Robust quantum dot exciton generation via adiabatic passage with frequency-swept optical pulses

The energy states in semiconductor quantum dots are discrete as in atoms, and quantum states can be coherently controlled with resonant laser pulses. Long coherence times allow the observation of Rabi flopping of a single dipole transition in a solid state device, for which occupancy of the upper state depends sensitively on the dipole moment and the excitation laser power. We report on the robust population inversion in a single quantum dot using an optical technique that exploits rapid adiabatic passage from the ground to an excited state through excitation with laser pulses whose frequency is swept through the resonance. This observation in photoluminescence experiments is made possible by introducing a novel optical detection scheme for the resonant electron hole pair (exciton) generation.     

Optical transmission and reflection spectroscopy of single quantum dots

An analytical formulation of the interband optical transmission and reflectivity spectra of a single quantum dot embedded in a semiconductor is presented. We consider the effect of the sample surface as well as other reflecting surfaces on the shape of the spectra near the ground state exciton resonance. The saturation of the transmission and reflectivity spectra due to the quantum optical saturation of the transition at higher light power is presented.     

低维半导体异质结中的量子相干红外发射机理理论研究

给出了一种在非粒子反转条件下量子阱和量子点激光器的红外发射机理.此种红外发射是基于在同一作用区产生并作为红外场相干源的两种带间跃迁激光场的共振非线性混合.这种频率下转换机理并不依赖于在半导体激活媒质中的长时相干假定条件,在室温和泵注入电流条件下仍然有效.频率下转换的固有效率可以达到相当于每个可见光子产生一个红外光子的量子极限值.根据红外发射的可参变特性,这种非粒子反转的方法尤其适用于长波红外工作范围.     

Low-frequency fluctuations in two-state quantum dot lasers

We study the feedback-induced instabilities in a quantum dot semiconductor laser emitting in both ground and excited states. Without optical feedback the device exhibits dynamics corresponding to antiphase fluctuations between ground and excited states, while the total output power remains constant. The introduction of feedback leads to power dropouts in the ground state and intensity bursts in the excited state, resulting in a practically constant total output power.     

半导体微碟激光器设计原理与工艺制作

用经典量子电动力学理论初步研究了半导体碟型微腔激光器的设计原理，采用光刻、反应离子刻蚀和选择化学腐蚀等现代微加工技术制备出抽运阈值功率很低用品质因数很高的低温光抽运InGaAs/InGaAsP多量子阱微碟激光器。这种激光器制作工艺简单，对有效光子状态密度调制较大，是比较理想的半导体微腔激光器。     

Negative refraction in semiconductor metamaterials based on quantum cascade laser design for the mid-IR and THz spectral range

We have considered the realization of metamaterials based on semiconductor quantum nanostructures, in particular, with the structural arrangement as in quantum cascade laser (QCL) designed to achieve optical gain in the mid-infrared and terahertz part of the spectrum. The entire structure is placed in a strong external magnetic field, which facilitates the attainment of sufficient population inversion, necessary to manipulate the permittivity, and enable a left-handed regime.     

Optical stark effect and dressed exciton states in a Mn-doped CdTe quantum dot

We report on the observation of spin-dependent optically dressed states and the optical Stark effect on an individual Mn spin in a semiconductor quantum dot. The vacuum-to-exciton or the exciton-to-biexciton transitions in a Mn-doped quantum dot are optically dressed by a strong laser field, and the resulting spectral signature is measured in photoluminescence. We demonstrate that the energy of any spin state of a Mn atom can be independently tuned by using the optical Stark effect induced by a control laser. High resolution spectroscopy reveals a power-, polarization-, and detuning-dependent Autler-Townes splitting of each optical transition of the Mn-doped quantum dot. This experiment demonstrates an optical resonant control of the exciton-Mn system.     

