Since discrete multilevel transitions of quantum-dot molecules driven by external electromagnetic fields can exhibit quantum coherence effects, such an optical characteristic can be utilized to control propagation of electromagnetic wave through a quantum-dot molecule dielectric film. Since inner-dot tunneling in quantum-dot molecules can be controlled by a gate voltage, destructive quantum coherence among multilevel transitions in quantum-dot molecule would give rise to EIT (electromagnetically induced transparency). In this report, we shall investigate controllable on- and off-resonance tunneling effects of an incident electromagnetic wave through such a quan-tum-dot-molecule dielectric film, of which the optical response is tuned by the switchable gate voltage. We have found from the theoretical mechanism that a high gate voltage can cause the EIT phenomenon of quan-tum-dot-molecule systems, and under the condition of on-resonance light tunneling through the thin film, the probe field will propagation without loss if the probe frequency detuning is zero. By taking advantage of these effects sensitive to the tunable gate voltage, such quantum coherence would be inte-grated in certain photonic structures, and some devices such as photonic switching and transistors can be designed. Transient evolution of optical characteristics in the quantum-dot-molecule dielectric film (once the tunable gate voltage is turned on or off) is also considered in this report.
Since discrete multilevel transitions of quantum-dot molecules driven by external electromagnetic fields can exhibit quantum coherence effects, such an optical characteristic can be utilized to control propagation of electromagnetic wave through a quantum-dot molecule dielectric film. Since inner-dot tunneling in quantum-dot molecules can be controlled by a gate voltage, destructive quantum coherence among multilevel transitions in quantum-dot molecule would give rise to EIT (electromagnetically induced transparency). In this report, we shall investigate controllable on- and off-resonance tunneling effects of an incident electromagnetic wave through such a quan-tum-dot-molecule dielectric film, of which the optical response is tuned by the switchable gate voltage. We have found from the theoretical mechanism that a high gate voltage can cause the EIT phenomenon of quan-tum-dot-molecule systems, and under the condition of on-resonance light tunneling through the thin film, the probe field will propagation without loss if the probe frequency detuning is zero. By taking advantage of these effects sensitive to the tunable gate voltage, such quantum coherence would be inte-grated in certain photonic structures, and some devices such as photonic switching and transistors can be designed. Transient evolution of optical characteristics in the quantum-dot-molecule dielectric film (once the tunable gate voltage is turned on or off) is also considered in this report.
Quantum-dot-molecular phase coherence (and the relevant quantum-interference-switchable optical response) can be utilized to control electromagnetic wave propagation via a gate voltage, since quantum-dot molecules can exhibit an effect of quantum coherence (phase coherence) when quantum-dot-molecular discrete multilevel transitions are driven by an electromagnetic wave. Interdot tunneling of carriers (electrons and holes) controlled by the gate voltage can lead to destructive quantum interference in a quantum-dot molecule that is coupled to an incident electromagnetic wave, and gives rise to a quantum coherence effect (e.g., electromagnetically induced transparency, EIT) in a quantum-dot-molecule dielectric film. The tunable on- and off-resonance tunneling effect of an incident electromagnetic wave (probe field) through such a quantum-coherent quantum-dot-molecule dielectric film is investigated. It is found that a high gate voltage can lead to the EIT phenomenon of the quantum-dot-molecular systems. Under the condition of on-resonance light tunneling through the present quantum-dot-molecule dielectric film, the probe field should propagate without loss if the probe frequency detuning is zero. Such an effect caused by both EIT and resonant tunneling, which is sensitive to the gate voltage, can be utilized for designing devices such as photonic switching, transistors, and logic gates.
Atomic phase coherence (quantum interference) in a multilevel atomic gas exhibits a number of interesting phenomena. Such an atomic quantum coherence effect can be generalized to a quantum-dot molecular dielectric. Two quantum dots form a quantum-dot molecule, which can be described by a three-level Λ-configuration model {∣0⟩,∣1⟩,∣2⟩}, i.e., the ground state of the molecule is the lower level |0〉 and the highly degenerate electronic states in the two quantum dots are the two upper levels ∣1⟩,∣2⟩. The electromagnetic characteristics due to the |0〉–|1〉 transition can be controllably manipulated by a tunable gate voltage (control field) that drives the |2〉–|1〉 transition. When the gate voltage is switched on, the quantum-dot molecular state can evolve from one steady state (i.e., |0〉–|1〉 two-level dressed state) to another steady state (i.e., three-level coherent-population-trapping state). In this process, the electromagnetic characteristics of a quantum-dot molecular dielectric, which is modified by the gate voltage, will also evolve. In this study, the transient evolutional behavior of the susceptibility of a quantum-dot molecular thin film and its reflection spectrum are treated by using the density matrix formulation of the multilevel systems. The present field-tunable and frequency-sensitive electromagnetic characteristics of a quantum-dot molecular thin film, which are sensitive to the applied gate voltage, can be utilized to design optical switching devices.
