin-orbit coupling, long relaxation time and an inherent immunity to hyperfine noise. All these characteristics helped Ge hole spin qubits to evolve from a single qubit to a fully entangled four qubit processor in only 3 years. Here, we investigated a qubit approach leveraging the large out-of-plane g-factors of heavy hole states in Ge quantum dots. We found this qubit to be reproducibly operable at extremely low magnetic field and at large speeds while maintaining coherence. This was possible because large differences of g-factors in adjacent dots can be achieved in the out-of-plane direction. In the in-plane direction the small g-factors, on the other hand, can be altered very effectively by the confinement potentials. Here, we found that this can even lead to a sign change of the g-factors. The resulting g-factor difference alters the dynamics of the system drastically and produces effects typically attributed to a spin-orbit induced spin-flip term. The investigations carried out in this thesis give further insights into the possibilities of holes in Ge and reveal new physical properties that need to be considered when designing future spin qubit experiments.}, author = {Jirovec, Daniel}, issn = {2663-337X}, keywords = {qubits, quantum computing, holes}, pages = {151}, publisher = {Institute of Science and Technology Austria}, title = {{Singlet-Triplet qubits and spin-orbit interaction in 2-dimensional Ge hole gases}}, doi = {10.15479/at:ista:10058}, year = {2021}, } @unpublished{10066, abstract = {The potential of Si and SiGe-based devices for the scaling of quantum circuits is tainted by device variability. Each device needs to be tuned to operation conditions. We give a key step towards tackling this variability with an algorithm that, without modification, is capable of tuning a 4-gate Si FinFET, a 5-gate GeSi nanowire and a 7-gate SiGe heterostructure double quantum dot device from scratch. We achieve tuning times of 30, 10, and 92 minutes, respectively. The algorithm also provides insight into the parameter space landscape for each of these devices. These results show that overarching solutions for the tuning of quantum devices are enabled by machine learning.}, author = {Severin, B. and Lennon, D. T. and Camenzind, L. C. and Vigneau, F. and Fedele, F. and Jirovec, Daniel and Ballabio, A. and Chrastina, D. and Isella, G. and Kruijf, M. de and Carballido, M. J. and Svab, S. and Kuhlmann, A. V. and Braakman, F. R. and Geyer, S. and Froning, F. N. M. and Moon, H. and Osborne, M. A. and Sejdinovic, D. and Katsaros, Georgios and Zumbühl, D. M. and Briggs, G. A. D. and Ares, N.}, booktitle = {arXiv}, title = {{Cross-architecture tuning of silicon and SiGe-based quantum devices using machine learning}}, doi = {10.48550/arXiv.2107.12975}, year = {2021}, } @article{10123, abstract = {Solution synthesis of particles emerged as an alternative to prepare thermoelectric materials with less demanding processing conditions than conventional solid-state synthetic methods. However, solution synthesis generally involves the presence of additional molecules or ions belonging to the precursors or added to enable solubility and/or regulate nucleation and growth. These molecules or ions can end up in the particles as surface adsorbates and interfere in the material properties. This work demonstrates that ionic adsorbates, in particular Na⁺ ions, are electrostatically adsorbed in SnSe particles synthesized in water and play a crucial role not only in directing the material nano/microstructure but also in determining the transport properties of the consolidated material. In dense pellets prepared by sintering SnSe particles, Na remains within the crystal lattice as dopant, in dislocations, precipitates, and forming grain boundary complexions. These results highlight the importance of considering all the possible unintentional impurities to establish proper structure-property relationships and control material properties in solution-processed thermoelectric materials.}, author = {Liu, Yu and Calcabrini, Mariano and Yu, Yuan and Genç, Aziz and Chang, Cheng and Costanzo, Tommaso and Kleinhanns, Tobias and Lee, Seungho and Llorca, Jordi and Cojocaru‐Mirédin, Oana and Ibáñez, Maria}, issn = {1521-4095}, journal = {Advanced Materials}, keywords = {mechanical engineering, mechanics of materials, general materials science}, number = {52}, publisher = {Wiley}, title = {{The importance of surface adsorbates in solution‐processed thermoelectric materials: The case of SnSe}}, doi = {10.1002/adma.202106858}, volume = {33}, year = {2021}, } @article{10559, abstract = {Hole gases in planar germanium can have high mobilities in combination with strong spin-orbit interaction and electrically tunable g factors, and are therefore emerging as a promising platform for creating hybrid superconductor-semiconductor devices. A key challenge towards hybrid Ge-based quantum technologies is the design of high-quality interfaces and superconducting contacts that are robust against magnetic fields. In this work, by combining the assets of aluminum, which provides good contact to the Ge, and niobium, which has a significant superconducting gap, we demonstrate highly transparent low-disordered JoFETs with relatively large ICRN products that are capable of withstanding high magnetic fields. We furthermore demonstrate the ability of phase-biasing individual JoFETs, opening up an avenue to explore topological superconductivity in planar Ge. The persistence of superconductivity in the reported hybrid devices beyond 1.8 T paves the way towards integrating spin qubits and proximity-induced superconductivity on the same chip.