We present a formulation of the nanoscale radiative heat transfer using concepts of mesoscopic physics. We introduce the analog of the Sharvin conductance using the quantum of thermal conductance. The formalism provides a convenient framework to analyze the physics of radiative heat transfer at the nanoscale. Finally, we propose a radiative heat transfer experiment in the regime of quantized conductance.

To bunch or to antibunch: Particles of matter can be classed as either as bosons or fermions. Their subsequent behavior in terms of their physical properties and interactions depends on which quantum statistics they obey. Photons, for instance, are bosons and tend to bunch. Electrons are fermions and tend to antibunch. Vest et al. show that surface plasmon polaritons, a hybrid excitation of light and electrons, can exhibit both kinds of behavior (see the Perspective by Faccio). By tuning the level of loss in their system, bunching and antibunching of interfering plasmons can be seen. Science , this issue p. 1373 ; see also p. 1336

We addressed the carrier dynamics in so-called G-centers in silicon (consisting of substitutional-interstitial carbon pairs interacting with interstitial silicons) obtained via ion implantation into a silicon-on-insulator wafer. We performed detailed photoluminescence experiments as a function of excitation energy, incident power, irradiation fluence, and temperature in order to study the impact of radiative and nonradiative recombination channels on the spectrum, yield, and lifetime of G-centers. In the framework of the Huang-Rhys theory with nonperturbative calculations of the acoustic phonon sidebands, we reach an estimation of $1.6\pm 0.1\AA$ for the spatial extension of the electronic wave function in the G-center. The radiative recombination time measured at low temperature lies in the 6 ns range. The estimation of both radiative and nonradiative recombination rates as a function of temperature further demonstrates a constant radiative lifetime.