Exciton storage in semiconductor self-assembled quantum dots

Storage and retrieval of excitons were demonstrated with semiconductor self-assembled quantum dots (QDs). The optically generated excitons were dissociated and stored as separated electron-hole pairs in coupled QD pairs. A bias voltage restored the excitons, which recombined radiatively to provide a readout optical signal. The localization of the spatially separated electron-hole pair in QDs was responsible for the ultralong storage times, which were on the order of several seconds. The present limits of this optical storage medium are discussed.     

Heavily doped semiconductor nanocrystal quantum dots

Doping of semiconductors by impurity atoms enabled their widespread technological application in microelectronics and optoelectronics. However, doping has proven elusive for strongly confined colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals because of the synthetic challenge of how to introduce single impurities, as well as a lack of fundamental understanding of this heavily doped limit under strong quantum confinement. We developed a method to dope semiconductor nanocrystals with metal impurities, enabling control of the band gap and Fermi energy. A combination of optical measurements, scanning tunneling spectroscopy, and theory revealed the emergence of a confined impurity band and band-tailing. Our method yields n- and p-doped semiconductor nanocrystals, which have potential applications in solar cells, thin-film transistors, and optoelectronic devices.     

Optical signatures of coupled quantum dots

An asymmetric pair of coupled InAs quantum dots is tuned into resonance by applying an electric field so that a single hole forms a coherent molecular wave function. The optical spectrum shows a rich pattern of level anticrossings and crossings that can be understood as a superposition of charge and spin configurations of the two dots. Coulomb interactions shift the molecular resonance of the optically excited state (charged exciton) with respect to the ground state (single charge), enabling light-induced coupling of the quantum dots. This result demonstrates the possibility of optically coupling quantum dots for application in quantum information processing.     

Coherent spin transfer between molecularly bridged quantum dots

Femtosecond time-resolved Faraday rotation spectroscopy reveals the instantaneous transfer of spin coherence through conjugated molecular bridges spanning quantum dots of different size over a broad range of temperature. The room-temperature spin-transfer efficiency is approximately 20%, showing that conjugated molecules can be used not only as interconnections for the hierarchical assembly of functional networks but also as efficient spin channels. The results suggest that this class of structures may be useful as two-spin quantum devices operating at ambient temperatures and may offer promising opportunities for future versatile molecule-based spintronic technologies.     

Quantization of multiparticle auger rates in semiconductor quantum dots

We have resolved single-exponential relaxation dynamics of the 2-, 3-, and 4-electron-hole pair states in nearly monodisperse cadmium selenide quantum dots with radii ranging from 1 to 4 nanometers. Comparison of the discrete relaxation constants measured for different multiple-pair states indicates that the carrier decay rate is cubic in carrier concentration, which is characteristic of an Auger process. We observe that in the quantum-confined regime, the Auger constant is strongly size-dependent and decreases with decreasing the quantum dot size as the radius cubed.     

Slow electron cooling in colloidal quantum dots

Hot electrons in semiconductors lose their energy very quickly (within picoseconds) to lattice vibrations. Slowing this energy loss could prove useful for more efficient photovoltaic or infrared devices. With their well-separated electronic states, quantum dots should display slow relaxation, but other mechanisms have made it difficult to observe. We report slow intraband relaxation (>1 nanosecond) in colloidal quantum dots. The small cadmium selenide (CdSe) dots, with an intraband energy separation of approximately 0.25 electron volts, are capped by an epitaxial zinc selenide (ZnSe) shell. The shell is terminated by a CdSe passivating layer to remove electron traps and is covered by ligands of low infrared absorbance (alkane thiols) at the intraband energy. We found that relaxation is markedly slowed with increasing ZnSe shell thickness.     

Spatially resolved visible luminescence of self-assembled semiconductor quantum dots

Ensembles of defect-free InAIAs islands of ultrasmall dimensions embedded in AIGaAs have been grown by molecular beam epitaxy. Cathodoluminescence was used to directly image the spatial distribution of the quantum dots by mapping their luminescence and to spectrally resolve very sharp peaks from small groups of dots, thus providing experimental verification for the discrete density of states in a zero-dimensional quantum structure. Visible luminescence is produced by different nominal compositions of InxAI(1-x)As-AIyGa(1-y)As.     