}, author = {Aggarwal, Kushagra and Hofmann, Andrea C and Jirovec, Daniel and Prieto Gonzalez, Ivan and Sammak, Amir and Botifoll, Marc and Martí-Sánchez, Sara and Veldhorst, Menno and Arbiol, Jordi and Scappucci, Giordano and Danon, Jeroen and Katsaros, Georgios}, issn = {2643-1564}, journal = {Physical Review Research}, keywords = {general engineering}, number = {2}, publisher = {American Physical Society}, title = {{Enhancement of proximity-induced superconductivity in a planar Ge hole gas}}, doi = {10.1103/physrevresearch.3.l022005}, volume = {3}, year = {2021}, } @article{10606, abstract = {Cell division orientation is thought to result from a competition between cell geometry and polarity domains controlling the position of the mitotic spindle during mitosis. Depending on the level of cell shape anisotropy or the strength of the polarity domain, one dominates the other and determines the orientation of the spindle. Whether and how such competition is also at work to determine unequal cell division (UCD), producing daughter cells of different size, remains unclear. Here, we show that cell geometry and polarity domains cooperate, rather than compete, in positioning the cleavage plane during UCDs in early ascidian embryos. We found that the UCDs and their orientation at the ascidian third cleavage rely on the spindle tilting in an anisotropic cell shape, and cortical polarity domains exerting different effects on spindle astral microtubules. By systematically varying mitotic cell shape, we could modulate the effect of attractive and repulsive polarity domains and consequently generate predicted daughter cell size asymmetries and position. We therefore propose that the spindle position during UCD is set by the combined activities of cell geometry and polarity domains, where cell geometry modulates the effect of cortical polarity domain(s).}, author = {Godard, Benoit G and Dumollard, Remi and Heisenberg, Carl-Philipp J and Mcdougall, Alex}, issn = {2050-084X}, journal = {eLife}, publisher = {eLife Sciences Publications}, title = {{Combined effect of cell geometry and polarity domains determines the orientation of unequal division}}, doi = {10.7554/eLife.75639}, volume = {10}, year = {2021}, } @phdthesis{9920, abstract = {This work is concerned with two fascinating circuit quantum electrodynamics components, the Josephson junction and the geometric superinductor, and the interesting experiments that can be done by combining the two. The Josephson junction has revolutionized the field of superconducting circuits as a non-linear dissipation-less circuit element and is used in almost all superconducting qubit implementations since the 90s. On the other hand, the superinductor is a relatively new circuit element introduced as a key component of the fluxonium qubit in 2009. This is an inductor with characteristic impedance larger than the resistance quantum and self-resonance frequency in the GHz regime. The combination of these two elements can occur in two fundamental ways: in parallel and in series. When connected in parallel the two create the fluxonium qubit, a loop with large inductance and a rich energy spectrum reliant on quantum tunneling. On the other hand placing the two elements in series aids with the measurement of the IV curve of a single Josephson junction in a high impedance environment. In this limit theory predicts that the junction will behave as its dual element: the phase-slip junction. While the Josephson junction acts as a non-linear inductor the phase-slip junction has the behavior of a non-linear capacitance and can be used to measure new Josephson junction phenomena, namely Coulomb blockade of Cooper pairs and phase-locked Bloch oscillations. The latter experiment allows for a direct link between frequency and current which is an elusive connection in quantum metrology. This work introduces the geometric superinductor, a superconducting circuit element where the high inductance is due to the geometry rather than the material properties of the superconductor, realized from a highly miniaturized superconducting planar coil. These structures will be described and characterized as resonators and qubit inductors and progress towards the measurement of phase-locked Bloch oscillations will be presented.