M. Witzany

Towards deterministically controlled InGaAs/GaAs lateral quantum dot molecules

We report on the fabrication, detailed characterization and modeling of lateral InGaAs quantum dot molecules (QDMs) embedded in a GaAs matrix and we discuss strategies to fully control their spatial configuration and electronic properties. The three-dimensional morphology of encapsulated QDMs was revealed by selective wet chemical etching of the GaAs top capping layer and subsequent imaging by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The AFM investigation showed that different overgrowth procedures have a profound consequence on the QDM height and shape. QDMs partially capped and annealed in situ for micro-photoluminescence spectroscopy consist of shallow but well-defined quantum dots (QDs) in contrast to misleading results usually provided by surface morphology measurements when they are buried by a thin GaAs layer. This uncapping approach is crucial for determining the QDM structural parameters, which are required for modeling the system. A single-band effective-mass approximation is employed to calculate the confined electron and heavy-hole energy levels, taking the geometry and structural information extracted from the uncapping experiments as inputs. The calculated transition

Strong mode coupling in InP quantum dot-based GaInP microdisk cavity dimers

We report on strong mode coupling in closely spaced GaInP microdisk dimer structures including InP quantum dots as the active medium. Using electron beam lithography and a combination of dry- and wet-etch processes, dimers with inter-disk separations down to d < 100nm have been fabricated. Applying a photo-thermal heating scheme, we overcome the spectral mode detuning due to the size mismatch between the two disks forming the dimer. We observe signatures of mode coupling in the corresponding photoluminescence spectra with coupling energies of up to 0.66MeV. With the aid of a numerical analysis, we specify the geometrical and physical factors of the microdisk dimer precisely, and reproduce its spectrum with good agreement.

Polarization fine structure and enhanced single-photon emission of self-assembled lateral InGaAs quantum dot molecules embedded in a planar microcavity

Single lateral InGaAs quantum dot molecules have been embedded in a planar micro-cavity in order to increase the luminescence extraction efficiency. Using a combination of metal-organic vapor phase and molecular beam epitaxy samples could be produced that exhibit a 30 times enhanced single-photon emission rate. We also show that the single-photon emission is fully switchable between two different molecular excitonic recombination energies by applying a lateral electric field. Furthermore, the presence of a polarization fine-structure splitting of the molecular neutral excitonic states is reported which leads to two polarization-split classically correlated biexciton exciton cascades. The fine-structure splitting is found to be on the order of 10 micro-eV.

Influence of the charge carrier tunneling processes on the recombination dynamics in single lateral quantum dot molecules

We report on the charge carrier dynamics in single lateral quantum dot molecules and the effect of an applied electric field on the molecular states. Controllable electron tunneling manifests itself in a deviation from the typical excitonic decay behavior in dot molecules. It results in a faster population decay and can be strongly influenced by the tuning electric field and intermolecular Coulomb energies. A rate equation model is developed and compared to the experimental data to gain more insight into the charge transfer and tunneling mechanisms. Nonresonant (phonon-mediated) electron tunneling which changes the molecular exciton character from direct to indirect, and vice versa, is found to be the dominant tunable decay mechanism of excitons besides radiative recombination.

Polarization anisotropic luminescence of tunable single lateral quantum dot molecules

We investigate the photoluminescence polarization anisotropy of self-assembled individual lateral InGaAs/GaAs quantum dot molecules. In contrast to similarly grown single quantum dots, the dot molecules exhibit a remarkable degree of linear polarization, which remains almost unchanged when a lateral electric field is applied to tune the exciton wave function and, thus, the luminescence spectral properties. We discuss the nature of this polarization anisotropy and suggest possible causes based on the system’s symmetry and heterostructure alloy composition.

Smooth transition into stimulated emission of InP quantum dots based high-Q microdisk cavities

We report on optical investigations of InP quantum dots embedded in a wet-etched GaInP microdisk cavity. The structures exhibit modes with quality factors on the order of 104. A combination of consistent power-dependent measurements of the optical power output, the 2nd-order autocorrelation function g(2)(τ) and the emission linewidth give proof for high-β lasing. The results correspond very well to those obtained from micropillar cavity lasers.