Strain-gradient position mapping of semiconductor quantum dots

COORDENAÇÃO DE APERFEIÇOAMENTO DE PESSOAL DE NÍVEL SUPERIOR - CAPESWe introduce a nondestructive method to determine the position of randomly distributed semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) integrated in a solid photonic structure. By setting the structure in an oscillating motion, we generate a large stress gradient across the QDs plane. We then exploit the fact that the QDs emission frequency is highly sensitive to the local material stress to map the position of QDs deeply embedded in a photonic wire antenna with an accuracy ranging from +/- 35 nm down to +/- 1 nm. In the context of fast developing quantum technologies, this technique can be generalized to different photonic nanostructures embedding any stress-sensitive quantum emitters.1181116COORDENAÇÃO DE APERFEIÇOAMENTO DE PESSOAL DE NÍVEL SUPERIOR - CAPESCOORDENAÇÃO DE APERFEIÇOAMENTO DE PESSOAL DE NÍVEL SUPERIOR - CAPES88887.059630/2014-00The authors wish to thank E. Gautier for the FIB cut and images. Sample fabrication was carried out in the Upstream Nanofabrication Facility (PTA) and CEA LETI MINATEC/DOPT clean rooms. P.-L. de Assis was financially supported by Agence Nationale de la Recherche (Project No. ANR-11-BS10-011) and CAPES Young Talents Fellowship Grant No. 88887.059630/2014-00, and D. Tumanov by a doctoral scholarship from the Rhône-Alpes Region

Universal Vectorial and Ultrasensitive Nanomechanical Force Field Sensor

Miniaturization of force probes into nanomechanical oscillators enables ultrasensitive investigations of forces on dimensions smaller than their characteristic length scale. Meanwhile it also unravels the force field vectorial character and how its topology impacts the measurement. Here we expose an ultrasensitive method to image 2D vectorial force fields by optomechanically following the bidimensional Brownian motion of a singly clamped nanowire. This novel approach relies on angular and spectral tomography of its quasi frequency-degenerated transverse mechanical polarizations: immersing the nanoresonator in a vectorial force field does not only shift its eigenfrequencies but also rotate eigenmodes orientation as a nano-compass. This universal method is employed to map a tunable electrostatic force field whose spatial gradients can even take precedence over the intrinsic nanowire properties. Enabling vectorial force fields imaging with demonstrated sensitivities of attonewton variations over the nanoprobe Brownian trajectory will have strong impact on scientific exploration at the nanoscale

Strain-Gradient Position Mapping of Semiconductor Quantum Dots

International audienceIn the context of fast developing quantum technologies, locating single quantum objects embedded in solid or fluid environment while keeping their properties unchanged is a crucial requirement as well as a challenge. Such ``quantum microscopes'' have been demonstrated already for NV-centers embedded in diamond [1], and for single atoms within an ultracold gas [2]. In this work, we demonstrate a new method to determine non-destructively the position of randomly distributed semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) deeply embedded in a solid photonic waveguide. By setting the wire in an oscillating motion, we generate large stress gradients across the QDs plane. We then exploit the fact that the QDs emission frequency is highly sensitive to the local material stress [3-5] to infer their positions with an accuracy ranging from +/- 35 nm down to +/-1 nm for close-to-axis QDs

Bidimensional nano-optomechanics and topological backaction in a non-conservative radiation force field

Optomechanics, which explores the fundamental coupling between light and mechanical motion, has made important advances in manipulating macroscopic mechanical oscillators down to the quantum level. However, dynamical effects related to the vectorial nature of the optomechanical interaction remain to be investigated. Here we study a nanowire with subwavelength dimensions coupled strongly to a tightly focused beam of light, enabling an ultrasensitive readout of the nanoresonator dynamics. We determine experimentally the vectorial structure of the optomechanical interaction and demonstrate that a bidimensional dynamical backaction governs the nanowire dynamics. Moreover, the spatial topology of the optomechanical interaction is responsible for novel canonical signatures of strong coupling between mechanical modes, which leads to a topological instability that underlies the non-conservative nature of the optomechanical interaction. These results have a universal character and illustrate the increased sensitivity of nanomechanical devices towards spatially varying interactions, opening fundamental perspectives in nanomechanics, optomechanics, ultrasensitive scanning force microscopy and nano-optics

Strain-mediated coupling in a quantum dot-mechanical oscillator hybrid system

Recent progress in nanotechnology has allowed the fabrication of new hybrid systems in which a single two-level system is coupled to a mechanical nanoresonator. In such systems the quantum nature of a macroscopic degree of freedom can be revealed and manipulated. This opens up appealing perspectives for quantum information technologies, and for the exploration of the quantum-classical boundary. Here we present the experimental realization of a monolithic solid-state hybrid system governed by material strain: a quantum dot is embedded within a nanowire that features discrete mechanical resonances corresponding to flexural vibration modes. Mechanical vibrations result in a time-varying strain field that modulates the quantum dot transition energy. This approach simultaneously offers a large light-extraction efficiency and a large exciton-phonon coupling strength g0. By means of optical and mechanical spectroscopy, we find that g0/2π is nearly as large as the mechanical frequency, a criterion that defines the ultrastrong coupling regime. © 2014 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved