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Self-heating (SHE) TCAD numerical simulations have been performed, for the first time, on 30nm FDSOI MOS transistors at extremely low temperatures. The self-heating temperature rise dTmax and the thermal resistance Rth are computed as functions of the ambient temperature Ta and the dissipated electrical power (Pd), considering calibrated silicon and oxide thermal conductivities. The characteristics of the SHE temperature rise dTmax(Pd) display sub-linear behavior at sufficiently high levels of dissipated power, in line with standard FDSOI SHE experimental data. It has been observed that the SHE temperature rise dTmax can significantly exceed the ambient temperature more easily at very low temperatures. Furthermore, a detailed thermal analysis of the primary heat flows in the FDSOI device has been conducted, leading to the development of an analytical SHE model calibrated against TCAD simulation data. This SHE analytical model accurately describes the dTmax(Pd) and Rth(Ta) characteristics of an FDSOI MOS device operating at extreme low ambient temperatures. These TCAD simulations and analytical models hold great promise for predicting the SHE and electro-thermal performance of FDSOI MOS transistors against ambient temperature and dissipated power.

Operating Si quantum dot (QD) arrays requires homogeneous and ultra-dense structures with aggressive gate pitch. Such a density is necessary to separately control the QDs chemical potential (i.e. charge occupation of each QD) from the exchange interaction (i.e. tunnel barriers between each QD). We present here a novel Si quantum device integration that halves the effective gate pitch and provides full controllability in 1D FDSOI QD arrays. The major advantages of this architecture are explored through numerical simulations. Functionality of the fabricated structure is validated via 300K statistical electrical characterization, while tunnel-coupling control is demonstrated at cryogenic temperature.

In this paper, we report on simulations of an Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) RF control line for semiconductor electron spin qubits. The simulation includes both the ESR line characteristics (geometry and configuration, stack and material properties) and the electromagnetic (EM) environment at the vicinity of the qubits such as gates and interconnect network. With the accurate assessment of the magnetic and electric field distribution, we found that the EM environment of the qubits contributes significantly to the ESR line efficiency for spin control characterized by the magnetic over electric field ratio generated at the qubit location., Comment: 11 pages, 8 figures, Solid State Electronics (2022)

This paper reports the first cryogenic characterization of 28nm Fully-Depleted-SOI CMOS technology. A comprehensive study of digital/analog performances and body-biasing from room to the liquid helium temperature is presented. Despite a cryogenic operation, effectiveness of body-biasing remains unchanged and provides an excellent $V_{TH}$ controllability. Low-temperature operation enables higher drive current and a largely reduced subthreshold swing (down to 7mV/dec). FDSOI can provide a valuable approach to cryogenic low-power electronics. Applications such as classical control hardware for quantum processors are envisioned.

Extensive electrical characterization of ring oscillators (ROs) made in high-$\kappa$ metal gate 28nm Fully-Depleted Silicon-on- Insulator (FD-SOI) technology is presented for a set of temperatures between 296 and 4.3K. First, delay per stage ($\tau_P$), static current ($I_{STAT}$), and dynamic current ($I_{DYN}$) are analyzed for the case of the increase of threshold voltage ($V_{TH}$) observed at low temperature. Then, the same analysis is performed by compensating $V_{TH}$ to a constant, temperature independent value through forward body-biasing (FBB). Energy efficiency optimization is proposed for different supply voltages ($V_{DD}$) in order to find an optimal operating point combining both high RO frequencies and low power dissipation. We show that the Energy-Delay product ($EDP$) can be significantly reduced at low temperature by applying a forward body bias voltage ($V_{FBB}$). We demonstrate that outstanding performance of RO in terms of speed ($\tau_P$=37ps) and static power (7nA/stage) can be achieved at 4.3K with $V_{DD}$ reduced down to 0.325V.

In the standard MOSFET description of the drain current $I_{D}$ as a function of applied gate voltage $V_{GS}$, the subthreshold swing $SS(T)\equiv dV_{GS}/d\log I_{D}$ has a fundamental lower limit as a function of temperature $T$ given by $SS(T) = \ln10~k_BT/e$. However, recent low-temperature studies of different advanced CMOS technologies have reported $SS$(4K or lower) values that are at least an order of magnitude larger. Here, we present and analyze the saturation of $SS(T)$ in 28nm fully-depleted silicon-on-insulator (FD-SOI) devices for both n- and p-type MOSFETs of different gate oxide thicknesses and gate lengths down to 4K. Until now, the increase of interface-trap density close to the band edge as temperature decreases has been put forward to understand the saturation. Here, an original explanation of the phenomenon is presented by considering a disorder-induced tail in the density of states at the conduction (valence) band edge for the calculation of the MOS channel transport by applying Fermi-Dirac statistics. This results in a subthreshold $I_{D}\sim e^{eV_{GS}/k_BT_0}$ for $T_0=35$K with saturation value $SS(T

Primordial black holes are unique probes of cosmology, general relativity, quantum gravity and non standard particle physics. They can be considered as the ultimate particle accelerator in their last (explosive) moments since they are supposed to reach, very briefly, the Planck temperature. Upper limits on the primordial black hole number density of mass $M_{\star} = 5 10^{14}$ g, the Hawking mass (born in the big-bang terminating their life presently), is determined comparing their predicted cumulative $\gamma$-ray emission, galaxy-wise, to the one observed by the EGRET satellite, once corrected for non thermal $\gamma$-ray background emission induced by cosmic ray protons and electrons interacting with light and matter in the Milky Way. A model with free gas emissivities is used to map the Galaxy in the 100 MeV photon range, where the peak of the primordial black hole emission is expected. The best gas emissivities and additional model parameters are obtained by fitting the EGRET data and are used to derive the maximum emission of the primordial black hole of the Hawking mass, assuming that they are distributed like the dark matter in the Galactic halo. The bounds we obtain, depending on the dark matter distribution, extrapolated to the whole Universe ($\Omega_{PBH}(M_{\star}) = 2.4 10^{-10}$ to $2.6 10^{-9}$ are more stringent than the previous ones derived from extragalactic $\gamma$-ray background and antiprotons fluxes, though less model dependent and based on more robust data. These new limits have interesting consequences on the theory of the formation of small structures in the Universe, since they are the only constraint on very small scale density fluctuations left by inflation., Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures ; accepted in Astronomy and Astrophysics

The annihilation of light dark matter was recently advocated as a possible explanation of the large positron injection rate at the Galactic center deduced from observations by the SPI spectrometer aboard INTEGRAL. The modelling of internal Bremsstrahlung and in-flight annihilation radiations associated to this process drastically reduced the mass range of this light dark matter particle. We estimate critically the various energy losses and radiations involved in the propagation of the positron before its annihilation --in- flight or at rest. Using a simple model with mono-energetic positrons injected and confined to the Galactic bulge, we compute energy losses and gamma-ray radiations caused by ionization, Bremsstrahlung interactions as well as in-flight and at rest annihilation and compare these predictions to the available observations, for various injection energies. Confronting the predictions with observations by the CGRO/EGRET, CGRO/COMPTEL, INTEGRAL/SPI and INTEGRAL/IBIS/ISGRI instruments, we deduce a mass upper bound of 3 to 7.5 MeV/c^2 for the hypothetical light dark matter particle. The most restrictive limit is in agreement with the value previously found by Beacom and Yuksel and was obtained under similar assumptions, while the 7.5 MeV/c^2 value corresponds to more conservative choices and to a partially ionized propagation medium. We stress how the limit depends on the degree of ionization of the propagation medium and how its precision could be improved by a better appraisal of data uncertainties., Comment: Revision of the section dedicated to the observational interpretation. 11 pages, 8 figures, 1 table. Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. D

