Study of isolated cubic GaN quantum dots by low-temperature cathodoluminescence

We report single dot spectroscopy of cubic GaN/AlN self-assembled quantum dots. Typical linewidths of the zero-phonon line between 2 and 8 meV are observed and interpreted in terms of charge fluctuations around a given quantum dot. The phonon sideband contribution in this emission, even at low temperature, reveals the importance of the acoustic phonon broadening mechanism which controls the exciton dephasing and may impose the real limits to the optical properties of GaN single QDs emission.     

Huang–Rhys side-bands in the emission line of a single InAs quantum dot

We report the first direct observation of Huang–Rhys side-bands in the photoluminescence spectrum of a single InAs/GaAs quantum dot (QD). At low temperature (10 K) the single QD spectrum has a quasi-Lorentzian profile. At higher temperatures, we observe a strong deviation from a Lorentzian profile with the appearance of asymmetric side-bands which become symmetric above 70 K. We obtain an excellent agreement with theoretical calculations done in the framework of the Huang–Rhys formalism. We conclude that the zero-phonon linewidth is the relevant parameter for the observation of the low-energy acoustic phonon side-bands.     

Non-markovian decoherence of localized nanotube excitons by acoustic phonons

We demonstrate that electron-phonon interaction in quantum dots embedded in one-dimensional systems leads to pronounced, non-Markovian decoherence of optical transitions. The experiments that we present focus on the line shape of photoluminescence from low-temperature axially localized carbon nanotube excitons. The independent boson model that we use to model the phonon interactions reproduces with very high accuracy the broad and asymmetric emission lines and the weak red-detuned radial breathing mode replicas observed in the experiments. The intrinsic phonon-induced pure dephasing of the zero-phonon line is 2 orders of magnitude larger than the lifetime broadening and is a hallmark of the reduced dimensionality of the phonon bath. The non-Markovian nature of this decoherence mechanism may have adverse consequences for applications of one-dimensional systems in quantum information processing.     

Spin-flip limited exciton dephasing in CdSe/ZnS colloidal quantum dots

The dephasing time of the lowest bright exciton in CdSe/ZnS wurtzite quantum dots is measured from 5 to 170 K and compared with density dynamics within the exciton fine structure using a sensitive three-beam four-wave-mixing technique unaffected by spectral diffusion. Pure dephasing via acoustic phonons dominates the initial dynamics, followed by an exponential zero-phonon line dephasing of 109 ps at 5 K, much faster than the ~10 ns exciton radiative lifetime. The zero-phonon line dephasing is explained by phonon-assisted spin flip from the lowest bright state to dark-exciton states. This is confirmed by the temperature dependence of the exciton lifetime and by direct measurements of the bright-dark-exciton relaxation. Our results give an unambiguous evidence of the physical origin of the exciton dephasing in these nanocrystals.     

Semiconductor heterostructures for spintronics and quantum information

A selection of optical experiments is presented, demonstrating the utility of semiconductors in two novel areas of research: spintronics and quantum information. First we show examples of spin manipulation in semiconductor quantum wells. The light is used to generate a spin polarization and to detect it. Next we discuss application of optical methods in studies of carrier-induced ferromagnetism in quantum wells. Finally, we present examples of single quantum dot spectroscopy related to perspectives of application of quantum dots in quantum information, and, in particular, the use of photon correlation measurements as a tool to study the quantum dot excitation mechanisms. To cite this article: J.A. Gaj et al., C. R. Physique 8 (2007).     

Ultralong dephasing time in InGaAs quantum dots

We measure a dephasing time of several hundred picoseconds at low temperature in the ground-state transition of strongly confined InGaAs quantum dots, using a highly sensitive four-wave mixing technique. Between 7 and 100 K the polarization decay has two distinct components resulting in a non-Lorentzian line shape with a lifetime-limited zero-phonon line and a broadband from elastic exciton-acoustic phonon interactions.     

Phonon-induced exciton dephasing in quantum dot molecules

A new microscopic approach to the optical transitions in quantum dots and quantum dot molecules, which accounts for both diagonal and nondiagonal exciton-phonon interaction, is developed. The cumulant expansion of the linear polarization is generalized to a multilevel system and is applied to calculation of the full time dependence of the polarization and the absorption spectrum. In particular, the broadening of zero-phonon lines is evaluated directly and discussed in terms of real and virtual phonon-assisted transitions. The influence of Coulomb interaction, tunneling, and structural asymmetry on the exciton dephasing in quantum dot molecules is analyzed.     

