Carrier-diffusion-limited remote optical addressing of single quantum dots

We present a scheme for remotely addressing single quantum dots (QDs) by means of near-field optical microscopy that simply makes use of the polarization of light. A structure containing self-assembled CdTe QDs is covered with a thin metal film presenting sub-wavelength holes. When the optical tip is positioned some distance away from a hole, surface plasmons in the metal coating are generated which, by turning the polarization plane of the excitation light, transfer the excitation towards a chosen hole and induce emission from the underlying dots. In addition, our procedure gives valuable insight into the diffusion of photo-excited carriers in the QD plane that can put limits to the addressing scheme.     

Hydrostatic stress dependence of the exciton–phonon coupled states in cylindrical quantum dots

We investigate theoretically the effects of compressive stress on the binding energy of an exciton in a cylindrical quantum dot (QD) using a variational procedure within the effective mass approximation. The stress was applied in the z direction and the interaction between the charge carriers (electron and hole) and confined longitudinal optical (LO) phonon modes was taken into account. Specific applications of these results are given for GaAs QDs embedded in a Ga_1-xAl_xAs semiconductor. The result shows that the binding energy and the polaronic correction increases linearly with increasing stress. Moreover, we obtain the binding energy and the polaronic contribution in the limit in which the QD turns into a quantum well.     

Non-perturbative optical response of a “fluctuating” single quantum dot

We present a model that treats the inter-band optical transitions within a non-perturbative framework which incorporates .both the coherent coupling to light and the incoherent coupling to different reservoirs. It allows us to calculate the photoluminescence line shape and also to simulate its excitation experiments on actual single dots.     

Highly efficient radiative recombination of electron–hole pairs localized at compound semiconductor quantum dots embedded in Si

We have studied the optical properties of compound semiconductor quantum dots (CSQDs) embedded in Si. Both photoluminescence and electroluminescence spectra were found to be associated with an inhomogeneously broadened band in the near-infrared. A long decay lifetime of luminescence was observed, which is in support of an indirect transition in both k- and real-space. Strong localization of electron–hole pairs was found to occur due to a deep potential well created by the built-in electric dipole at the III–V/Si interface. A Si-based light-emitting diode with GaSb-CSQDs in the active layer showed a high value of quantum efficiency. Light amplification was also observed under pulsed laser excitation.     

Energy-selective charging of type-II GaSb/GaAs quantum dots

The hole confinement in type-II self-organized GaSb/GaAs quantum dots (QDs) was investigated by combining optical excitation and time-resolved capacitance spectroscopy. The experimental results indicate energy-selective charging even for type-II QDs. With increasing excitation energy the apparent hole activation energy decreases, which is attributed to light absorption in sub-ensembles of QDs with decreasing hole localization. The large localization energy of about 450 meV and the possibility of optical-multiplexing makes type-II GaSb/GaAs QDs a potential material system for QD memory concepts.     

Enhanced photoluminescence of InGaAs quantum dots induced by nanoprobe indentation

We have found in the nanoprobe-photoluminescnece (PL) measurement that the PL from InGaAs quantum dots was enhanced remarkably by small elastic indentation of the nanoprobe onto the sample surface. In order to clarify the mechanism of the PL enhancement, the nanoprobe-induced strain distribution and the energy-band profiles in the bulk GaAs have been calculated on the bases of linear continuum elastic theory and six-band strain Hamiltonian. It was found that the nm-scale strain modulation by the nanoprobe indentation results in the confinement potential for light holes 50–70 nm beneath the nanoprobe, revealing that the hole accumulation into the minimum causes the PL enhancement.     

GaN quantum dots by molecular beam epitaxy

The conditions to grow GaN quantum dots (QDs) by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy will be examined. It will be shown that, depending on the Ga/N ratio value, the growth mode of GaN deposited on AlN can be either of the Stranski–Krastanow (SK) or of the Frank–Van der Merwe type. Accordingly, quantum wells or QDs can be grown, depending on the desired application. In the particular case of modified SK growth mode, it will be shown that both plastic and elastic strain relaxation can coexist. Growth of GaN QDs with N-polarity will also be discussed and compared to their counterpart with Ga polarity.     

Mid-infrared luminescence from coupled quantum dots and wells

Coupled nanostructures have been developed in the InAs/InSb/GaSb materials system in order to extend the emission wavelength further into the infrared, beyond 2 μm. The samples studied consist of a single narrow InAs quantum well grown below a layer of InSb quantum dots in a GaSb matrix, in which the coupling has been altered by changing the thickness of a GaSb spacer layer. The overall transition energy of the combined dot–well system is generally reduced with respect to the dots and well only but the dependence on spacer thickness is more complex than that expected from a simple envelope function model.     

Absorption spectroscopy of single InAs self-assembled quantum dots

Excitonic transitions of single InAs self-assembled quantum dots were directly measured at 4.2 K in an optical transmission experiment. We use the Stark effect in order to tune the exciton energy of a single quantum dot into resonance with a narrow-band laser. With this method, sharp resonances in the transmission spectra are observed. The oscillator strengths as well as the homogeneous line widths of the single-dot optical transitions are obtained. A clear saturation in the absorption is observed at modest laser powers.     

Spectroscopy on single columns of vertically aligned InAs quantum dots

We have investigated the carrier relaxation dynamics in single columns of tenfold stacked vertically aligned InAs quantum dots by micro-photoluminescence measurement. The excitation spectrum in the stacked dots is much different from that in the single dot characterized by the existence of a zero-absorption region and sharp multiple phonon emission lines. We have observed a broad continuum absorption far below the wetting layer band edge in the spectrum of the single columns although we have confirmed the existence of a zero-absorption region in the same sample with reduced number of dot layers to almost single, realized by surface etching. The broad absorption feature suggests the existence of additional carrier relaxation channels through non-resonant tunneling between the dots.     

