An Atomic Force Microscopy study of buried InAs/GaAs quantum-dot single-photon sources

掩埋 InAs/GaAs 量子点单光子源的原子力显微镜研究

基本信息

批准号：
EP/P001343/1
负责人：
Luca Sapienza
金额：
$ 1.84万
依托单位：
University of Southampton
依托单位国家：
英国
项目类别：
Research Grant
财政年份：
2016
资助国家：
英国
起止时间：
2016 至无数据
项目状态：
已结题

来源：
https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FP001343%2F1
关键词：
Atomic Force Microscopy study buried

项目摘要

Conventional light sources emit a large number of photons in a wide angular range and are mainly used for illumination or imaging purposes. Technological advances have allowed the dimensions of the components of devices to be reduced to the nanometre scale, and intriguing quantum mechanical effects have come into play. We are now able to manipulate matter at the atomic level and generate single photons, the smallest constituents of light, on-demand. The ability to control light emission at its smallest level, the single photon, is technologically challenging but tremendously interesting. The next revolution in communication is expected to take place by implementing quantum devices where light-matter interaction is engineered such that information can be stored in single photons that circulate between optical cavities within a photonic network. Given their scalability and the possibility of on-chip integration, solid-state single-photon sources are expected to be the building blocks of these novel quantum architectures. If we can store information on a single photon level, we can transfer it at the speed of light with a guaranteed secure communication: any measurement by an unwanted observer will leave a trace that will be visible to the receiver, thus unveiling the steal of information. However, several challenges are still limiting the implementation of quantum information technology in everyday life: the emitted photons only preserve their properties over a very short time-scale, often requiring cryogenic-cooled emitters excited by external lasers, and networks where information can be efficiently stored and shared are still lacking.In this project we will investigate how the presence of nanometre-scale emitters buried within a semiconductor slab affects the surface morphology and how this, in return, impacts the properties of the single photons emitted. The outcome of this work will represent a step forward in the understanding of the emission properties of quantum light sources, allowing to improve the quality and reliability of single-photon emission, essential for information technology applications, like quantum computing and cryptography.

传统光源在宽角度范围内发射大量光子，主要用于照明或成像目的。技术进步使设备组件的尺寸缩小到纳米尺度，并且有趣的量子力学效应开始发挥作用。我们现在能够在原子水平上操纵物质并按需生成单光子（光的最小组成部分）。将光发射控制在最小水平（即单光子）的能力在技术上具有挑战性，但也非常有趣。通信领域的下一次革命预计将通过实现量子设备来实现，在量子设备中，光与物质的相互作用被设计成可以将信息存储在在光子网络内的光腔之间循环的单个光子中。鉴于其可扩展性和片上集成的可能性，固态单光子源有望成为这些新型量子架构的构建模块。如果我们可以在单个光子水平上存储信息，我们就可以在保证安全通信的情况下以光速传输它：不需要的观察者进行的任何测量都会留下接收者可见的痕迹，从而揭露信息窃取。然而，一些挑战仍然限制着量子信息技术在日常生活中的应用：发射的光子只能在很短的时间内保持其特性，通常需要由外部激光器激发的低温冷却发射器，以及信息可以有效传输的网络。仍然缺乏存储和共享。在这个项目中，我们将研究埋在半导体板内的纳米级发射器的存在如何影响表面形态，以及这如何影响所发射的单光子的特性。这项工作的成果将代表着对量子光源发射特性的理解向前迈进了一步，从而提高了单光子发射的质量和可靠性，这对于量子计算和密码学等信息技术应用至关重要。