Imaging the electron wave function in self-assembled quantum dots

Magnetotunneling spectroscopy is used as a noninvasive and nondestructive probe to produce two-dimensional spatial images of the probability density of an electron confined in a self-assembled semiconductor quantum dot. The technique exploits the effect of the classical Lorentz force on the motion of a tunneling electron and can be regarded as the momentum (k) space analog of scanning tunneling microscopy imaging. The images reveal the elliptical symmetry of the ground state and the characteristic lobes of the higher energy states.     

Coherent dynamics of coupled electron and nuclear spin qubits in diamond

Understanding and controlling the complex environment of solid-state quantum bits is a central challenge in spintronics and quantum information science. Coherent manipulation of an individual electron spin associated with a nitrogen-vacancy center in diamond was used to gain insight into its local environment. We show that this environment is effectively separated into a set of individual proximal 13C nuclear spins, which are coupled coherently to the electron spin, and the remainder of the 13C nuclear spins, which cause the loss of coherence. The proximal nuclear spins can be addressed and coupled individually because of quantum back-action from the electron, which modifies their energy levels and magnetic moments, effectively distinguishing them from the rest of the nuclei. These results open the door to coherent manipulation of individual isolated nuclear spins in a solid-state environment even at room temperature.     

Mode locking of electron spin coherences in singly charged quantum dots

The fast dephasing of electron spins in an ensemble of quantum dots is detrimental for applications in quantum information processing. We show here that dephasing can be overcome by using a periodic train of light pulses to synchronize the phases of the precessing spins, and we demonstrate this effect in an ensemble of singly charged (In,Ga)As/GaAs quantum dots. This mode locking leads to constructive interference of contributions to Faraday rotation and presents potential applications based on robust quantum coherence within an ensemble of dots.     

Picosecond coherent optical manipulation of a single electron spin in a quantum dot

Most schemes for quantum information processing require fast single-qubit operations. For spin-based qubits, this involves performing arbitrary coherent rotations of the spin state on time scales much faster than the spin coherence time. By applying off-resonant, picosecond-scale optical pulses, we demonstrated the coherent rotation of a single electron spin through arbitrary angles up to pi radians. We directly observed this spin manipulation using time-resolved Kerr rotation spectroscopy and found that the results are well described by a model that includes the electronnuclear spin interaction. Measurements of the spin rotation as a function of laser detuning and intensity confirmed that the optical Stark effect is the operative mechanism.     

An all-optical quantum gate in a semiconductor quantum dot

We report coherent optical control of a biexciton (two electron-hole pairs), confined in a single quantum dot, that shows coherent oscillations similar to the excited-state Rabi flopping in an isolated atom. The pulse control of the biexciton dynamics, combined with previously demonstrated control of the single-exciton Rabi rotation, serves as the physical basis for a two-bit conditional quantum logic gate. The truth table of the gate shows the features of an all-optical quantum gate with interacting yet distinguishable excitons as qubits. Evaluation of the fidelity yields a value of 0.7 for the gate operation. Such experimental capability is essential to a scheme for scalable quantum computation by means of the optical control of spin qubits in dots.     

Electrical manipulation of magnetization reversal in a ferromagnetic semiconductor

We report electrical manipulation of magnetization processes in a ferromagnetic semiconductor, in which low-density carriers are responsible for the ferromagnetic interaction. The coercive force HC at which magnetization reversal occurs can be manipulated by modifying the carrier density through application of electric fields in a gated structure. Electrically assisted magnetization reversal, as well as electrical demagnetization, has been demonstrated through the effect. This electrical manipulation offers a functionality not previously accessible in magnetic materials and may become useful for reversing magnetization of nanoscale bits for ultrahigh-density information storage.     

