Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

arXiv:1604.02324 · Physical Review Letters

Harvesting, Coupling, and Control of Single-Exciton Coherences in Photonic Waveguide Antennas

Quentin Mermillod, Tomasz Jakubczyk, Valentin Delmonte, Adrien Delga, Emanuel Peinke, Jean‐Michel Gérard, Julien Claudon, Jacek Kasprzak

Published Apr 22, 2016• 26 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

We perform coherent nonlinear spectroscopy of individual excitons strongly confined in single InAs quantum dots (QDs). The retrieval of their intrinsically weak four-wave mixing (FWM) response is enabled by a one-dimensional dielectric waveguide antenna. Compared to a similar QD embedded in bulk media, the FWM detection sensitivity is enhanced by up to 4 orders of magnitude, over a broad operation bandwidth. Three-beam FWM is employed to investigate coherence and population dynamics within individual QD transitions. We retrieve their homogenous dephasing in a presence of low-frequency spectral wandering. Two-dimensional FWM reveals off-resonant Förster coupling between a pair of distinct QDs embedded in the antenna. We also detect a higher order QD nonlinearity (six-wave mixing) and use it to coherently control the FWM transient. Waveguide antennas enable us to conceive multicolor coherent manipulation schemes of individual emitters.

DOI
10.1103/physrevlett.116.163903

Related papers

Dynamics of excitons in individual InAs quantum dots revealed in four-wave mixing spectroscopy

Quentin Mermillod, Daniel Wigger, Valentin Delmonte +8 more

A detailed understanding of the population and coherence dynamics in optically driven individual emitters in solids and their signatures in ultrafast nonlinear-optical signals is of prime importance for their applications in future quantum and optical technologies. In a combined experimental and theoretical study on exciton complexes in single semiconductor quantum dots we reveal a detailed picture of the dynamics employing three-beam polarization-resolved four-wave mixing (FWM) micro-spectroscopy. The oscillatory dynamics of the FWM signals in the exciton-biexciton system is governed by the fine-structure splitting and the biexciton binding energy in an excellent quantitative agreement between measurement and analytical description. The analysis of the excitation conditions exhibits a dependence of the dynamics on the specific choice of polarization configuration, pulse areas and temporal ordering of driving fields. The interplay between the transitions in the four-level exciton system leads to rich evolution of coherence and population. Using two-dimensional FWM spectroscopy we elucidate the exciton-biexciton coupling and identify neutral and charged exciton complexes in a single quantum dot. Our investigations thus clearly reveal that FWM spectroscopy is a powerful tool to characterize spectral and dynamical properties of single quantum structures.

arXiv:1604.02262•Optica•Apr 1, 2016•60 citations

Exploring coherence of individual excitons in InAs quantum dots embedded in natural photonic defects: Influence of the excitation intensity

Daniel Wigger, Quentin Mermillod, Tomasz Jakubczyk +9 more

The exact optical response of quantum few-level systems depends crucially on the exact choice of the incoming pulse areas. We use four-wave mixing (FWM) spectroscopy to infer the coherent response and dynamics of single InAs quantum dots (QDs) and study their pulse area dependence. By combining atomic force microscopy with FWM hyperspectral imaging, we show that the retrieved FWM signals originate from individual QDs enclosed in natural photonic defects. The optimized light-matter coupling in these defects allows us to perform our studies in a wide range of driving field amplitudes. When varying the pulse areas of the exciting laser pulses, Rabi rotations of microscopic interband coherences can be resolved by the two-pulse FWM technique. We investigate these Rabi coherence rotations within two- and three-level systems, both theoretically and experimentally, and explain their damping by the coupling to acoustic phonons. To highlight the importance of the pulse area influence, we show that the phonon-induced dephasing of QD excitons depends on the pulse intensity.

arXiv:1704.03290•Physical review. B./Physical review. B•Oct 24, 2017•12 citations

Transient coherent nonlinear spectroscopy of single quantum dots

W. Langbein, Brian Patton

We review our recent advances in four-wave mixing spectroscopy of single semiconductor quantum dots using heterodyne spectral interferometry, a novel implementation of transient nonlinear spectroscopy allowing the study of the transient nonlinear polarization emitted from individual electronic transitions in both amplitude and phase. We present experiments on individual excitonic transitions localized in monolayer islands of GaAs/AlAs quantum wells and in self-assembled CdTe/ZnTe quantum dots. We investigate the formation of the photon echo from individual transitions, both with increasing number of transitions in the ensemble, and in the presence of temporal jitter of the energy of a single transition. The detection of amplitude and phase of the signal allows the implementation of a two-dimensional femtosecond spectroscopy, in which mutual coherent coupling of single quantum dot states can observed and quantified.