Intersublevel transitions in self-assembled quantum dots

Intersublevel transitions in semiconductor quantum dots are transitions of a charge carrier between quantum dot confined states. In InAs/GaAs self-assembled quantum dots, optically active intersublevel transitions occur in the mid-infrared spectral range. These transitions can provide a new insight on the physics of semiconductor quantum dots and offer new opportunities to develop mid-infrared devices. A key feature characterizing intersublevel transitions is the coupling of the confined carriers to phonons. We show that the effect of the strong coupling regime for the electron–optical phonon interaction and the formation of mixed electron–phonon quasi-particles called polarons drastically affect and control the dynamical properties of quantum dots. The engineering of quantum dot relaxation rates through phonon coupling opens the route to the realization of new devices like mid-infrared polaron lasers. We finally show that the measurement of intersublevel absorption is not limited to quantum dot ensembles and that the intersublevel ultrasmall absorption of a single quantum dot can be measured with a nanometer scale resolution by using phonon emission as a signature of the absorption. To cite this article: P. Boucaud et al., C. R. Physique 9 (2008).     

Optical dephasing in solid toluene activated by octaethylporphine zinc

The optical dephasing in frozen amorphous toluene doped with octaethylporphine zinc is investigated using the photon echo technique over a wide range of temperatures (0.4–100 K) up to the Debye temperature of solid toluene (T_D=100.7 K). The contributions of different mechanisms to the broadening of the zero-phonon line (ZPL) are reliably separated owing to the measurements performed over such a wide range of temperatures. Analysis of the experimental data demonstrates that, at low temperatures, the main contribution to the optical dephasing is determined by the interaction of impurities with fast tunneling transitions in two-level systems. The temperature dependence of the linewidth exhibits a quasi-linear behavior at temperatures below 3–4 K. At higher temperatures, the dominant contribution to the dephasing is made by the interaction of impurities with quasi-local phonons, which leads to a quasi-exponential temperature dependence of the linewidth. It is shown that the latter contribution can be described in the framework of the soft-potential model allowing for a broad spectrum of low-frequency phonon vibrations in the matrix. The temperature of the crossover between the aforementioned two mechanisms of line broadening is determined.     

Cavity QED effects with single quantum dots

A single quantum dot embedded in a photonic crystal defect cavity allows for the investigation of cavity quantum electrodynamics effects in a solid-state environment. We present experiments demonstrating the quantum nature of this fundamental system in the strong coupling regime. Photon correlation measurements are used to characterize the fundamental properties of this unique system: through these experiments, we identify an unexpected, efficient sustaining mechanism that ensures strong cavity emission and is quantum correlated with the exciton resonance, even when all the quantum dot resonances are far detuned from the cavity mode. To cite this article: A. Badolato et al., C. R. Physique 9 (2008).     

Dephasing in quantum dots: quadratic coupling to acoustic phonons

A microscopic theory of optical transitions in quantum dots with a carrier-phonon interaction is developed. Virtual transitions into higher confined states with acoustic phonon assistance add a quadratic phonon coupling to the standard linear one, thus extending the independent boson model. Summing infinitely many diagrams in the cumulant, a numerically exact solution for the interband polarization is found. Its full time dependence and the absorption line shape of the quantum dot are calculated. It is the quadratic interaction which gives rise to a temperature-dependent broadening of the zero-phonon line, calculated here for the first time in a consistent scheme.     

Phase coherent transmission through interacting mesoscopic systems

This is a review of the phase coherent transmission through interacting mesoscopic conductors. As a paradigm we study the transmission amplitude and the dephasing rate for electron transport through a quantum dot in the Coulomb blockade regime. We summarize experimental and theoretical work devoted to the phase of the transmission amplitude. It is shown that the evolution of the transmission phase may be dominated by non-universal features in the short-time dynamics of the quantum dot. The controlled dephasing in Coulomb-coupled conductors is investigated. Examples comprise a single or multiple quantum dots in close vicinity to a quantum point contact. The current through the quantum point contact “measures” the state of the dots and causes dephasing. The dephasing rate is derived using widely different theoretical approaches. The Coulomb coupling between mesoscopic conductors may prove useful for future work on electron coherence and quantum computing.     

Optical decoherence in eR3+-doped silicate fiber: evidence for coupled spin-elastic tunneling systems

We measured the optical decoherence times T2, or, equivalently, the homogeneous line width, in an Er-doped optical fiber at low temperature as a function of external magnetic field and temperature using two-pulse photon echoes. The decoherence times were up to 230 ns at fields above 3 T. The magnitude of the line narrowing induced by a magnetic field of 3 T is 2.5 MHz, which is anomalously large compared to that typical for oxide crystals with similar Er3+ concentration. This is interpreted as evidence for dephasing by coupled spin-elastic tunneling modes where the normal glass tunneling modes acquire a magnetic character by coupling to the Er3+ spin.     

