50 research outputs found
Ultra-coherent single photon source
We present a novel type of single photon source in solid state, based on the
coherent laser light scattering by a single InAs quantum dot. We demonstrate
that the coherence of the emitted single photons is tailored by the resonant
excitation with a spectral linewidth below the radiative limit. Our
ultra-coherent source opens the way for integrated quantum devices dedicated to
the generation of single photons with high degrees of indistinguishability
Unifying the low-temperature photoluminescence spectra of carbon nanotubes: the role of acoustic phonon confinement
At low temperature the photoluminescence of single-wall carbon nanotubes show
a large variety of spectral profiles ranging from ultra narrow lines in
suspended nanotubes to broad and asymmetrical line-shapes that puzzle the
current interpretation in terms of exciton-phonon coupling. Here, we present a
complete set of photoluminescence profiles in matrix embedded nanotubes
including unprecedented narrow emission lines. We demonstrate that the
diversity of the low-temperature luminescence profiles in nanotubes originates
in tiny modifications of their low-energy acoustic phonon modes. When low
energy modes are locally suppressed, a sharp photoluminescence line as narrow
as 0.7 meV is restored. Furthermore, multi-peak luminescence profiles with
specific temperature dependence show the presence of confined phonon modes
Interbranch parametric oscillation in the weak coupling regime for semiconductor vertical multimicrocavities
International audienceWe develop a model able to properly describe a new variety of Optical Parametric Oscillations (OPO's) in some recently realized vertical semiconductor multimicrocavities. Our model shows that, contrary to the case of a conventional single microcavity, the OPO can take place even when the system is brought in the weak light-matter coupling. Our predictions agree qualitatively with experiments, they show some OPO conÂŻgurations which are peculiar of the weak-coupling and suggest some new experiment. The model clearly shows the need to have a better understanding of Optical Parametric Oscillations in this regime
Optically-gated resonant emission in single quantum dots
We report on the resonant emission in coherently-driven single semiconductor
quantum dots. We demonstrate that an ultra-weak non-resonant laser acts as an
optical gate for the quantum dot resonant response. We show that the gate laser
suppresses Coulomb blockade at the origin of a resonant emission quenching, and
that the optically-gated quantum dots systematically behave as ideal two-level
systems in both regimes of coherent and incoherent resonant emission
Photoneutralization and slow capture of carriers in quantum dots probed by resonant excitation spectroscopy
International audienceWe investigate experimentally and theoretically the resonant emission of single InAs/GaAs quantum dots in a planar microcavity. Due to the presence of at least one residual charge in the quantum dots, the resonant excitation of the neutral exciton is blocked. The influence of the residual doping on the initial quantum dots charge state is analyzed, and the resonant emission quenching is interpreted as a Coulomb blockade effect. The use of an additional non-resonant laser in a specific low power regime leads to the carrier draining in quantum dots and allows an efficient optical gating of the exciton resonant emission. A detailed population evolution model, developed to describe the carrier draining and the optical gate effect, perfectly fits the experimental results in the steady state and dynamical regimes of the optical gate with a single set of parameters. We deduce that ultra-slow Auger- and phonon-assisted capture processes govern the carrier draining in quantum dots with relaxation times in the 1 - 100 microsecond range. We conclude that the optical gate acts as a very sensitive probe of the quantum dots population relaxation in an unprecedented slow-capture regime
Intraband and intersubband many-body effects in the nonlinear optical response of single-wall carbon nanotubes
International audienceWe report on the nonlinear optical response of a mono-chiral sample of (6,5) single-wall carbon nanotubes by means of broad-band two-color pump-probe spectroscopy with selective excitation of the S11 excitons. By using a moment analysis of the transient spectra, we show that all the nonlinear features can be accurately accounted for by elementary deformations of the linear absorption spectrum. The photo-generation of S11 excitons induces a broadening and a blue shift of both the S11 and S22 excitonic transitions. In contrast, only the S11 transition shows a reduction of oscillator strength, ruling out population up-conversion. These nonlinear signatures result from many-body effects, including phase-space filling, wave-function renormalization and exciton collisions. This framework is sufficient to interpret the magnitude of the observed nonlinearities and stress the importance of intersubband exciton interactions. Remarkably, we show that these intersubband interactions have the same magnitude as the intraband ones and bring the major contribution to the photo-bleaching of the S22 excitonic transition upon S11 excitation through energy shift and broadening
Discretized disorder in planar semiconductor microcavities: Mosaicity effect on resonant Rayleigh scattering and optical parametric oscillation
International audienceThe features of resonant secondary emission by two-dimensional multiple semiconductor microcavities are experimentally investigated. We show that, under normal laser incidence, static disorder determines the final states of the resonant Rayleigh scattering in the high symmetry axes of the GaAs matrix. Scanning transmission electron microscopy reveals a small dislocation density at the layers interfaces and step formation due to strain accumulation and relaxation ruled by the symmetry of the underlying GaAs matrix: this mosaicity effects, a common feature in thick and strained crystals, determines the scattering channels by selecting the crystallographic discretized directions. Moreover, interband optical parametric oscillation of intensity balanced signal and idler beams takes place in the directions selected by the photonic disorder in the distributed Bragg reflector
Parametric generation of twin photons in vertical triple microcavities
We report the realization of a monolithic vertical-cavity, surface emitting micro-optical parametric conversion nanostructure, triply resonant with the parametric frequencies, allowing parametric oscillation with ultra-low pump power threshold. The photonic phase-space naturally provides triple resonance for the parametric frequencies, together with built-in cavity phase-matching for the pump wave at normal incidence. Parametric oscillation is observed in both the strong and weak exciton–photon coupling regime, allowing a high operating temperature. Signal and idler beams can be collected at 0° or at finite angles. The OPO threshold is low enough to envisage the realization of an all-semiconductor electrically-pumped micro-parametric oscillator