Journal of Physics Condensed Matter•Jun 11, 2007•25 citations

Coherent coupling of individual quantum dots measured with phase-referenced two-dimensional spectroscopy: Photon echo versus double quantum coherence

Valentin Delmonte, Judith F. Specht, Tomasz Jakubczyk +7 more

We employ two-dimensional (2D) coherent, nonlinear spectroscopy to investigate couplings within individual InAs quantum dots (QDs) and QD molecules. Swapping pulse ordering in a two-beam sequence permits one to distinguish between rephasing and nonrephasing four-wave mixing (FWM) configurations. We emphasize the nonrephasing case, allowing one to monitor two-photon coherence dynamics. Respective Fourier transform yields a double quantum 2D FWM map, which is corroborated with its single quantum counterpart, originating from the rephasing sequence. We introduce referencing of the FWM phase with the one carried by the driving pulses, overcoming the necessity of its active stabilization, as required in 2D spectroscopy. Combining single and double quantum 2D FWM provides a pertinent tool in detecting and ascertaining coherent coupling mechanisms between individual quantum systems, as exemplified experimentally.

arXiv:1703.07591•Physical review. B./Physical review. B•Jul 26, 2017•39 citations

Coherent control of exciton in a single InAs/GaAs quantum dot

Shunsuke Kono, Akihisa Tomita, Junichi Fujikata +2 more

In this presentation, we observed the coherent optical nonlinear interaction of exciton in a single InAs/GaAs self-assembled QD by using coherent control technique at the wavelength 1127 nm, 4.2 K. Due to the large diameter of InAs QDs in the longer wavelength range, dipole moment of confined excitons is predicted to be large so that coherent optical interaction such as Rabi oscillation is expected to be observed. Large dipole moment is one of the most important criteria to realize strong interaction between photons and excitons in QDs.

Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics Europe & European Quantum Electronics Conference (CLEO/Europe-EQEC)•Jun 1, 2007•0 citations

Rabi oscillations of a quantum dot exciton coupled to acoustic phonons: coherence and population readout

Daniel Wigger, Christian Schneider, Stefan Gerhardt +4 more

While the advanced coherent control of qubits is now routinely carried out in low frequency (GHz) systems like single spins, it is far more challenging to achieve for two-level systems in the optical domain. This is because the latter evolve typically in the THz range, calling for tools of ultrafast, coherent, nonlinear optics. Using four-wave mixing micro-spectroscopy, we here measure the optically driven dynamics of a single exciton quantum state confined in a semiconductor quantum dot. In a combined experimental and theoretical approach, we reveal the intrinsic Rabi oscillation dynamics by monitoring both central exciton quantities, i.e., its occupation and the microscopic coherence, as resolved by the four-wave mixing technique. In the frequency domain this oscillation generates the Autler-Townes splitting of the light-exciton dressed states, directly seen in the four-wave mixing spectra. We further demonstrate that the coupling to acoustic phonons strongly influences the FWM dynamics on the picosecond timescale, because it leads to transitions between the dressed states.