We consider the phenomenology of the 511 keV emission in the Galactic bulge, as recently observed by INTEGRAL, and propose a model is which the positrons are produced by gamma-ray bursts (GRB) associated with mini starbursts in the central molecular zone (CMZ). We show that the positrons can easily diffuse across the bulge on timescales of about 10^7 yr, and that their injection rate by GRBs is compatible with the observed fluxes if the mean time between two GRBs in the bulge is about 8 10^4 yr x E_GRB_51. We also explain the low disk-to-bulge emission ratio by noting that positrons from GRBs in the Galactic disk should annihilate on timescales of < 10^4 yr in the dense shell of the underlying supernova remnant, after the radiative transition, while the remnants of GRBs occurring in the hot, low-density medium produced by recurrent starbursts in the CMZ become subsonic before they can form a radiative shell, allowing the positrons to escape and fill the whole Galactic bulge. If the mean time between GRBs is smaller than 10^4 E_51 yr, INTEGRAL should be able to detect the (localized) 511 keV emission associated with one or a few GRB explosions in the disk., Comment: 6 pages, accepted for publication in A&A

The electron-positron annihilation source in the Galactic center region has recently been observed with INTEGRAL/SPI, which shows that this 511 keV source is strong and its extension is consistent with the Galactic bulge geometry. The positron production rate, estimated to more than 10$^{43}$ per second, is very high and raises a challenging question about the nature of the Galactic positron source. Commonly considered astrophysical positron injectors, namely type Ia supernovae are rare events and fall short to explain the observed positron production rate. In this paper, we study the possibility of Galactic positron production by hypernovae events, exemplified by the recently observed SN2003dh/GRB030329, an asymmetric explosion of a Wolf-Rayet star associated with a gamma-ray burst. In these kinds of events, the ejected material becomes quickly transparent to positrons, which spread out in the interstellar medium. Non radioactive processes, such as decays of heavy dark matter particles (neutralinos) predicted by most extensions of the standard model of particle physics, could also produce positrons as byproducts. However they are expected to be accompanied by a large flux of high-energy gamma-rays, which were not observed by EGRET and ground based Tcherenkov experiments. In this context we explore the possibility of direct positron production by annihilation of light dark matter particles., Comment: 8 pages, 0 figures, 35th COSPAR, accepted in July 2005 by Elsevier Science for publication in "Advances in Space Research"

The 511 keV emission from the Galactic Bulge observed by INTEGRAL/SPI could be the product of light (1-100 MeV) annihilating dark matter particles. In order to distinguish between annihilating light dark matter scenarios and more conventional astrophysical sources for the bulge emission, we propose to test the light dark matter hypothesis on the Sagittarius Dwarf Galaxy, a close-by galaxy dominated by dark matter. The predicted flux being in the SPI sensitivity range, the detection of a substantial 511 keV emission line from this galaxy would provide a strong evidence for the light dark matter hypothesis. During the two Galactic Center Deep Exposures performed in 2003, the Sagittarius Dwarf Galaxy was in the field of view of several INTEGRAL observations. In this paper we present preliminary results of the analysis of these data., Comment: 4 pages, 1 figures. To appear in the Proceedings of the 5th INTEGRAL Workshop: "The INTEGRAL Universe", February 16-20, 2004, Munich, Germany

The nature of Dark Matter remains one of the outstanding questions of modern astrophysics. The success of the Cold Dark Matter cosmological model argues strongly in favor of a major component of the dark matter being in the form of elementary particles, not yet discovered. Based on earlier theoretical considerations, a possible link between the recent SPI/INTEGRAL measurement of an intense and extended emission of 511 keV photons (positron annihilation) from the central Galaxy, and this mysterious component of the Universe, has been established advocating the existence of a light dark matter particle at variance with the neutralino, in general considered as very heavy. We show that it can explain the 511 keV emission mapped with SPI/INTEGRAL without overproducing undesirable signals like high energy gamma-rays arising from $\pi^\circ$ decays, and radio synchrotron photons emitted by high energy positrons circulating in magnetic fields. Combining the annihilation line constraint with the cosmological one (i.e. that the relic LDM energy density reaches about 23% of the density of the Universe), one can restrict the main properties of the light dark matter particle. Its mass should lie between 1 and 100 MeV, and the required annihilation cross section, velocity dependent, should be significantly larger than for weak interactions, and may be induced by the virtual production of a new light neutral spin 1 boson $U$. On astrophysical grounds, the best target to validate the LDM proposal seems to be the observation by SPI/INTEGRAL and future gamma ray telescopes of the annihilation line from the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy and the Palomar-13 globular cluster, thought to be dominated by dark matter., Comment: 7 pages, 0 figures. To appear in the Proceedings of the 5th INTEGRAL Workshop: "The INTEGRAL Universe", February 16-20, 2004, Munich, Germany

