Surround-gated vertical nanowire quantum dots

We report voltage dependent photoluminescence experiments on single indium arsenide phosphide (InAsP) quantum dots embedded in vertical surround-gated indium phosphide (InP) nanowires. We show that by tuning the gate voltage, we can access different quantum dot charge states. We study the anisotropic exchange splitting by polarization analysis,...

Diameter-dependent conductance of InAs nanowires

Electrical conductance through InAs nanowires is relevant for electronic applications as well as for fundamental quantum experiments. Here, we employ nominally undoped, slightly tapered InAs nanowires to study the diameter dependence of their conductance. By contacting multiple sections of each wire, we can study the diameter dependence within...

Wavelength-sized cavities in high aspect InP/InGaAsP/InP photonic crystals

The photonic properties of two classes of wavelength-sized cavities are reported for deeply etched InP/InGaAsP/InP planar photonic crystals. The high aspect, deeply etched structures are studied as potential building blocks for nonmembrane type photonic devices in standard InP photonic integrated circuits. The first class consists of cavities of...

Sharp emission from single InAs quantum dots grown on vicinal GaAs surfaces

We report on optical studies of single InAs quantum dots grown on vicinal GaAs(001) surfaces. To ensure low quantum dot density and appropriate size, we deposit InAs layers 1.4 or 1.5 ML thick, thinner than the critical thickness for Stranski–Krastanov quantum dot formation. These dots show sharp and bright photoluminescence. Lifetime...

Transmission measurement of the photonic band gap of GaN photonic crystal slabs

A high-contrast-ratio (30 dB) photonic band gap in the near-infrared transmission of hole-type GaN two-dimensional photonic crystals (PhCs) is reported. These crystals are deeply etched in a 650 nm thick GaN layer grown on sapphire. A comparison of the measured spectrum with finite difference time domain simulations gives quantitative agreement...

InP-based two-dimensional photonic crystals filled with polymers

Polymer filling of the air holes of indium-phosphide-based two-dimensional photonic crystals is reported. After infiltration of the holes with a liquid monomer and solidification of the infill in situ by thermal polymerization, complete filling is proven using scanning electron microscopy. Optical transmission measurements of a filled photonic...

Real-time detection of single-electron tunneling using a quantum point contact

We observe individual tunnel events of a single electron between a quantum dot and a reservoir, using a nearby quantum point contact (QPC) as a charge meter. The QPC is capacitively coupled to the dot, and the QPC conductance changes by about 1% if the number of electrons on the dot changes by one. The QPC is voltage biased and the current is...

Engineering the quantum point contact response to single-electron charging in a few-electron quantum-dot circuit

We show that the design of a quantum point contact adjacent to a quantum dot can be optimized to produce maximum sensitivity to single-electron charging in the quantum dot. Our analysis is based on the self-consistent solution of coupled three-dimensional Kohn-Sham and Poisson equations for the quantum circuit. We predict a detection sensitivity...

Excited-state spectroscopy on a nearly closed quantum dot via charge detection

We demonstrate a method for measuring the discrete energy spectrum of a quantum dot connected very weakly to a single lead. A train of voltage pulses applied to a metal gate induces tunneling of electrons between the quantum dot and a reservoir. The effective tunnel rate depends on the number and nature of the energy levels in the dot made...

Single-electron tunneling in InP nanowires

We report on the fabrication and electrical characterization of field-effect devices based on wire-shaped InP crystals grown from Au catalyst particles by a vapor–liquid–solid process. Our InP wires are n-type doped with diameters in the 40–55-nm range and lengths of several micrometers. After being deposited on an oxidized Si substrate, wires...