Conditional dynamics of interacting quantum dots

Conditional quantum dynamics, where the quantum state of one system controls the outcome of measurements on another quantum system, is at the heart of quantum information processing. We demonstrate conditional dynamics for two coupled quantum dots, whereby the probability that one quantum dot makes a transition to an optically excited state is controlled by the presence or absence of an optical excitation in the neighboring dot. Interaction between the dots is mediated by the tunnel coupling between optically excited states and can be optically gated by applying a laser field of the right frequency. Our results represent substantial progress toward realization of an optically effected controlled-phase gate between two solid-state qubits.     

Chaotic Dirac billiard in graphene quantum dots

The exceptional electronic properties of graphene, with its charge carriers mimicking relativistic quantum particles and its formidable potential in various applications, have ensured a rapid growth of interest in this new material. We report on electron transport in quantum dot devices carved entirely from graphene. At large sizes (>100 nanometers), they behave as conventional single-electron transistors, exhibiting periodic Coulomb blockade peaks. For quantum dots smaller than 100 nanometers, the peaks become strongly nonperiodic, indicating a major contribution of quantum confinement. Random peak spacing and its statistics are well described by the theory of chaotic neutrino billiards. Short constrictions of only a few nanometers in width remain conductive and reveal a confinement gap of up to 0.5 electron volt, demonstrating the possibility of molecular-scale electronics based on graphene.     

A tunable kondo effect in quantum dots

A tunable Kondo effect has been realized in small quantum dots. A dot can be switched from a Kondo system to a non-Kondo system as the number of electrons on the dot is changed from odd to even. The Kondo temperature can be tuned by means of a gate voltage as a single-particle energy state nears the Fermi energy. Measurements of the temperature and magnetic field dependence of a Coulomb-blockaded dot show good agreement with predictions of both equilibrium and nonequilibrium Kondo effects.     

量子点在食品安全检测中的应用研究

近年来,量子点由于其优异的荧光性能,被广泛地作为生物纳米探针用于食品安全分析领域。为了解量子点及其在食品安全检测中的应用研究现状,综述了量子点的组成结构、光学特性、制备方法,以及量子点在食品安全检测方面应用取得的最新进展,并对其研究方向进行展望,以期促进量子点在食品安全检测中得到进一步的推广和运用。     

Single-electron delocalization in hybrid vertical-lateral double quantum dots

We used a hybrid vertical-lateral double-dot device, consisting of laterally coupled vertical quantum dots, to measure the interdot tunnel coupling. By using nonlinear transport measurements of "Coulomb diamonds," we showed that an inherent asymmetry in the capacitances of the component dots influences the diamond slopes, thereby allowing for the determination of the dot through which the electron has passed. We used this technique to prepare a delocalized one-electron state and Heitler-London (HL) two-electron state, and we showed that the interdot tunnel coupling, which determines whether HL is the ground state, is tunable. This implies that our device may be useful for implementing two-electron spin entanglement.     

Coherent optical control of the quantum state of a single quantum Dot

Picosecond optical excitation was used to coherently control the excitation in a single quantum dot on a time scale that is short compared with the time scale for loss of quantum coherence. The excitonic wave function was manipulated by controlling the optical phase of the two-pulse sequence through timing and polarization. Wave function engineering techniques, developed in atomic and molecular systems, were used to monitor and control a nonstationary quantum mechanical state composed of a superposition of eigenstates. The results extend the concept of coherent control in semiconductors to the limit of a single quantum system in a zero-dimensional quantum dot.     

Coherent quantum dynamics of a superconducting flux qubit

We have observed coherent time evolution between two quantum states of a superconducting flux qubit comprising three Josephson junctions in a loop. The superposition of the two states carrying opposite macroscopic persistent currents is manipulated by resonant microwave pulses. Readout by means of switching-event measurement with an attached superconducting quantum interference device revealed quantum-state oscillations with high fidelity. Under strong microwave driving, it was possible to induce hundreds of coherent oscillations. Pulsed operations on this first sample yielded a relaxation time of 900 nanoseconds and a free-induction dephasing time of 20 nanoseconds. These results are promising for future solid-state quantum computing.