Positioning photonic crystal cavities to single InAs quantum dots

We have investigated the optical properties of planar photonic crystal cavities formed by removing a single hole from a two-dimensional square lattice of air holes etched through a thin GaAs slab. We have demonstrated cavity resonances with quality factors (Q’s) as high as 8500, using an internal light source provided by an ensemble of InAs quantum dots (QDs) grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). The high-Q modes are confined to a very small mode volume, V = 0.7(λ/n)³, making them attractive to study in the context of cavity quantum electrodynamics with single QDs, where a high is needed to observe the strong coupling between an electronic state of the dot and the optical cavity mode. To this end, we have developed an accurate and robust alignment technique that positions a photonic crystal cavity to a single QD with 25 nm resolution. We present the details of this new technology and demonstrate its effectiveness by strategically positioning a number of QDs within photonic crystal cavities at points where the electric field intensity is high.     

光子晶体平面波导与脊波导高效耦合技术的研究

利用一维变周期谐振腔阵列和非线性缓变边界，可以实现光波从脊波导到光子晶体平面波导 （PCW）的高效耦合.基于平面波展开法（PWE）和时域有限差分法（FDTD），深入分析和讨 论了普通脊波导、2D-PCW结构和本征模以及工作模式、缓变边界形状等对耦合效率的影响， 从而得出光波从脊波导到2D-PCW、再返回脊波导的统一图景.指出考虑模式转换和采用缓变 边界条件可以极大提高PCW与脊波导间的耦合效率.对PC-PW边界采用线性和非线性缓变结构 进行了仿真，讨论了边界缓变程度对耦合效率的影响.结果表明，采用模式耦合和PC-PW余弦 缓变边界时的耦合效率在较宽的带宽内超过了95%. 关键词： 光子晶体波导 脊波导 PWE FDTD 耦合边界     

Coherent photonic coupling of semiconductor quantum dots

We report a new type of coupling between quantum dot excitons mediated by the strong single-photon field in a high-finesse micropillar cavity. Coherent exciton coupling is observed for two dots with energy differences of the order of the exciton-photon coupling. The coherent coupling mode is characterized by an anticrossing with a particularly large line splitting of 250 microeV. Because of the different dispersion relations with temperature, the simultaneous photonic coupling of quantum dot excitons can be easily distinguished from cases of sequential strong coupling of two quantum dots.     

Controlling the spontaneous emission rate of single quantum dots in a two-dimensional photonic crystal

We observe large spontaneous emission rate modification of individual InAs quantum dots (QDs) in a 2D photonic crystal with a modified, high-Q single-defect cavity. Compared to QDs in a bulk semiconductor, QDs that are resonant with the cavity show an emission rate increase of up to a factor of 8. In contrast, off-resonant QDs indicate up to fivefold rate quenching as the local density of optical states is diminished in the photonic crystal. In both cases, we demonstrate photon antibunching, showing that the structure represents an on-demand single photon source with a pulse duration from 210 ps to 8 ns. We explain the suppression of QD emission rate using finite difference time domain simulations and find good agreement with experiment.     

Efficient input and output fiber coupling to a photonic crystal waveguide

The efficiency of evanescent coupling between a silica optical fiber taper and a silicon photonic crystal waveguide is studied. A high-reflectivity mirror on the end of the photonic crystal waveguide is used to recollect, in the backward-propagating fiber mode, the optical power that is initially coupled into the photonic crystal waveguide. An outcoupled power in the backward-propagating fiber mode of 88% of the input power is measured, corresponding to a lower bound on the coupler efficiency of 94%.     

Mapping the local density of optical states of a photonic crystal with single quantum dots

We use single self-assembled InGaAs quantum dots as internal probes to map the local density of optical states of photonic crystal membranes. The employed technique separates contributions from nonradiative recombination and spin-flip processes by properly accounting for the role of the exciton fine structure. We observe inhibition factors as high as 70 and compare our results to local density of optical states calculations available from the literature, thereby establishing a quantitative understanding of photon emission in photonic crystal membranes.     

