© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

Terms Privacy Legal Notice

Journal of Applied Physics

Nonlinear optical phase shift in InAs quantum dots measured by a unique two-color pump∕probe ellipsometric polarization analysis

Hitoshi Nakamura, Kyozo Kanamoto, Y. Nakamura, Shunsuke Ohkouchi, H. Ishikawa, K. Asakawa

Published Jul 26, 2004• 37 citations

Abstract

The nonlinear optical phase shift in self-assembled InAs quantum dots (QDs) under resonant excitation in a ground-state transition was measured by a unique two-color pump∕probe ellipsometric polarization analysis. This ellipsometric analysis makes use of the large optical birefringence of SK-QD [(SK) — Stranski-Krastanov] originating from the asymmetric structure. A phase shift of 0.5π rad was obtained at an input pump pulse energy density of 30pJ∕μm2, a detuning of 11meV, and a time delay of 20ps in a 1mm long waveguide having QDs with a peak wavelength of 1290nm, a volume density of 4×1015cm−3, and inhomogeneous broadening of 35meV. Analysis revealed that the phase shift is mainly attributed to the absorption saturation for TE-polarized light, though other mechanisms also could contribute at higher pumping. The calculation, based on the two-level approximation, revealed that the minimum energy density for π shift is 240fJ∕μm2, calculated under ideal conditions.

DOI: 10.1063/1.1767616

Related papers

Nonlinear phase-shifts in self-assembled quantum dot samples under CW driving

T. Ackemann, A. Tierno, Sylvain Barbay +2 more

We analyze the strength of the nonlinear refractive index change associated with the saturation of the ground state absorption or gain of self-assembled quantum dot samples under cw optical injection. The model is based on a two-level framework but takes into account the strong coupling of quantum dots to the wetting layer by thermal excitations and Auger processes. Due to the inhomogeneous broadening and limited density the effect turns out to be weak though it should be experimentally detectable using self-lensing, the shift of Fabry-Perot resonances or interferometric schemes.

International Conference on Transparent Optical Networks•Jun 1, 2010•0 citations

Dephasing of intersublevel polarizations in InAs/GaAs self-assembled quantum dots

S. Sauvage, P. Boucaud, T. Brunhes +4 more

We have performed time-integrated degenerate four-wave mixing experiments in InAs/GaAs self-assembled quantum dots. The quantum dots are excited in resonance with an intersublevel transition between the valence states of the dots. The dephasing time ${T}_{2}$ is deduced from the time dependence of the photon echo amplitude as a function of the delay between the two incident pulses. At low temperature, a dephasing time ${T}_{2}$ of 15 ps is measured for a resonant excitation at 7.4 \ensuremath{\mu}m wavelength. This dephasing corresponds to an homogeneous broadening of the intersublevel transition of 87 \ensuremath{\mu}eV. The polarization decay time is much longer than the one observed for resonant intersubband excitations in quantum wells. The dephasing time of the intersublevel polarization exhibits only a weak temperature dependence, indicating that the dephasing is not dominated by phonon-assisted scattering mechanisms.

Physical review. B, Condensed matter•Oct 23, 2002•19 citations

Detuning dependence of Rabi oscillations in an InAs self-assembled quantum dot ensemble

Takeshi Suzuki, Rohan Singh, M. Bayer +3 more

Inhomogeneous broadening in ensembles of semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) has hindered coherent operations due to the detuning effects, caused by the large fluctuation in the QD transition energy due to size dispersion. This difficulty is especially evident when using femtosecond laser pulses for excitation. Here, the authors successfully measure detuning-dependent coherent evolution for a QD ensemble by employing prepulse two-dimensional coherent spectroscopy. The dephasing mechanism is found to be significantly different from that observed using picosecond lasers. This work presents a novel method to explore collective phenomena, such as superfluorescence, as well as motivating future studies of coherent interactions in the femtosecond regime.

Physical review. B./Physical review. B•Apr 4, 2018•30 citations

Ultrafast Nonlinear Spectroscopy of Strain-compensated Quantum Dots

Junko Ishi‐Hayase

We investigate the dephasing mechanism of optically-induced exciton coherence in an ensemble of InAs self-assembled quantum dots (QDs) using a two-pulse photon-echo (PE) technique. The sample was fabricated on an InP (311)B substrate using strain compensation to control the emission wavelength. This technique also enabled us to fabricate a 150-layer stacked QD structure for enhancing the PE signal intensity. We show the measured decay time of PE signal intensity for resonant excitation of ground-state transition is extremely long, which corresponds to ultralong coherence times of excitons in our QDs. We confirmed that non-radiative population relaxation and pure dephasing are considerably smaller than the radiative relaxation at low temperature. Furthermore, we demonstrate the ultrafast coherent control of QD exciton polarization by changing the pulse areas (Rabi oscillations) in the PE experiment. We also propose a new scheme for implementing QD quantum memory by using the PE technique.

Hyomen Kagaku•Jan 1, 2011•0 citations

Transient electromagnetically induced transparency in self-assembled quantum dots

S. Marcinkevičius, A. Gushterov, J.P. Reithmaier

A coherent absorption dip in pump-probe experiment performed on a ten layer optically thin InGaAs∕GaAs quantum dot (QD) structure has been observed. Measurements performed for different wavelengths, polarizations, pulse widths, and temperatures allow assigning the dip to electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT). The EIT scheme is based on coupling of excitons with different spins in asymmetric QDs. Using spectrally narrow pulses, detrimental effect of the inhomogeneous broadening is reduced since only the QDs with transitions resonant with the pulse wavelength are addressed and participate in the EIT. The effect has been observed at temperatures up to 140K.