The SPI instrument has been launched on-board the INTEGRAL observatory on October 17, 2002. SPI is a spectrometer devoted to the sky observation in the 20 keV-8 MeV energy range using 19 germanium detectors. The performance of the cryogenic system is nominal and allows to cool the 19 kg of germanium down to 85 K with a comfortable margin. The energy resolution of the whole camera is 2.5 keV at 1.1 MeV. This resolution degrades with time due to particle irradiation in space. We show that the annealing process allows the recovery of the initial performance. The anticoincidence shield works as expected, with a low threshold at 75 keV, reducing the GeD background by a factor of 20. The digital front-end electronics system allows the perfect alignement in time of all the signals as well as the optimisation of the dead time (12%). We demonstrate that SPI is able to map regions as complex as the galactic plane. The obtained spectrum of the Crab nebula validates the present version of our response matrix. The 3 $\sigma$ sensitivity of the instrument at 1 MeV is 8 10$^{-7}$ph$\cdot$cm$^{-2}\cdot$s$^{-1}\cdot$keV$^{-1}$ for the continuum and 3 10$^{-5}$ph$\cdot$cm$^{-2}\cdot$s$^{-1}$ for narrow lines., Comment: 10 pages, 18 figures, accepted for publication in A&A (special INTEGRAL volume)

We present the analysis of the first observations of the Cygnus region by the SPI spectrometer onboard the Integral Gamma Ray Observatory, encompassing ${\sim}$ 600 ks of data. Three sources namely Cyg X-1, Cyg X-3 and EXO 2030+375 were clearly detected. Our data illustrate the temporal variability of Cyg X-1 in the energy range from 20 keV to 300 keV. The spectral analysis shows a remarkable stability of the Cyg X-1 spectra when averaged over one day timescale. The other goal of these observations is SPI inflight calibration and performance verification. The latest objective has been achieved as demonstrated by the results presented in this paper., Comment: 6 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in A&A (special INTEGRAL volume)

The observation of a strong and extended positron-electron line annihilation emission in the central regions of the Galaxy by INTEGRAL-SPI, consistent with the Galactic bulge geometry, without any counterpart in the gamma-ray range, neither at high energy nor in the 1809 keV $^{26}$Al decay line, is challenging. Leaving aside the geometrical question, we address the problem of the adequate positron sources, showing the potentiality of a new category of SN Ic, exemplified by SN2003dh, which is associated to a gamma-ray burst. This kind of supernova/hypernova/GRB event is interpreted as the result of a bipolar Wolf-Rayet explosion, which produces a large amount of $^{56}$Ni and ejects it at high velocity along the rotation axis. The bulk of positrons resulting from $^{56}$Co decay escapes in the surrounding medium due to the rapid thinning of the ejecta in the polar direction. We show that a rate of about 0.02 SN2003dh-like events per century in the central region of the Galaxy is sufficient to explain the positron flux detected by INTEGRAL-SPI. In order to explain this flux by SN Ia events alone, a rate of 0.5 per century is necessary, much higher than indicated by Galactic evolutionary models applied to the bulge. Further observations of late light curves of SNe Ia and SNe Ic in the bulge of spiral galaxies, together with 3D hydrodynamic calculations of anisotropic ejections of $^{56}$Ni in SN Ic/GRB events, will allow to estimate the separate contributions of SNe Ia and SNe Ic to positron injection., Comment: 7 pages, 0 figures, accepted for publication in Astrophysical Journal Letters, 2003 12 08