arXiv:1809.10549•Optica•Nov 6, 2018•25 citations
We perform coherent nonlinear spectroscopy of individual excitons strongly confined in single InAs quantum dots (QDs). The retrieval of their intrinsically weak four-wave mixing (FWM) response is enabled by a one-dimensional dielectric waveguide antenna. Compared to a similar QD embedded in bulk media, the FWM detection sensitivity is enhanced by up to 4 orders of magnitude, over a broad operation bandwidth. Three-beam FWM is employed to investigate coherence and population dynamics within individual QD transitions. We retrieve their homogenous dephasing in a presence of low-frequency spectral wandering. Two-dimensional FWM reveals off-resonant Förster coupling between a pair of distinct QDs embedded in the antenna. We also detect a higher order QD nonlinearity (six-wave mixing) and use it to coherently control the FWM transient. Waveguide antennas enable us to conceive multicolor coherent manipulation schemes of individual emitters.
A detailed understanding of the population and coherence dynamics in optically driven individual emitters in solids and their signatures in ultrafast nonlinear-optical signals is of prime importance for their applications in future quantum and optical technologies. In a combined experimental and theoretical study on exciton complexes in single semiconductor quantum dots we reveal a detailed picture of the dynamics employing three-beam polarization-resolved four-wave mixing (FWM) micro-spectroscopy. The oscillatory dynamics of the FWM signals in the exciton-biexciton system is governed by the fine-structure splitting and the biexciton binding energy in an excellent quantitative agreement between measurement and analytical description. The analysis of the excitation conditions exhibits a dependence of the dynamics on the specific choice of polarization configuration, pulse areas and temporal ordering of driving fields. The interplay between the transitions in the four-level exciton system leads to rich evolution of coherence and population. Using two-dimensional FWM spectroscopy we elucidate the exciton-biexciton coupling and identify neutral and charged exciton complexes in a single quantum dot. Our investigations thus clearly reveal that FWM spectroscopy is a powerful tool to characterize spectral and dynamical properties of single quantum structures.
The exact optical response of quantum few-level systems depends crucially on the exact choice of the incoming pulse areas. We use four-wave mixing (FWM) spectroscopy to infer the coherent response and dynamics of single InAs quantum dots (QDs) and study their pulse area dependence. By combining atomic force microscopy with FWM hyperspectral imaging, we show that the retrieved FWM signals originate from individual QDs enclosed in natural photonic defects. The optimized light-matter coupling in these defects allows us to perform our studies in a wide range of driving field amplitudes. When varying the pulse areas of the exciting laser pulses, Rabi rotations of microscopic interband coherences can be resolved by the two-pulse FWM technique. We investigate these Rabi coherence rotations within two- and three-level systems, both theoretically and experimentally, and explain their damping by the coupling to acoustic phonons. To highlight the importance of the pulse area influence, we show that the phonon-induced dephasing of QD excitons depends on the pulse intensity.
We review our recent advances in four-wave mixing spectroscopy of single semiconductor quantum dots using heterodyne spectral interferometry, a novel implementation of transient nonlinear spectroscopy allowing the study of the transient nonlinear polarization emitted from individual electronic transitions in both amplitude and phase. We present experiments on individual excitonic transitions localized in monolayer islands of GaAs/AlAs quantum wells and in self-assembled CdTe/ZnTe quantum dots. We investigate the formation of the photon echo from individual transitions, both with increasing number of transitions in the ensemble, and in the presence of temporal jitter of the energy of a single transition. The detection of amplitude and phase of the signal allows the implementation of a two-dimensional femtosecond spectroscopy, in which mutual coherent coupling of single quantum dot states can observed and quantified.
We employ two-dimensional (2D) coherent, nonlinear spectroscopy to investigate couplings within individual InAs quantum dots (QDs) and QD molecules. Swapping pulse ordering in a two-beam sequence permits one to distinguish between rephasing and nonrephasing four-wave mixing (FWM) configurations. We emphasize the nonrephasing case, allowing one to monitor two-photon coherence dynamics. Respective Fourier transform yields a double quantum 2D FWM map, which is corroborated with its single quantum counterpart, originating from the rephasing sequence. We introduce referencing of the FWM phase with the one carried by the driving pulses, overcoming the necessity of its active stabilization, as required in 2D spectroscopy. Combining single and double quantum 2D FWM provides a pertinent tool in detecting and ascertaining coherent coupling mechanisms between individual quantum systems, as exemplified experimentally.
In this presentation, we observed the coherent optical nonlinear interaction of exciton in a single InAs/GaAs self-assembled QD by using coherent control technique at the wavelength 1127 nm, 4.2 K. Due to the large diameter of InAs QDs in the longer wavelength range, dipole moment of confined excitons is predicted to be large so that coherent optical interaction such as Rabi oscillation is expected to be observed. Large dipole moment is one of the most important criteria to realize strong interaction between photons and excitons in QDs.
While the advanced coherent control of qubits is now routinely carried out in low frequency (GHz) systems like single spins, it is far more challenging to achieve for two-level systems in the optical domain. This is because the latter evolve typically in the THz range, calling for tools of ultrafast, coherent, nonlinear optics. Using four-wave mixing micro-spectroscopy, we here measure the optically driven dynamics of a single exciton quantum state confined in a semiconductor quantum dot. In a combined experimental and theoretical approach, we reveal the intrinsic Rabi oscillation dynamics by monitoring both central exciton quantities, i.e., its occupation and the microscopic coherence, as resolved by the four-wave mixing technique. In the frequency domain this oscillation generates the Autler-Townes splitting of the light-exciton dressed states, directly seen in the four-wave mixing spectra. We further demonstrate that the coupling to acoustic phonons strongly influences the FWM dynamics on the picosecond timescale, because it leads to transitions between the dressed states.