Applied Physics Letters•Jan 28, 2008•103 citations

Optical Stark Effect in a Quantum Dot: Ultrafast Control of Single Exciton Polarizations

Thomas Unold, Kerstin Mueller, Christoph Lienau +2 more

We report the first experimental study of the optical Stark effect in single semiconductor quantum dots (QD). For below band gap excitation, two-color pump-probe spectra show dispersive line shapes caused by a light-induced blueshift of the excitonic resonance. The line shape depends strongly on the excitation field strength and is determined by the pump-induced phase shift of the coherent QD polarization. Transient spectral oscillations can be understood as rotations of the QD polarization phase with negligible population change. Ultrafast control of the QD polarization is demonstrated.

Physical Review Letters•Apr 16, 2004•150 citations

The nonlinear optical phase shift in self-assembled InAs quantum dots (QDs) under resonant excitation in a ground-state transition was measured by a unique two-color pump∕probe ellipsometric polarization analysis. This ellipsometric analysis makes use of the large optical birefringence of SK-QD [(SK) — Stranski-Krastanov] originating from the asymmetric structure. A phase shift of 0.5π rad was obtained at an input pump pulse energy density of 30pJ∕μm2, a detuning of 11meV, and a time delay of 20ps in a 1mm long waveguide having QDs with a peak wavelength of 1290nm, a volume density of 4×1015cm−3, and inhomogeneous broadening of 35meV. Analysis revealed that the phase shift is mainly attributed to the absorption saturation for TE-polarized light, though other mechanisms also could contribute at higher pumping. The calculation, based on the two-level approximation, revealed that the minimum energy density for π shift is 240fJ∕μm2, calculated under ideal conditions.

We analyze the strength of the nonlinear refractive index change associated with the saturation of the ground state absorption or gain of self-assembled quantum dot samples under cw optical injection. The model is based on a two-level framework but takes into account the strong coupling of quantum dots to the wetting layer by thermal excitations and Auger processes. Due to the inhomogeneous broadening and limited density the effect turns out to be weak though it should be experimentally detectable using self-lensing, the shift of Fabry-Perot resonances or interferometric schemes.

We have performed time-integrated degenerate four-wave mixing experiments in InAs/GaAs self-assembled quantum dots. The quantum dots are excited in resonance with an intersublevel transition between the valence states of the dots. The dephasing time

{T}_{2}

is deduced from the time dependence of the photon echo amplitude as a function of the delay between the two incident pulses. At low temperature, a dephasing time

{T}_{2}

of 15 ps is measured for a resonant excitation at 7.4 \ensuremath{\mu}m wavelength. This dephasing corresponds to an homogeneous broadening of the intersublevel transition of 87 \ensuremath{\mu}eV. The polarization decay time is much longer than the one observed for resonant intersubband excitations in quantum wells. The dephasing time of the intersublevel polarization exhibits only a weak temperature dependence, indicating that the dephasing is not dominated by phonon-assisted scattering mechanisms.

Inhomogeneous broadening in ensembles of semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) has hindered coherent operations due to the detuning effects, caused by the large fluctuation in the QD transition energy due to size dispersion. This difficulty is especially evident when using femtosecond laser pulses for excitation. Here, the authors successfully measure detuning-dependent coherent evolution for a QD ensemble by employing prepulse two-dimensional coherent spectroscopy. The dephasing mechanism is found to be significantly different from that observed using picosecond lasers. This work presents a novel method to explore collective phenomena, such as superfluorescence, as well as motivating future studies of coherent interactions in the femtosecond regime.

We investigate the dephasing mechanism of optically-induced exciton coherence in an ensemble of InAs self-assembled quantum dots (QDs) using a two-pulse photon-echo (PE) technique. The sample was fabricated on an InP (311)B substrate using strain compensation to control the emission wavelength. This technique also enabled us to fabricate a 150-layer stacked QD structure for enhancing the PE signal intensity. We show the measured decay time of PE signal intensity for resonant excitation of ground-state transition is extremely long, which corresponds to ultralong coherence times of excitons in our QDs. We confirmed that non-radiative population relaxation and pure dephasing are considerably smaller than the radiative relaxation at low temperature. Furthermore, we demonstrate the ultrafast coherent control of QD exciton polarization by changing the pulse areas (Rabi oscillations) in the PE experiment. We also propose a new scheme for implementing QD quantum memory by using the PE technique.

A coherent absorption dip in pump-probe experiment performed on a ten layer optically thin InGaAs∕GaAs quantum dot (QD) structure has been observed. Measurements performed for different wavelengths, polarizations, pulse widths, and temperatures allow assigning the dip to electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT). The EIT scheme is based on coupling of excitons with different spins in asymmetric QDs. Using spectrally narrow pulses, detrimental effect of the inhomogeneous broadening is reduced since only the QDs with transitions resonant with the pulse wavelength are addressed and participate in the EIT. The effect has been observed at temperatures up to 140K.

We report the first experimental study of the optical Stark effect in single semiconductor quantum dots (QD). For below band gap excitation, two-color pump-probe spectra show dispersive line shapes caused by a light-induced blueshift of the excitonic resonance. The line shape depends strongly on the excitation field strength and is determined by the pump-induced phase shift of the coherent QD polarization. Transient spectral oscillations can be understood as rotations of the QD polarization phase with negligible population change. Ultrafast control of the QD polarization is demonstrated.