An EIT (electromagnetically induced transparency)-based prism coupler is suggested for realizing tunable re∞ection spectrum via quantum coherence of phases in a multilevel system, where destructive and constructive quantum interference will occur among multilevel transition pathways that are driven by two external control flelds. In this prism coupler, a semiconductor-quantum-dot (SQD) medium layer, which can exhibit EIT and relevant quantum coherent efiects, bounds the prism base, and the two external control flelds are used to manipulate the probe fleld and the excited surface plasmon wave (on the SQD layer surface). Then the surface plasmon wave modes, which are generated by the probe fleld incident into this multilevel SQD medium layer, can be coherently tunable through the switchable quantum interference (destructive and constructive quantum interference) among the energy levels in the SQD systems. Such switchable quantum interference can be realized if we tune the intensities (i.e., adjust a proper intensity ratio) of the two control flelds that drive the SQD multilevel EIT system. New switchable photonic devices, which could flnd applications in photonic microcircuits as well as some areas in integrated optical circuits, could be designed based on this quantum-interference switchable surface plasmon resonance.
An experimentally feasible configuration of a prism coupler with an electromagnetically-induced-transparency (EIT) medium layer, e.g., a semiconductor-quantum-dot (SQD) medium, deposited upon its prism base is suggested for generating tunable surface-plasmon-polariton resonance. Such surface-plasmon-polariton resonance and optical excitation of a surface plasmon wave can be manipulated by switchable quantum interference among SQD multilevel transitions driven by two external control fields. When an incident probe field is coupled into a surface plasmon wave excitation mode, the surface-plasmon-polariton (SPP) resonance at the interface between the SQD medium layer and the substrate will arise, and the quantum-coherently controllable reflection spectrum of the probe field on the prism base can be achieved. In this process, destructive and constructive quantum interference (determined by the intensity ratio of the two external control fields) in the SQD multilevel system plays a key role for achieving the tunable reflection spectrum. The EIT-based surface-plasmon-polariton resonance presented here will have three characteristics (some of them would be attractive): (i) switchable quantum interference exhibited by surface plasmon wave excitation, (ii) quantum-coherently controllable surface plasmon polaritons by external optical fields, (iii) surface wave sensitive to dispersion of the SQD quantum coherent medium. Such an effect of controllable optical response based on the quantum-interference switchable surface-plasmon-polariton resonance in the EIT-prism coupler may find some potential applications in design of new photonic and quantum optical devices.
This study investigates the tunable propagation of optical pulses in a three-level system of coupled quantum dots. The system forms an effective closed configuration, supporting strong quantum coherence and controllable light–matter interactions. Using the density matrix formalism, we analyze the quantum dynamical response under the influence of both a weak probe and a strong control field, with inter-dot tunneling acting as a key tunable parameter. Our results reveal that both the tunneling strength (Te) and control field Rabi frequency (Ωc) play crucial roles in shaping the system’s optical properties. We observe the emergence of electromagnetically induced transparency-like windows, the splitting and shifting of dispersion peaks, and the formation of absorption doublets and transparency windows. The real and imaginary parts of the electric permittivity exhibit pronounced sensitivity to these external controls. Furthermore, the group index and group velocity are shown to be highly tunable, enabling transitions between slow-light and fast-light regimes. Detailed analysis of temporal pulse dynamics demonstrates the ability to achieve controllable delay and advancement of optical pulses, depending on the interaction between Te and Ωc. These findings highlight the potential of such quantum dot systems for dynamic photonic control, including applications in optical buffering, reconfigurable delay lines, coherent switching, and quantum information processing. The demonstrated tunability and coherence effects make this platform a promising candidate for next-generation optoelectronic and quantum photonic technologies.
We study infrared-light propagation and dynamical control of a tunable three-level system in a driven quantum-dot (QD) molecule by means of interdot tunnelling instead of a pumping laser. By numerically solving coupled Bloch?Maxwell equations, it is shown that under the resonant tunnelling condition, an interband (IB) infrared-light pulse acting as a 'signal' can propagate with transparency due to the strong tunnelling-induced coupling. However, when the applied bias voltage tilts the energy levels of the structure such that the levels of the different dots move out of resonance (i.e., the nonresonant tunnelling), with an increase of detuning ?12, the coupling efficiency of interdot tunnelling decreases considerably and the IB infrared-light pulse will be almost completely absorbed after a characteristic propagation length. This can work as an absorptive optical switch where a signal (IB infrared light) is fully controlled by the external bias voltage. Our calculations provide a guideline for the development of new types of nanoelectronic devices in the QD solid-state system, which is much more practical than that in an atomic system because of its flexible design and the controllable (tunable) interference strength.