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.     

Exciton relaxation in self-assembled semiconductor quantum dots

The present study focuses on the effect of excited states on the exciton–polaron spectrum for self-assembled InAs/GaAs semiconductor quantum dots. The analytical model takes into account the Coulomb interactions between the electron and the hole as well as, each carrier, the coupling with the longitudinal optical phonon field. Furthermore, the key role played by the exciton continuum in the dot spectrum is also introduced. Such an approach is well fitted to analyze recent experimental findings about single-dot spectroscopy and allows peaks assignment, line width estimation, relaxation time evaluation, etc., necessary steps toward an understanding of the internal dynamics of quantum dots.     

Single-electron transistor spectroscopy of InGaAs self-assembled quantum dots

A single-electron transistor (SET) is used to detect tunneling of single electrons into individual InGaAs self-assembled quantum dots (QDs). By using an SET with a small island area and growing QDs with a low density we are able to distinguish and measure three QDs. The bias voltage at which resonant tunneling into the dots occurs can be shifted using a surface gate electrode. From the applied voltages at which we observe electrons tunneling, we are able to measure the electron addition energies of three QDs.     

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.     

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.     

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.     

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.     

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.     

Wave function mapping of self-assembled quantum dots by capacitance spectroscopy

We use frequency-dependent capacitance–voltage spectroscopy to study the dynamic charging of self-assembled InAs quantum dots. With increasing frequency, the AC charging becomes suppressed, beginning with the low-energy states. By applying an in-plane magnetic field, we generate an additional magnetic confinement that alters the tunneling barrier and hence the charging dynamics. In traveling through the potential barrier, the electrons acquire an additional momentum k₀, proportional to the magnetic field B. As the tunneling is enhanced, when k₀ matches the maximum of the electronic wave function Ψ (in momentum representation), we are able to map out the shape of Ψ by varying B.     

Regular array of InGaAs quantum dots with 100-nm-periodicity formed on patterned GaAs substrates

Regular arrays of InGaAs quantum dots (QDs) with a 100-nm-periodicity have been successfully fabricated by controlling the nucleation sites on artificially prepared nano-hole arrays. The nucleation probability of a single QD at each nano-hole reached 100% by depositing InGaAs at low temperature and subsequent annealing. Four InGaAs QD layers were vertically stacked while conserving the regularity, and the stacked QD array has shown a clear photoluminescence peak at room temperature. We discuss the effects of several growth conditions on the nucleation probability of QDs.     

Inversion of the exciton fine structure splitting in quantum dots

The fine structure splitting of exciton state was measured for a large number of single InAs quantum dots in GaAs. It is shown to decrease as the exciton confinement decreases, crucially passing through zero and changing sign. Degeneracy of the exciton spin states is an important step to producing entangled photons from the biexciton cascade. Thermal annealing reduces the exciton confinement and thereby increases the number of degenerate dots in a particular sample.     

Cancellation of fine-structure splitting in quantum dots by a magnetic field

We demonstrate control of the fine-structure splitting of the exciton emission lines in single InAs quantum dots by the application of an in-plane magnetic field. The composition of the barrier material and the size and symmetry of the quantum dot are found to determine decrease or increase in the linear polarization splitting of the dominant exciton emission lines with increasing magnetic field. This enables the selection of dots for which the splitting can to be tuned to zero, within the resolution of our experiments. General differences in the g-factors and exchange splittings are found for different types of dot.     

Resonant Raman scattering of discrete hole states in self-assembled Si/Ge quantum dots

We report the first resonant electronic Raman spectroscopy study of discrete electronic transitions within small p-doped self-assembled Si/Ge quantum dots (QDs). A heavy hole (hh) to light hole (lh) Raman transition with a dispersionless energy of 105 meV and a resonance energy of the hh states to virtually localised electrons at the direct band gap of 2.5 eV are observed. The hh–lh transition energy shifts to lower values with increasing annealing temperature due to significant intermixing of Si and Ge in the QDs. Structural parameters of the small Si/Ge dots have been determined and introduced into 6-band k·p valence band structure calculations. Both the value of the electronic Raman transition of localised holes as well as the resonance energy at the E₀ gap are in excellent agreement with the calculations.     

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.     

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.     

Dynamics of single InGaN quantum dots

Decay dynamics for single InGaN quantum dots are presented using time-resolved photoluminescence. The recombination is shown to be characterized by a single exponential decay, in contrast to the non-exponential recombination dynamics seen in the 2D wetting layer. The lifetimes of single dots in the temperature range 4–60 K decrease with increasing temperature. Different dots show similar lifetimes of 2 ns.     

Physical properties of highly uniform InGaAs pyramidal quantum dots with GaAs barriers: Fine structure splitting in pre-patterned substrates

InGaAs Quantum Dots embedded in GaAs barriers, grown in inverted tetrahedral recesses of ∼7 μm edge, have showed interesting characteristics in terms of uniformity and spectral narrowness of the emission. In this paper we present a study on the fine structure splitting (FSS). The investigation of about 40 single quantum dots revealed two main points: (1) the values of this parameter are very similar from dot to dot, proving again the uniformity of Pyramidal QD properties, (2) there is a little chance, in the sample investigated, to find a dot with natural zero splitting, but the values found (the mean being ∼13 μeV ) should always guarantee the capability of restoring the degeneracy with some corrective technique (e.g. application of a small magnetic field).     

Time-resolved studies of single quantum dots in magnetic fields

We present time-resolved and time-integrated spectroscopy of single InAs quantum dots grown in a GaAs matrix. We observe a number of interesting features in the spectra, including the zero field splitting of exciton and biexciton lines due to quantum dot asymmetry. By the application of an in-plane magnetic field, the normally optically active and inactive exciton states become mixed, enabling us to optically probe the normally inaccessible ‘dark’ states. Time resolved measurements on the mixed states show decay times several times longer than the exciton lifetime at zero field, which we show to be consistent with a dark exciton lifetime orders of magnitude longer than that for bright exciton.     

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.     

Selective excitation of self-assembled quantum dots by using shaped pulse

We carried out optical selective excitation of individual self-assembled quantum dots by using phase-modulated pulses. Based on scattered photoluminescence excitation resonances in individual QDs, the excitation pulses modulated in the spectral region allows for addressing individual ground states emission. The photoluminescence spectra including several QDs showed intensity changes according to both the modulation energies and phases. The results also suggested the individual control of selective QDs even in collective excitation.