LA声子对激子qubit纯退相干的影响

在一个抛物量子点中,以激子的真空态和基态作为量子比特(qubit),采用求密度矩阵元的方法,计算了由形变势下声学声子引发的激子量子比特纯退相干.找到了激子量子比特纯退相干因子对时间、温度和量子点受限长度的依赖关系.研究发现,激子量子比特的退相干因子在2.5ps的时间范围内随时间的增加而迅速增加,其纯退相干时间在ps量级;在温度即使为绝对温度0K时由LA声子引发的退相干依然存在,在温度大于3K后退相干因子随温度的增大而开始迅速增大;并同时发现量子点受限长度对退相干因子有重要影响,激子越受限退相干越快.研究结果表明,对激子量子比特使用适当大小量子点,且保持环境低温,并采用低能超快光学操作可以有效地抑制声子对激子量子比特纯退相干的影响. 关键词： 量子点 量子信息 量子比特     

Coherent dynamics in InGaAs quantum dots and quantum dot molecules

We measure the dephasing time of the exciton ground state transition in InGaAs quantum dots (QD) and quantum dot molecules (QDM) using a sensitive four-wave mixing technique. In the QDs we find experimental evidence that the dephasing time is given only by the radiative lifetime at low temperatures. We demonstrate the tunability of the radiatively limited dephasing time from 400 ps up to 2 ns in a series of annealed QDs with increasing energy separation of 69–330 meV from the wetting layer continuum. Furthermore, the distribution of the fine-structure splitting δ₁ and of the biexciton binding energy δ_B is measured. δ₁ decreases from 96 to with increasing annealing temperature, indicating an improving circular symmetry of the in-plane confinement potential. The biexciton binding energy shows only a weak dependence on the confinement energy, which we attribute to a compensation between decreasing confinement and decreasing separation of electron and hole. In the QDM we measured the exciton dephasing as function of interdot barrier thickness in the temperature range from 5 to 60 K. At 5 K dephasing times of several hundred picoseconds are found. Moreover, a systematic dependence of the dephasing dynamics on the barrier thickness is observed, showing how the quantum mechanical coupling in the molecules affects the exciton lifetime and acoustic-phonon interaction.     

Electron spin decoherence in quantum dots due to interaction with nuclei

We study the decoherence of a single electron spin in an isolated quantum dot induced by hyperfine interaction with nuclei. The decay is caused by the spatial variation of the electron wave function within the dot, leading to a nonuniform hyperfine coupling A. We evaluate the spin correlation function and find that the decay is not exponential but rather power (inverse logarithm) lawlike. For polarized nuclei we find an exact solution and show that the precession amplitude and the decay behavior can be tuned by the magnetic field. The decay time is given by (planck)N/A, where N is the number of nuclei inside the dot, and the amplitude of precession decays to a finite value. We show that there is a striking difference between the decoherence time for a single dot and the dephasing time for an ensemble of dots.     

Formation and ordering of epitaxial quantum dots

Single quantum dots (QDs) have great potential as building blocks for quantum information processing devices. However, one of the major difficulties in the fabrication of such devices is the placement of a single dot at a pre-determined position in the device structure, for example, in the centre of a photonic cavity. In this article we review some recent investigations in the site-controlled growth of InAs QDs on GaAs by molecular beam epitaxy. The method we use is ex-situ patterning of the GaAs substrate by electron beam lithography and conventional wet or dry etching techniques to form shallow pits in the surface which then determine the nucleation site of an InAs dot. This method is easily scalable and can be incorporated with marker structures to enable simple post-growth lithographic alignment of devices to each site-controlled dot. We demonstrate good site-control for arrays with up to 10 micron spacing between patterned sites, with no dots nucleating between the sites. We discuss the mechanism and the effect of pattern size, InAs deposition amount and growth conditions on this site-control method. Finally we discuss the photoluminescence from these dots and highlight the remaining challenges for this technique. To cite this article: P. Atkinson et al., C. R. Physique 9 (2008).     

From quantum optics to quantum communications

We review the possible roles of quantum optics and quantum information methods for future developments of optical telecommunications. To cite this article: I. Abram, P. Grangier, C. R. Physique 4 (2003).     

Optical properties of GaN/AlN quantum dots

We present here a review of the peculiar optical properties of GaN/AlN quantum dots. These systems show unusually large exciton binding energies and band-offsets. Moreover, when grown along the (0001) axis in the wurtzite phase, the optical properties are dominated by huge on-axis internal electric fields, leading to a very low oscillator strength and complex dynamical behavior. It is also possible to grow GaN quantum dots in the cubic phase or along nonpolar axis of the wurtzite cell. We discuss properties of ensembles of quantum dots, as well as of single quantum dots studied by micro-photoluminescence. To cite this article: P. Lefebvre, B. Gayral, C. R. Physique 9 (2008).     

The phase of Fano resonance in Aharonov–Bohm interferometer with a quantum dot embedded

We study the Fano effect of a closed Aharonov–Bohm mesoscopic interferometer, with a quantum dot embedded in one of the paths, in the presence of dephasing which is introduced by the Büttiker model. An exact analytic formula of conductance including dephasing factor is derived and can be written as an extended Fano form with a complex Fano parameter q. While the total conductance is unitary, the coherent part has broken unitarity due to dephasing, and thus has continuous phase shift. Our results agree with recent experimental measurements.