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Ultrafast Terahertz Dynamics and Switching in Quantum Dots

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Quantum Dot Devices

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Nanoscale Science and Technology ((LNNST,volume 13))

Abstract

In this Chapter we describe the experimental studies of ultrafast carrier dynamics and all-optical switching in semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) using ultrafast terahertz (THz) techniques. In the first part of this chapter we describe the studies of carrier capture into the QDs, and thermionic carrier release from the QDs with (sub-)picosecond time resolution, using optical pump–THz probe measurements. In the second part of this chapter we investigate the direct manipulation of the quantum confinement potential of the QDs by an electric field of a strong THz pulse. The resulting THz-driven quantum-confined Stark effect leads to a strong modulation of a ground-state optical absorption in the QDs. Dynamically, such a THz-induced electro-absorption modulation in QDs (near-)instantaneously follows the absolute value of the electric field of the THz pulse, providing the capability for Tbit/s—rate all-optical switching in QDs using THz signals. The principles of experimental techniques used in our studies: optical pump–THz probe, and THz pump–optical probe spectroscopies, and strong-field THz generation, are also described in this chapter.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to our colleagues H.P. Porte, P.U. Jepsen, K. Yvind and J. M. Hvam (DTU Fotonik), A.-P. Jauho (DTU Nanotech), B.S. Monozon (Marine Tech. Univ., St. Petersburg), E.U.Rafailov (Univ. Dundee), D. Livshits (Innolume GmbH), and A. Cavalleri (Univ. Hamburg) for contributing to the results described in this chapter, and for fruitful and stimulating discussions. We also thank Danish Proof of Concept Foundation (grant 7.7 Ultra-high-speed wireless data communications) and Max Planck Society for partial financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. DTU Fotonik, Department of Photonics Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark

    Dmitry Turchinovich

  2. Max Planck Research Department for Structural Dynamics, University of Hamburg, CFEL, 22607, Hamburg, Germany

    Matthias C. Hoffmann

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  1. Dmitry Turchinovich
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Correspondence to Dmitry Turchinovich .

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  1. Technology, State Key Laboratory of Electronic, University of Electronic Science and, Thin Film and Integrated Devices, Chengdu, 610054, China, People's Republic

    Zhiming M. Wang

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Turchinovich, D., Hoffmann, M.C. (2012). Ultrafast Terahertz Dynamics and Switching in Quantum Dots. In: Wang, Z. (eds) Quantum Dot Devices. Lecture Notes in Nanoscale Science and Technology, vol 13. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-3570-9_11

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