A substantial increase of the mean logarithmic mass $<\ln A>$ of galactic cosmic rays {\em vs} energy has been observed . We study three effects that could explain this trend i) different source spectra for protons and heavy nuclei ii) a selective nuclear destruction in flight of heavies iii) a gradient of the source number and chemical composition in the galactic disk. We take advantage of the diffusive cosmic ray propagation model developed at LAPTH to study specifically the geometrical aspects of the propagation and extend it to high energy. Using a simple modeling of the spectral knee around $10^{15}$ eV, a bump in $<\ln A>$ appears. This feature is smoother when the spectral index of protons is steeper than Fe's. We analyze the effects of the rigidity dependence of the diffusion coefficient and the scale height of the confinement halo and we show that $<\ln A>$ is most sensitive to the first parameter. Pure geometrical effects are less determining than the diffusion coefficient spectral index. Subsequently, we conclude that the physics of cosmic ray confinement is the essential cause of the heavy nuclei enrichment until $\sim 10^{15}$ eV., Comment: 26 pages, 7 PostScript figures. Astropart. Phys, accepted; misprint in fig6 corrected

We calculate the total gamma-ray line emission at ~450 keV that accompanies 7-Li and 7-Be production by cosmic-ray interactions, including the delayed line emission at 0.478 MeV from 7-Be radioactive decay. We present a new gamma-ray spectroscopic test which has the potential to give direct information on the nature of the interstellar regions into which 7-Be ions propagate and decay. Finally, we evaluate the intensity of the predicted diffuse emission from the central radian of the Galaxy., Comment: 4 pages with 5 figures. Contributed paper at the 4th INTEGRAL Workshop, 4-8 September 2000, Alicante (Spain). To be published in the ESA-SP series. Uses esapub.cls

Cluster of galaxies are the largest concentrations of visible mass in the Universe and therefore a fundamental topic of cosmology and astrophysics. Recent radio, EUV, and X-ray observations suggest that clusters contain large populations of diffuse nonthermal relativistic and/or superthermal particles. These particles may be produced by acceleration in cluster merger shocks, AGNs, and/or supernovae in cluster galaxies. Models for the nonthermal populations in clusters indicate that they should produce substantial hard X-ray and $\gamma$ luminosities. The possible role of nonthermal particles in the dynamics of clusters is one of the greatest uncertainties in their use as cosmological probes. INTEGRAL offers, for the first time, the possibility of simultaneous medium resolution imaging (~ 12 arcmin) and high resolution spectroscopy (DeltaE/E ~ 2 keV @ 1.3 MeV) with exceptional sensitivity in the hard X-ray/soft gamma-ray band. The spatial resolution will allow discrete sources, such as AGNs, to be separated from the diffuse emission of the cluster. For nearby clusters, the spatial distribution of emission can be determined and compared to models for the nonthermal particle populations and observations in other wavebands. The spectral capabilities may allow different components of the nonthermal population to be detected separately. We present simulations of INTEGRAL observations of nearby galaxy clusters that show its capability for detecting the different phenomena responsible of clusters emission., Comment: 4 pages LateX, uses esapub.cls and psfig.sty (included), 5 Postscript Figures, To appear in the Proceedings of the 4th INTEGRAL workshop, Alicante, Spain, 2000

We review the main sources of LiBeB production and show that a primary mechanism is at work in the early Galaxy involving both ejection and acceleration of He, C and O at moderate energy, which by nuclear interaction with H and He produce light isotopes. The precise measurement of the Be abundance at [Fe/H] = -3.3 and of $^6Li$ in halo stars find an explanation in this framework. Thus, the preservation of $^6Li$ in the atmosphere of metal poor stars implied, points toward the fact the Spite plateau reflects the primordial value of Li. Consequently, it can be used as a baryodensitometer., Comment: 6 pages, no figure, invited talk, to be published in World Scientific, Proceedings of the conference "Cosmic Evolution" in the honor of Jean Audouze and James W. Truran, held at the Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris, France