Double-state controllable optical switching through three tunnel-coupled quantum dots inside waveguide coupled photonic crystal microcavity

We study optical transmission properties of a combined system which is composed of a photonic crystal (PC) microcavity with low quality factor Q, a triple quantum dot (QD) embedded in cavity and two parallel waveguides. We demonstrate that low coupling strength (i.e., the weak coupling regime) between a cavity and a dot, by means of electron tunnel-induced coupling, can lead to a type of double-state controllable optical switching under the experimentally available parameter conditions.     

Charge controlled self-assembled quantum dots coupled to photonic crystal nanocavities

The system of charge controlled self-assembled quantum dots coupled to high-Q photonic crystal cavity modes is studied. The quantum dots are embedded in a p-i-n diode structure. Different designs of photonic crystal cavities are used, namely H1 and L3 and the Purcell effect is demonstrated. Furthermore, the fine tuning of the H1 cavity design is studied in order to achieve far field emission profiles that result in higher collection efficiency. An increase in the overall signal from the quantum dot when it is coupled to a cavity is observed, due to the Purcell effect and the improved collection efficiency. This together with the deterministic charging of the quantum dot that is demonstrated, can be used for a single electron spin measurement.     

Temperature tunability of cavity-semiconducting waveguide coupling in a two-dimensional photonic crystal

We study the coupling efficiency between a cavity resonator and semiconducting waveguide in a two-dimensional photonic crystal by varying the temperature. We used the revised plane wave expansion and finite difference time domain methods to evaluate the coupling efficiency. The photonic crystal waveguide is composed of a row of InSb semiconducting materials, and the efficiency was calculated at various temperatures. The findings indicate that the temperature can be used as a useful efficiency controller.     

Spontaneous emission enhancement of quantum dots in a photonic crystal wire

Photonic wires are the simplest extended low-dimensional systems. Photonic crystal confinement confers them a divergent density of states at zero-group-velocity points, which leads to enhancement of spontaneous emission rates [D. Kleppner, Phys. Rev. Lett. 47, 233 (1981)10.1103/Phys. Rev. Lett. 47.233]. We experimentally evidence, for the first time, the spectral signature of these Purcell factor singularities, using the out-of-plane emission of InAs quantum dots buried in GaAs/AlGaAs based photonic crystal based wire. Additionally, in-plane collection at the wire exit shows large enhancements of the signal at some of the density of states singularities.     

Modified spontaneous emission of CdTe quantum dots inside a photonic crystal

The angular dependence of the spontaneous emission of CdTe quantum dots (QDs) inside a photonic crystal with a pseudogap is reported. The sensitive dependences of the radiative lifetime and the photoluminescence spectrum of CdTe QDs on the observation angle demonstrate the effect of the photonic bandgap on the spontaneous emission of the QDs.     

Imaging single quantum dots in three-dimensional photonic crystals

Performing fluorescence wide-field microscopy we have imaged single semiconductor quantum dots deep inside a 3-dimensional photonic crystal prepared from colloidal polymer beads. Exploring the emission diffraction patterns in defocused images of quantum dots we demonstrate that the direction-dependent photonic stop band imprints an anisotropy to the angular emission of a single quantum dot. Hence a single, quasi-point-like emitter is manipulated to radiate its photons only to certain well-defined directions by means of the anisotropic light propagation in photonic crystals. The experiments thus provide new routes to evaluate local, frequency selective optical properties in 3-dimensional photonic crystals employing single emitters.     

Logic gate based on a one-dimensional photonic crystal containing quantum dots

The feasibility of using quantum dots as a dense resonant medium with large transition dipole moments is analyzed. The possibility of creating one-dimensional photonic crystals containing quantum dots is examined on the basis of published experimental and theoretical data and the basic parameters of such systems are discussed. A numerical solution of the generalized Maxwell–Bloch equations is used to show that the interaction of coherent light pulses with a photonic structure containing quantum dots can be used to create optical logical operations of types that will depend on the spectral properties of the crystal.     

