Cavity-enhanced photonic crystal light-emitting diode at 1300 nm

We report direct evidence of enhanced spontaneous emission in a photonic crystal light-emitting diode (LED) at telecom wavelength (lambda similar to 1300 nm). This result is crucial to obtain an electrically driven single photon source with high extraction efficiency. This kind of devices can be used for different types of applications in emerging fields like quantum key distribution, quantum information technology as well as in fundamental studies on quantum electrodynamics. In this work we present a device which combines a photonic crystal nanocavity with InAs quantum dots (QDs) and an LED, leading to cavity-enhanced emission at telecom wavelengths under electrical injection. The fabrication process, based on e-beam lithography and additive and subtractive processes, is described in detail. A well-isolated emission peak at about 1300 nm from the PhC mode electrically pumped is obtained (Q similar to 4000), and the enhancement of the spontaneous emission rate (similar to 1.5 fold) is clearly evidenced by time-resolved electroluminescence measurements. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Growth and characterization of single quantum dot devices for fiber-based quantum communications

Blandine Alloing

Single photon sources have recently attracted significant interest for their potential role in the future applications of quantum cryptography, and in the longer term, quantum computing. Among the different types of single photon emitters, semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) are good candidates as they combine discrete electronic transitions with the possibility of electrical excitation. Self-assembled InAs QDs on GaAs substrate are by far the most studied system as they can easily be grown into a microcavity structure. Embedding these into a microcavity is important as it increases the extraction efficiency, directionality and speeds up the photon emission. Until now, most studies have concentrated on QDs emitting in the λ

EPFL2006

Investigation into the coupling of quantum dots to photonic crystal nanocavities at telecommunication wavelengths

Laurent Balet

Recently, the emission of single photons with emission wavelength in the 1.3 µm telecommunication window was demonstrated for InAs quantum dots. This makes them strong candidates for applications such as quantum cryptography, and in a longer term, quantum computing. However, efficient extraction of the spontaneous emission from semiconductors still represents a major challenge due to total internal reflection at the semiconductor/air interface. In particular, single photon sources based on quantum dots are plagued by low extraction efficiency and poor coupling to single-mode fibers, typically on the order of 10-3 ~ 10-4, which prevents their application to quantum communication. To seek a solution to this problem, this thesis work explores the integration of quantum dots, with emission at 1.3 µm, in photonic crystal microcavities. Photons emitted in a mode of the cavity are funneled out of the semiconductor, and thus bypass the total internal reflection. In addition, the modified density of electromagnetic states in the cavity affects the emission lifetime of a weakly coupled emitter: in resonance, we assist to an increase of the emission rate, known as the Purcell effect, that would allow faster data transmission. Photonic crystal microcavities conveniently address this objective as they provide modes with the required small volumes and high quality factors. They also allow the engineering of the farfield pattern of the cavity modes, and thus of the collection efficiency. In the following pages, after brie y reviewing single photon emitters, the Purcell effect, and photonic crystal cavities, we present our results on the coupling of quantum dots to photonic crystal cavities. We report on the different strategies we used to control the tuning between the cavity mode and the quantum dot emission frequency. We also show our efforts in improving the collection of coupled photons by engineering the shape of the microcavity. Finally, we present our time-resolved measurements demonstrating the Purcell effect under optical and electrical operation.

EPFL2009

Electronic and Optical Properties of Semiconductor Quantum Dots

Guillaume Jean Tarel

This thesis is devoted to theoretically study the systems of single quantum dots (QDs) embedded in various photonic nanostructures, in close relation with experimental data. The word single is essential: due to their nanometer size, QDs have mainly been studied as ensembles. It is only recently that the experimental progress, in particular in the domain of QDs growth, has allowed to address single QDs. This helped to observe that the confined states in a QD resemble those of an atom, leading in turn to the macro-atom picture for QDs. It opened the path to the study of cavity quantum electrodynamics (CQED) in the solid state, as the analogous of a system of an atom in an electromagnetic cavity. However, already at the level of the QD (i.e. without a solid state cavity), the macro-atom picture has been proven to be oversimplified. Various effects related to the solid state environment of the QD have been experimentally and theoretically evidenced, like the influence of acoustic and optical phonons. These are channels of decoherence for the otherwise well isolated and confined QD levels. When adding the cavity, these effects are possibly enhanced, which can lead to very large deviations from the CQED ideal picture. Therefore the clear understanding of these effects is of essential importance, especially in view of the application of solid state systems to quantum information science. In Chapter 2, we address the radiation-matter coupling between two QDs in a nanocavity. This field of research combines the high quality of light resonators to the nonlinearities of the semiconductor material. It is promising in view of manipulating and transferring single long-lived excitations, an essential goal for quantum information science. Then, we study the deviations of a QD from the idealized macroatom picture. First, in Chapter 3, we include the influence of acoustic phonons on the light emitted by a QD-cavity system. We show that the QD modified susceptibility leads to the qualitative explanation of the cavity feeding effects, which is one of the most striking deviations of the QD-cavity system from the ideal CQED picture. In addition to phonons are extended two-dimensional states populated by the non resonant pumping laser in the QD's wetting layer (WL). In Chapters 4 and 5 we build a Monte-Carlo model of the excitation-decay mechanism in a QD-cavity system. We use it to describe the influence of WL states on the dynamics of the QD, leading in turn to a non-CQED behavior. This approach is particularly successful in the case of large QD-cavity detuning, where it predicts both time-dependent and spectral characteristics of the emitted light. Finally, in Chapter 6, we discuss our conclusions, emphasizing in particular that the knowledge of the actual solid state environment of the QD leads to a better control over the parameters allowing to reach the CQED regime. We also discuss the possible extensions of this work, in particular in relation to the analysis of the stimulated emission regime.