The $\gamma$-ray background from supernovae is calculated on the basis of the reconstructed efficiency of supernova explosions from star formation at various redshifts. The calculations presented here show how Type Ia SN rates compatible with the results of optical supernova searches give a background emission in the MeV range that can explain the extragalactic emission measured by COMPTEL and SMM. Star formation histories reaching maximum values of 0.3-0.4 M$_{\odot}$ yr$^{-1}$ Mpc$^{-3}$ at z$\sim$ 1.5 (and/or possibly keeping that value to higher z) give a $\gamma$-ray background compatible with observations while they also predict the observed supernova rates per comoving volume. The $\gamma$-ray background in the MeV range is mostly sensitive to the star formation rate at z$\sim$ 1-2, but the activity in forming stars at even higher z has an influence as well on the absolute level of the cosmic $\gamma$-ray background: the time elapsed by the SNe Ia progenitors until they explode has a broad distribution and the rates of SNe Ia at z$\sim$ 1.5-2 depend on the formation frequencies of their progenitor stars at earlier epochs. The mutual consistency of predictions of optical rates and integrated emission in the $\gamma$-ray domain place in a firm ground the Type Ia supernova identification as the astrophysical source responsible for this cosmic background, Comment: 52 pages, 15 figures, ApJ (in press)

High S/N ratio spectra have been obtained at CFHT at a spectral resolution of 100 000 for HD 84397 and two other metal poor stars. For HD 84 937, the S/N of 650 per pixel was obtained, yielding Li-6/Li-7 = 0.052 with a sigma of 0.019. The Li-6 abundance is compared with recent models of formation of light elements LiBeB. This comparison shows that Li-6 is either undepleted or only moderatly depleted in the star of interest. The depletion of Li-7 in this star is estimated to be less than 0.1 dex. The abundance of lithium on the Spite plateau accordingly can be takien as representative of the cosmological primordial lithium. See the joint paper astro-ph/9811327., Comment: 11 pages 10 figures to be published in Astronomy and Astrophysics

This article is a summary of a recently held conference on the light elements, Li, Be and B, and their relationship to cosmic-ray origin and gamma-ray astronomy. The proceedings will be published by the PASP., Comment: latex 6 pages, uses aasms4.sty To appear in the Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (PASP)

We analyse the photodisintegration of nuclei near the center of blazars, in particular PKS 0528+134. We show that this process could explain the recent observation of a high Al/Si ratio in a cloud on the line of sight of a distant quasar and we calculate the effect of this gamma irradiation on the abundance of deuterium, an isotope of the highest cosmological interest since it is sensitive to the baryon density of the universe. The process has interesting consequences and deserves to be inserted in a consistent scenario of the early evolution of the universe., Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure, 3rd INTEGRAL workshop, Taormina

We present high spectral resolution HST-GHRS observations of the white dwarf G191-B2B, and derive the interstellar D/H ratio on the line of sight. We have observed and analysed simultaneously the interstellar lines of HI, DI, NI, OI, SiII, and SiIII. We detect three absorbing clouds, and we measure an average (D/H) ratio: N(DI)_Total / N(HI)_Total = 1.12 +/- 0.08 x 10**-5, in disagreement with the value of the D/H ratio as measured toward Capella by Linsky et al. (1993, 1995). We re-analyze the GHRS data of the Capella line of sight, and confirm their estimate, as we find: (D/H)_Capella = 1.56 +/- 0.1 x 10**-5, in the Local Interstellar Cloud in which the Sun is embedded. This shows that the D/H ratio varies by at least 30% within the local interstellar medium (not to be confused with the Local Interstellar Cloud). Furthermore, the Local Interstellar Cloud is also detected toward our target G191-B2B, and we show that the D/H ratio in this component, toward G191-B2B, can be made compatible with that derived toward Capella. However, this comes at the expense of a much smaller value for the D/H ratio as averaged over the other two components, of order 0.9 x 10**-5, and in such a way that the D/H ratio, as averaged over all three components, remains at the above value, i.e. 1.12 x 10**-5. We thus conclude that, either the D/H ratio varies from cloud to cloud, and/or the D/H ratio varies within the Local Interstellar Cloud in which the Sun is embedded, although we note that our observations neither prove nor disprove this latter possibility., Comment: 20 pages, 17 figures, A&A macros; to appear in A&A