Detection of a very bright optical flare from a gamma-ray burst at redshift 6.29

In this letter we discuss the flux and the behavior of the bright optical flare emission detected by the 25 cm TAROT robotic telescope during the prompt high-energy emission and the early afterglow. We combine our data with simultaneous observations performed in X-rays and we analyze the broad-band spectrum. These observations lead us to emphasize the similarity of GRB 050904 with GRB 990123, a remarkable gamma-ray burst whose optical emission reached 9th magnitude. While GRB 990123 was, until now, considered as a unique event, this observation suggests the existence of a population of GRBs which have very large isotropic equivalent energies and extremely bright optical counterparts. The luminosity of these GRBs is such that they are easily detectable through the entire universe. Since we can detect them to very high redshift even with small aperture telescopes like TAROT, they will constitute powerful tools for the exploration of the high-redshift Universe and might be used to probe the first generation of stars.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figures. Accepted in ApJ

Toward an optimal search strategy of optical and gravitational wave emissions from binary neutron star coalescence

Observations of an optical source coincident with gravitational wave emission detected from a binary neutron star coalescence will improve the confidence of detection, provide host galaxy localisation, and test models for the progenitors of short gamma ray bursts. We employ optical observations of three short gamma ray bursts, 050724, 050709, 051221, to estimate the detection rate of a coordinated optical and gravitational wave search of neutron star mergers. Model R-band optical afterglow light curves of these bursts that include a jet-break are extrapolated for these sources at the sensitivity horizon of an Advanced LIGO/Virgo network. Using optical sensitivity limits of three telescopes, namely TAROT (m=18), Zadko (m=21) and an (8-10) meter class telescope (m=26), we approximate detection rates and cadence times for imaging. We find a median coincident detection rate of 4 yr^{-1} for the three bursts. GRB 050724 like bursts, with wide opening jet angles, offer the most optimistic rate of 13 coincident detections yr^{-1}, and would be detectable by Zadko up to five days after the trigger. Late time imaging to m=26 could detect off-axis afterglows for GRB 051221 like bursts several months after the trigger. For a broad distribution of beaming angles, the optimal strategy for identifying the optical emissions triggered by gravitational wave detectors is rapid response searches with robotic telescopes followed by deeper imaging at later times if an afterglow is not detected within several days of the trigger.Comment: 6 pages, 1 figure, Accepted for publication in MNRAS Letters (2011 April 22

Asymmetric optical nuclear spin pumping in a single uncharged quantum dot

A highly asymmetric dynamic nuclear spin pumping is observed in a single self assembled InGaAs quantum dot subject to resonant optical pumping of the neutral exciton transition leading to a large maximum polarization of 54%. This dynamic nuclear polarization is found to be much stronger following pumping of the higher energy Zeeman state. Time-resolved measurements allow us to directly monitor the buildup of the nuclear spin polarization in real time and to quantitatively study the dynamics of the process. A strong dependence of the observed dynamic nuclear polarization on the applied magnetic field is found, with resonances in the pumping efficiency being observed for particular magnetic fields. We develop a model that fully accounts for the observed behaviour, where the pumping of the nuclear spin system is due to hyperfine-mediated spin flip transitions between the states of the neutral exciton manifold.Comment: published version; 4+ pages, 3 figures (eps

Coplanar stripline antenna design for optically detected magnetic resonance on semiconductor quantum dots

We report on the development and testing of a coplanar stripline antenna that is designed for integration in a magneto-photoluminescence experiment to allow coherent control of individual electron spins confined in single self-assembled semiconductor quantum dots. We discuss the design criteria for such a structure which is multi-functional in the sense that it serves not only as microwave delivery but also as electrical top gate and shadow mask for the single quantum dot spectroscopy. We present test measurements on hydrogenated amorphous silicon, demonstrating electrically detected magnetic resonance using the in-plane component of the oscillating magnetic field created by the coplanar stripline antenna necessary due to the particular geometry of the quantum dot spectroscopy. From reference measurements using a commercial electron spin resonance setup in combination with finite element calculations simulating the field distribution in the structure, we obtain an average magnetic field of ~0.2mT at the position where the quantum dots would be integrated into the device. The corresponding pi-pulse time of ~0.3us fully meets the requirements set by the high sensitivity optical spin read-out scheme developed for the quantum dot

Highly Non-linear Excitonic Zeeman Spin-Splitting in Composition-Engineered Artificial Atoms

Non-linear Zeeman splitting of neutral excitons is observed in composition engineered In(x)Ga(1-x)As self-assembled quantum dots and its microscopic origin is explained. Eight-band k.p simulations, performed using realistic dot parameters extracted from cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy, reveal that a quadratic contribution to the Zeeman energy originates from a spin dependent mixing of heavy and light hole orbital states in the dot. The dilute In-composition (x<0.35) and large lateral size (40-50 nm) of the quantum dots investigated is shown to strongly enhance the non-linear excitonic Zeeman gap, providing a blueprint to enhance such magnetic non-linearities via growth engineering