Recent Advances of Light Propagation in Surface Plasmon Enhanced Quantum Dot Devices

Surface plasmons are of particular interest recently as their performance is approaching the enhancement of light emission efficiencies, after synthesized close to the vicinity of solid state materials, i.e., semiconductor structure. As other scientific works have been proposed to improve the light-emitting efficiency, such as the use of resonant cavities, photon recycling, and thin-light emitting layers with periodic surface texturing, surface plasmon possesses a promising way to the light enhancement, due to the energy coupling effect between the emitted photons from the semiconductor and the metallic nanoparticles fabricated by nanotechnology. The usual pathway of plasmon enhanced light emitting devices is the use of Ag/Au nanoparticles coating the surface of semiconductor quantum dot (QD) or quantum well (QW) structures. However, apart from efforts to extract as much light as possible from single-driven surface plasmon-QD/QW, it is possible to enhance the light emission rate with double optical-excitations. This approach is based on the quantum interference between the external lasers and the localized quantum light, and promised to stimulate the development of plasmon-enhanced optical sensors. In this review, we describe the quantum properties of light propagation in hybrid nanoparticle and semiconductor materials, i.e., quantum dot or nanomechanical resonator coupled to Ag/Au nanoparticles, driven by two optical fields. Distinct with single excitation, plasmon-assisted complex driven by two optical fields, exhibit specific quantum interference characteristics that can be used as sensitive all-optical devices, such as the slow light switch, nonlinear optical Kerr modulator, and ultra-sensitive mass sensing. We summarize the recent advances of light propagation in surface plasmon-enhanced quantum dot devices, driven by two optical fields, which would stimulate the development of novel optical materials, deeper theoretical insights, innovative new devices, and plasmonic applications with potential for significant technological and societal impact.     

Optical spin orientation of a single manganese atom in a quantum dot

The magnetic state of a single magnetic atom (Mn) embedded in an individual semiconductor quantum dot is optically probed using micro-spectroscopy. A high degree of spin polarization can be achieved for an individual Mn atom localized in a quantum dot using quasi-resonant or fully-resonant optical excitation at zero magnetic field. Optically created spin polarized carriers generate an energy splitting of the Mn spin and enable magnetic moment orientation controlled by the photon helicity and energy. The dynamics and the magnetic field dependence of the optical pumping mechanism shows that the spin lifetime of an isolated Mn atom at zero magnetic field is controlled by a magnetic anisotropy induced by the built-in strain in the quantum dots. The Mn spin distribution prepared by optical pumping is fully conserved for a few microseconds. This opens the way to full optical control of the spin state of an individual magnetic atom in a solid state environment.     

Simulation of a Single-Mode Tunnel-Junction-Based Long-Wavelength VCSEL

We investigate the physics of an internal device for a high-performance, vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser operating at 1.305 μm. Experimental results are analyzed using as the simulation software a photonic-integrated-circuit simulator in 3D (PICS3D), which is a state-of-the-art 3D simulator for surface- and edge-emitting laser diodes, semiconductor optical amplifiers, and other similar active waveguide devices. The 2D/3D semiconductor equations are coupled to the optical modes in both lateral and longitudinal directions. Optical properties such as the quantum well/wire/dot optical gain and spontaneous emission rates are computed self-consistently. Careful adjustments of material parameters led to an excellent agreement between simulation and measurements. Simulation results show that the maximum output power is limited by electron leakage from quantum wells.     

Stability of Optically Injected Two‐State Quantum‐Dot Lasers

Simultaneous two‐state lasing is a unique property of semiconductor quantum‐dot (QD) lasers. This not only changes steady‐state characteristics of the laser device but also its dynamic response to perturbations. In this paper we investigate the dynamic stability of QD lasers in an external optical injection setup. Compared to conventional single‐state laser devices, we find a strong suppression of dynamical instabilities in two‐state lasers. Furthermore, depending on the frequency and intensity of the injected light, pronounced areas of bistability between both lasing frequencies appear, which can be employed for fast optical switching in all‐optical photonic computing applications. These results emphasize the suitability of QD semiconductor lasers in future integrated optoelectronic systems where a high level of stability is required.     

半导体量子器件物理讲座 第六讲 半导体量子阱激光器

量子阱结构是半导体光电子器件的核心组成部分,它是半导体光电子集成的重要基础,文章在描述了量子结构的态密度,量子尺寸效应,粒子数反转的基础上,介绍了量子阱导质结构激光器的工作原理,器件结构,器件性能,并对其在可见光激光器和大功率激光器件中显现出来的优越性作了进一步的说明。     

Probing single-charge fluctuations at a GaAs/AlAs interface using laser spectroscopy on a nearby InGaAs quantum dot

We probe local charge fluctuations in a semiconductor via laser spectroscopy on a nearby self-assembled quantum dot. We demonstrate that the quantum dot is sensitive to changes in the local environment at the single-charge level. By controlling the charge state of localized defects, we are able to infer the distance of the defects from the quantum dot with ±5 nm resolution. The results identify and quantify the main source of charge noise in the commonly used optical field-effect devices.     

Prospects for measurement‐based quantum computing with solid state spins

This article aims to review the developments, both theoretical and experimental, that have in the past decade laid the ground for a new approach to solid state quantum computing. Measurement‐based quantum computing (MBQC) requires neither direct interaction between qubits nor even what would be considered controlled generation of entanglement. Rather it can be achieved using entanglement that is generated probabilistically by the collapse of quantum states upon measurement. Single electronic spins in solids make suitable qubits for such an approach, offering long coherence times and well defined routes to optical measurement. We will review the theoretical basis of MBQC and experimental data for two frontrunner candidate qubits – nitrogen‐vacancy (NV) centres in diamond and semiconductor quantum dots – and discuss the prospects and challenges that lie ahead in realising MBQC in the solid state.     

Optical orientation by linearly polarized light in intersubband quantum-well transitions

The absorption of linearly polarized light in low-dimensional semiconductor structures is investigated. It is shown that the absorption under consideration can give rise to spin orientation of free carriers. A theory of this optical orientation by linearly polarized light is developed for resonant intersubband optical transitions in n-type quantum wells. It is demonstrated that, in the vicinity of the resonance, the optical orientation undergoes spectral inversion, namely, the electron spin orientation reverses sign with increasing frequency. This behavior can be accounted for by the spin-orbit subband splitting, which is linear in the wave vector, and by the energy and quasi-momentum conservation laws.     

抛物量子点中弱耦合激子的光学声子平均数

研究了电子-体纵光学声子弱耦合情况下,抛物量子点中激子的性质。在有效质量近似下,采用线性组合算符和幺正变换方法研究了抛物量子点中弱耦合激子的基态能量和光学声子平均数。以GaAs半导体为例进行了数值计算,结果表明:弱耦合情况下,激子的光学声子平均数基态的能量和量子点受限强度的增大而减小,随量子点半径的增大而增大。     

Stable high optical power in quantum well lasers with profiled reflection and tapered structures

A comprehensive model is presented to study quantum well tapered lasers and quantum well stripe lasers with profiled reflectivity output facets and to obtain lateral stability in high power semiconductor laser. Simulation of semiconductor lasers is performed by numerically solving space-dependent coupled partial differential equations for the complex optical forward and backward waves, carrier density distribution and temperature distribution. The coupled equations are solved by finite difference beam propagation method. The effect of nonlinear parameters like Kerr and linewidth enhancement factors, and precise dependence of linewidth enhancement factor and gain factor on the carrier density and temperature are considered in this paper. We use modal reflector in stripe lasers to confine the lateral mode to the stripe centre and provide the stable operation. We also use unpumped window to reduce the facet temperature and improve the catastrophic optical mirror damage level of tapered lasers.     

Spin-related phenomena in InAs/GaSb quantum wells

We have studied theoretically the influence of symmetry breaking mechanisms: structural inversion asymmetry, bulk inversion asymmetry, relativistic and non-relativistic interface Hamiltonian and warping on spin split of levels ΔE and optical absorption of linearly polarized light in asymmetrical quantum wells made from zincblende materials grown on [001] direction. The AlSb/InAs/GaSb/AlSb broken-gap quantum wells with hybridized electron-hole states sandwiched by the AlSb barriers have been considered. We have obtained substantial contributions of these effects into the absolute values of spin split of electron and hole states and spinflip optical transitions for the initial state in-plane wave vectors along low symmetry directions such as [12].