}, author = {Peruzzo, Matilda}, isbn = {978-3-99078-013-8}, issn = {2663-337X}, keywords = {quantum computing, superinductor, quantum metrology}, pages = {149}, publisher = {Institute of Science and Technology Austria}, title = {{Geometric superinductors and their applications in circuit quantum electrodynamics}}, doi = {10.15479/at:ista:9920}, year = {2021}, } @article{9928, abstract = {There are two elementary superconducting qubit types that derive directly from the quantum harmonic oscillator. In one, the inductor is replaced by a nonlinear Josephson junction to realize the widely used charge qubits with a compact phase variable and a discrete charge wave function. In the other, the junction is added in parallel, which gives rise to an extended phase variable, continuous wave functions, and a rich energy-level structure due to the loop topology. While the corresponding rf superconducting quantum interference device Hamiltonian was introduced as a quadratic quasi-one-dimensional potential approximation to describe the fluxonium qubit implemented with long Josephson-junction arrays, in this work we implement it directly using a linear superinductor formed by a single uninterrupted aluminum wire. We present a large variety of qubits, all stemming from the same circuit but with drastically different characteristic energy scales. This includes flux and fluxonium qubits but also the recently introduced quasicharge qubit with strongly enhanced zero-point phase fluctuations and a heavily suppressed flux dispersion. The use of a geometric inductor results in high reproducibility of the inductive energy as guaranteed by top-down lithography—a key ingredient for intrinsically protected superconducting qubits.}, author = {Peruzzo, Matilda and Hassani, Farid and Szep, Gregory and Trioni, Andrea and Redchenko, Elena and Zemlicka, Martin and Fink, Johannes M}, issn = {2691-3399}, journal = {PRX Quantum}, keywords = {quantum physics, mesoscale and nanoscale physics}, number = {4}, pages = {040341}, publisher = {American Physical Society}, title = {{Geometric superinductance qubits: Controlling phase delocalization across a single Josephson junction}}, doi = {10.1103/PRXQuantum.2.040341}, volume = {2}, year = {2021}, } @article{8203, abstract = {Using inelastic cotunneling spectroscopy we observe a zero field splitting within the spin triplet manifold of Ge hut wire quantum dots. The states with spin ±1 in the confinement direction are energetically favored by up to 55 μeV compared to the spin 0 triplet state because of the strong spin–orbit coupling. The reported effect should be observable in a broad class of strongly confined hole quantum-dot systems and might need to be considered when operating hole spin qubits.}, author = {Katsaros, Georgios and Kukucka, Josip and Vukušić, Lada and Watzinger, Hannes and Gao, Fei and Wang, Ting and Zhang, Jian-Jun and Held, Karsten}, issn = {1530-6992}, journal = {Nano Letters}, number = {7}, pages = {5201--5206}, publisher = {American Chemical Society}, title = {{Zero field splitting of heavy-hole states in quantum dots}}, doi = {10.1021/acs.nanolett.0c01466}, volume = {20}, year = {2020}, } @phdthesis{8341, abstract = {One of the most striking hallmarks of the eukaryotic cell is the presence of intracellular vesicles and organelles. Each of these membrane-enclosed compartments has a distinct composition of lipids and proteins, which is essential for accurate membrane traffic and homeostasis. Interestingly, their biochemical identities are achieved with the help of small GTPases of the Rab family, which cycle between GDP- and GTP-bound forms on the selected membrane surface. While this activity switch is well understood for an individual protein, how Rab GTPases collectively transition between states to generate decisive signal propagation in space and time is unclear. In my PhD thesis, I present in vitro reconstitution experiments with theoretical modeling to systematically study a minimal Rab5 activation network from bottom-up. We find that positive feedback based on known molecular interactions gives rise to bistable GTPase activity switching on system’s scale. Furthermore, we determine that collective transition near the critical point is intrinsically stochastic and provide evidence that the inactive Rab5 abundance on the membrane can shape the network response. Finally, we demonstrate that collective switching can spread on the lipid bilayer as a traveling activation wave, representing a possible emergent activity pattern in endosomal maturation. Together, our findings reveal new insights into the self-organization properties of signaling networks away from chemical equilibrium. Our work highlights the importance of systematic characterization of biochemical systems in well-defined physiological conditions. This way, we were able to answer long-standing open questions in the field and close the gap between regulatory processes on a molecular scale and emergent responses on system’s level.