Single quantum dot spontaneous emission in a finite-size photonic crystal waveguide: proposal for an efficient "on chip" single photon gun

Spontaneous emission rate enhancements from a single quantum dot embedded in a finite-size, planar photonic-crystal waveguide are investigated. Short waveguide lengths of only 10 to 20 unit cells are found to produce very large Purcell factors associated with a waveguidelike sharp resonance feature in the local density of photon states. Aided by theoretical insight and rigorous computational calculations, we explain the physics behind these remarkable emission enhancements and subsequently propose a "single-photon gun" with on-chip unidirectional collection efficiencies greater than 60% into an output wire waveguide. The advantages over recent proposals for infinitely long photonic-crystal waveguides are highlighted.     

Purcell effect of GaAs quantum dots by photonic crystal microcavities

We fabricate photonic crystal slab microcavities embedded with GaAs quantum dots by electron beam lithography and droplet epitaxy. The Purcell effect of exciton emission of the quantum dots is confirmed by the micro photoluminescence measurement. The resonance wavelengths, widths, and polarization are consistent with numerical simulation results.     

Design of broadband nearly-zero flattened dispersion highly nonlinear photonic crystal fiber

We propose a new structure of broadband nearly-zero flattened dispersion highly nonlinear photonic crystal fiber （PCF）. Through optimizing the diameters of the first two inner rings of air-holes and the GeO2 doping concentration of the core, the nonlinear coefficient is up to 47 W^-1.km^-1 at the wavelength of 1.55 um and nearly-zero flattened dispersion of ±0.5 ps/（nm·km） is achieved in the telecommunication window （1460 - 1625 nm）. Due to the use of GeO2-doped core, this innovative structure can offer not only a large nonlinear coefficient and broadband nearly-zero flattened dispersion but also low leakage losses.     

Self-diffraction at a dynamic photonic crystal formed in a colloidal solution of quantum dots

Self-diffraction at a one-dimensional dynamic photonic crystal formed in the colloidal solution of CdSe/ZnS quantum dots has been discovered. This self-diffraction appears simultaneously with self-diffraction at induced transparency channels at the resonant excitation of the main electron–hole (excitonic) transition of quantum dots by two laser beams with a Gaussian intensity distribution over the cross section. It is shown that a nonlinear change in the absorption of colloidal quantum dots results in the formation of a transparency channel and an induced amplitude diffraction grating, and a significant nonlinear change in the refractive index (Δn ≈ 10^?3) in the absorbing medium is responsible for the formation of the dynamic photonic crystal. Self-diffracted laser beams are revealed propagating not only in directions corresponding to self-diffraction at the induced diffraction grating but also in directions satisfying the Laue condition.     

Single quantum dots for slow and fast light in a planar photonic crystal

We theoretically investigate slow and fast light propagation and pulse velocity control in a nanocavity containing a single quantum dot side-coupled to a planar-photonic-crystal waveguide. We demonstrate that low coupling strength (i.e., the weak coupling regime) between a cavity and a dot, under on-resonance condition, can lead to delays of about +90 ps for a pulse 1/e-width of 280 ps. The group delay dependence on the various coupling parameters suggests achievable delays of +300 ps and consequently very slow light speeds of around 5000 m/s in a 1.5 microm cavity-waveguide section. We also show that under off-resonant condition one can achieve significant pulse advancement of -60 ps.     

Quantum information processing through quantum dots in slow-light photonic crystal waveguides

We propose a scheme to realize controlled phase-flip gate between two single photons through a single quantum dot (QD) in a slow-light photonic crystal (PhC) waveguide. Enhanced Purcell factor and large β-factor lead to high gate fidelity over broadband frequencies compared to cavity-assisted system. The excellent physical integration of this PhC waveguide system provides tremendous potential for large-scale quantum information processing. Then we generalize to a multi-atom controlled phase-flip gate based on waveguide system in Sagnac interferometer. Through the Sagnac interferometer, the single photon adds the phase-flip operation on the atomic state without changing the photonic state. The controlled phase-flip gate on the atoms can be successfully constructed with high fidelity in one step, even without detecting the photon.