Optical spectroscopy of single InAs/InP quantum dots around λ=1.55 μm

We discuss the preparation and spectroscopic characterisation of a single InAs/InP quantum dot suitable for long-distance quantum key distribution applications around λ=1.55 μm. The dot is prepared using a site-selective growth technique which allows a single dot to be deposited in isolation at a controlled spatial location. Micro-photoluminescence measurements as a function of exciton occupation are used to determine the electronic structure of the dot. Biexciton emission, shell filling and many-body re-normalization effects are observed for the first time in single InAs/InP quantum dots.     

Disorder-induced natural quantum dots in InAs/GaAs nanostructures

Properties of excitons confined to potential fluctuations due to indium distribution in the wetting layer which accompany self-assembled InAs/GaAs quantum dots are reviewed. Spectroscopic studies are summarized including time-resolved photoluminescence and corresponding single-photon emission correlation measurements. The identification of charge states of excitons is presented which is based on results of a theoretical analysis of interactions between the involved carriers. The effect of the dots’ environment on their optical spectra is also shown.     

Theory of excitons, charged excitons, exciton fine-structure and entangled excitons in self-assembled semiconductor quantum dots

We show how the atomistic pseudopotential many-body theory of InGaAs/GaAs addresses some important effects, including (i) the fine-structure splittings (originating from interband spin exchange), (ii) the optical spectra of charged quantum dots and (iii) the degree of entanglement in a quantum dot molecule.     

Growth of high-density InGaSb quantum dots on silicon atoms irradiated GaAs substrates

We discuss a technique that allows us to grow high-density GaSb and InGaSb quantum dots (QDs) on (0 0 1)-oriented GaAs substrates. We study the use of Si atom irradiation on the substrate surface as an anti-surfactant before the QDs fabrication. It is clear that the densities of GaSb and InGaSb QDs are drastically enhanced with the Si atom irradiation. Photoluminescence intensities from these QDs are also increased with the Si atom irradiation. These results indicate that the Si atom irradiation technique is useful to improve the properties of the Sb-based QDs.     

Successful growth of two different quantum dots on one substrate

We report the successful growth of ZnSe and ZnTe quantum dots (QDs) embedded in ZnS on GaAs substrate. These QDs have good optical properties and show quantum confinement effect. High-resolution electron scanning microscope studies show that these QDs are grown in Volmer–Weber mode. It is found that the size of the QDs is controlled by the growth duration. When the growth time is short, high density of QDs could be fabricated, but with a long growth time the small QDs get together to form a large cluster. We also show that with this growth method it is possible to grow both ZnSe quantum and ZnTe QDs on one substrate at the same time. For this dual QDs system, two peaks corresponding to the emission from the ZnSe dots (3.0 eV, blue–violet) and ZnTe dots (2.6 eV, green–blue) could be observed at the same time in the photoluminescence measurement.     

Polaron relaxation dynamics in InAs/GaAs self-assembled quantum dots

Polaron decay in n-type InAs quantum dots has been investigated using energy dependent, mid-infrared pump–probe spectroscopy. By studying samples with differing ground state to first excited state energy separations the relaxation time has been measured between 40 and 60 meV. The low-temperature decay time increases with increasing detuning between the pump energy and the optical phonon energy and is maximum (55 ps) at 56 meV. From the experimentally determined decay times we are able to extract a low-temperature optical phonon lifetime of 13 ps for InAs QDs. We find that the polaron decay time decreases by a factor of 2 at room temperature due to the reduction of the optical phonon lifetime.     

Long-wavelength luminescence from GaSb quantum dots grown on GaAs substrates

Self-assembled GaSb quantum dots (QDs) with a photoluminescence wavelength longer than 1.3 μm were successfully grown by suppressing the replacement of As and Sb on the surface of the GaSb QDs. This result means that GaSb can thus join InAs or GaInAs as a suitable material for QD lasers for optical communications.     

Polarization selective magneto-optical study on the coupled quantum dots using resonant excitation

We have studied a double-layer self-assembled quantum dot (QD) structures consisting of non-magnetic CdSe and magnetic CdMnSe. Transmission electron microscopy image shows that QDs are formed within the CdSe and CdMnSe layers, and they are vertically correlated in the system. The strong interband ground state transition was observed in magneto-photoluminescence (PL) experiments. In contrast to a typical behavior for many low-dimensional systems involving diluted magnetic semiconductors (DMSs), where PL signal dramatically increases when an external magnetic field is applied, we have observed a significant decrease of the PL intensity as a function of magnetic field in the double-layer structures where the alternating QD layers contain the DMS and non-DMS QDs. We attribute such effect to carrier transfer from non-magnetic CdSe dots to magnetic CdMnSe dots due to the large Zeeman shift of the band edges of DMS QDs in magnetic field. Since the band alignment of QD structure strongly depends on the spin states of system, we performed polarization-selective PL measurement to identify spin-dependent carrier tunneling in this coupled system.     

Coulomb blockade in triangular lateral small-size quantum dots

An AlGaAs/GaAs lateral quantum dot of triangular shape with a characteristic size L<100 nm containing less than ten electrons was studied. Single-electron oscillations of the conductance G of this dot were measured at G<e²/h. When going from Ge²/h to G≈0.5e²/h, a decrease was found not only in the amplitude but also in the period of the oscillations. A calculation of the 3D-electrostatics demonstrated that this effect is due to a change in the dot size produced by control voltages.