}, author = {Bezeljak, Urban}, issn = {2663-337X}, pages = {215}, publisher = {Institute of Science and Technology Austria}, title = {{In vitro reconstitution of a Rab activation switch}}, doi = {10.15479/AT:ISTA:8341}, year = {2020}, } @article{8529, abstract = {Practical quantum networks require low-loss and noise-resilient optical interconnects as well as non-Gaussian resources for entanglement distillation and distributed quantum computation. The latter could be provided by superconducting circuits but existing solutions to interface the microwave and optical domains lack either scalability or efficiency, and in most cases the conversion noise is not known. In this work we utilize the unique opportunities of silicon photonics, cavity optomechanics and superconducting circuits to demonstrate a fully integrated, coherent transducer interfacing the microwave X and the telecom S bands with a total (internal) bidirectional transduction efficiency of 1.2% (135%) at millikelvin temperatures. The coupling relies solely on the radiation pressure interaction mediated by the femtometer-scale motion of two silicon nanobeams reaching a Vπ as low as 16 μV for sub-nanowatt pump powers. Without the associated optomechanical gain, we achieve a total (internal) pure conversion efficiency of up to 0.019% (1.6%), relevant for future noise-free operation on this qubit-compatible platform.}, author = {Arnold, Georg M and Wulf, Matthias and Barzanjeh, Shabir and Redchenko, Elena and Rueda Sanchez, Alfredo R and Hease, William J and Hassani, Farid and Fink, Johannes M}, issn = {2041-1723}, journal = {Nature Communications}, keywords = {General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology, General Physics and Astronomy, General Chemistry}, publisher = {Springer Nature}, title = {{Converting microwave and telecom photons with a silicon photonic nanomechanical interface}}, doi = {10.1038/s41467-020-18269-z}, volume = {11}, year = {2020}, } @article{8755, abstract = {The superconducting circuit community has recently discovered the promising potential of superinductors. These circuit elements have a characteristic impedance exceeding the resistance quantum RQ ≈ 6.45 kΩ which leads to a suppression of ground state charge fluctuations. Applications include the realization of hardware protected qubits for fault tolerant quantum computing, improved coupling to small dipole moment objects and defining a new quantum metrology standard for the ampere. In this work we refute the widespread notion that superinductors can only be implemented based on kinetic inductance, i.e. using disordered superconductors or Josephson junction arrays. We present modeling, fabrication and characterization of 104 planar aluminum coil resonators with a characteristic impedance up to 30.9 kΩ at 5.6 GHz and a capacitance down to ≤ 1 fF, with lowloss and a power handling reaching 108 intra-cavity photons. Geometric superinductors are free of uncontrolled tunneling events and offer high reproducibility, linearity and the ability to couple magnetically - properties that significantly broaden the scope of future quantum circuits. }, author = {Peruzzo, Matilda and Trioni, Andrea and Hassani, Farid and Zemlicka, Martin and Fink, Johannes M}, issn = {23317019}, journal = {Physical Review Applied}, number = {4}, publisher = {American Physical Society}, title = {{Surpassing the resistance quantum with a geometric superinductor}}, doi = {10.1103/PhysRevApplied.14.044055}, volume = {14}, year = {2020}, } @unpublished{8831, abstract = {Holes in planar Ge have high mobilities, strong spin-orbit interaction and electrically tunable g-factors, and are therefore emerging as a promising candidate for hybrid superconductorsemiconductor devices. This is further motivated by the observation of supercurrent transport in planar Ge Josephson Field effect transistors (JoFETs). A key challenge towards hybrid germanium quantum technology is the design of high quality interfaces and superconducting contacts that are robust against magnetic fields. By combining the assets of Al, which has a long superconducting coherence, and Nb, which has a significant superconducting gap, we form low-disordered JoFETs with large ICRN products that are capable of withstanding high magnetic fields. We furthermore demonstrate the ability of phase-biasing individual JoFETs opening up an avenue to explore topological superconductivity in planar Ge. The persistence of superconductivity in the reported hybrid devices beyond 1.8 T paves the way towards integrating spin qubits and proximity-induced superconductivity on the same chip.}, author = {Aggarwal, Kushagra and Hofmann, Andrea C and Jirovec, Daniel and Prieto Gonzalez, Ivan and Sammak, Amir and Botifoll, Marc and Marti-Sanchez, Sara and Veldhorst, Menno and Arbiol, Jordi and Scappucci, Giordano and Katsaros, Georgios}, booktitle = {arXiv}, title = {{Enhancement of proximity induced superconductivity in planar Germanium}}, year = {2020}, }