Y. Benny

Wide-angle chromatic aberration corrector for the human eye

The human eye is affected by large chromatic aberration. This may limit vision and makes it difficult to see fine retinal details in ophthalmoscopy. We designed and built a two-triplet system for correcting the average longitudinal chromatic aberration of the eye while keeping a reasonably wide field of view. Measurements in real eyes were conducted to examine the level and optical quality of the correction. We also performed some tests to evaluate the effect of the corrector on visual performance.

Complete control of a matter qubit using a single picosecond laser pulse

We demonstrate for the first time that a matter physical two level system, a qubit, can be fully controlled using one ultrafast step. We show that the spin state of an optically excited electron, an exciton, confined in a quantum dot, can be rotated by any desired angle, about any desired axis, during such a step. For this we use a single, resonantly tuned, picosecond long, polarized optical pulse. The polarization of the pulse defines the rotation axis, while the pulse detuning from a non-degenerate absorption resonance, defines the magnitude of the rotation angle. We thereby achieve a high fidelity, universal gate operation, applicable to other spin systems, using only one short optical pulse. The operation duration equals the pulse temporal width, orders of magnitude shorter than the qubit evolution life and coherence times.

Optically induced rotation of an exciton spin in a semiconductor quantum dot.

We demonstrate control over the spin state of a semiconductor quantum dot exciton using a polarized picosecond laser pulse slightly detuned from a biexciton resonance. The control pulse follows an earlier pulse, which generates an exciton and initializes its spin state as a coherent superposition of its two nondegenerate eigenstates. The control pulse preferentially couples one component of the exciton state to the biexciton state, thereby rotating the excitons spin direction. We detect the rotation by measuring the polarization of the exciton spectral line as a function of the time difference between the two pulses. We show experimentally and theoretically how the angle of rotation depends on the detuning of the second pulse from the biexciton resonance.A polarized picosecond laser pulse, which couples the bright exciton states to biexciton resonant states, is used to manipulate the exciton spin. We directly demonstrate this novel knob in a picosecond time-resolved two pulses experiment.

Optical control of single excitons in semiconductor quantum dots

The fundamental building block of quantum information processing technologies is the quantum-bit a ?qubit.? These technologies require the ability to prepare, control, and read out a qubit state. Spins confined in self-assembled quantum dots are promising candidates for a quantum bit, because semiconductors are compatible with mature modern opto- and micro-electronics. These quantum dot systems offer two more advantages: they are excellent interfaces between the spin state?an anchored qubit and a photon?a ?flying qubit? and they provide means to coherently control the spin qubit by ultrashort optical pulses. In this review, we thoroughly discuss the qubit provided by an optically-excited electron in a quantum dot?the exciton qubit. We demonstrate its spin state initialization, coherent control and read-out using ultrashort optical pulses.

Electron-hole spin flip-flop in semiconductor quantum dots

We use temporally resolved intensity cross-correlation measurements to identify the biexciton-exciton radiative cascades in a negatively charged QD. The polarization sensitive correlation measurements show unambiguously that the excited two-electron triplet states relax nonradiatively to their singlet ground state via a spin nonconserving flip-flop with the ground state heavy hole. We explain this mechanism in terms of resonant coupling between the confined electron states and an LO phonon. This resonant interaction together with the electron-hole exchange interaction provides an efficient mechanism for this otherwise spin-blockaded, electronic relaxation.

Two-photon photoluminescence excitation spectroscopy of single quantum dots

We present experimental and theoretical study of single semiconductor quantum dots excited by two non-degenerate, resonantly tuned variably polarized lasers. The first laser is tuned to excitonic resonances. Depending on its polarization it photogenerates a coherent single exciton state. The second laser is tuned to biexciton resonances. By scanning the energy of the second laser for various polarizations of the two lasers, while monitoring the emission from the biexciton and exciton spectral lines, we map the biexciton photoluminescence excitation spectra. The resonances rich spectra of the second photon absorption are analyzed and fully understood in terms of a many carrier theoretical model which takes into account the direct and exchange Coulomb interactions between the quantum confined carriers.

Polarization memory in single quantum dots

Abstract We measured the polarization memory of excitonic and biexcitonic optical transitions from single quantum dots at either positive, negative or neutral charge states. Positive, negative and no circular or linear polarization memory was observed for various spectral lines, under the same quasi-resonant excitation below the wetting layer bandgap. We developed a model which explains both qualitatively and quantitatively the experimentally measured polarization spectrum for all these optical transitions. We consider quite generally the loss of spin orientation of the photogenerated electron–hole pair during their relaxation towards the many-carrier ground states. Our analysis unambiguously demonstrates that while electrons maintain their initial spin polarization to a large degree, holes completely dephase.

Selection rules for nonradiative carrier relaxation processes in semiconductor quantum dots

Time resolved intensity cross-correlation measurements of radiative cascades are used for studying non-radiative relaxation processes of excited carriers confined in semiconductor quantum dots. We spectrally identify indirect radiative cascades which include intermediate phonon assisted relaxations. The energy of the first photon reveals the multicarrier configuration prior to the non-radiative relaxation, while the energy of the second photon reveals the configuration after the relaxation. The intensity cross correlation measurements thus provide quantitative measures of the non-radiative processes and their selection rules. We construct a model which accurately describes the experimental observations in terms of the electron-phonon and electron-hole exchange interactions. Our measurements and model provide a new tool for engineering relaxation processes in semiconductor nanostructures.

Two-photon resonance spectroscopy of single quantum-dots

We study two photon absorption resonances in single semiconductor quantum dots, using polarization sensitive two beam time resolved spectroscopy. The rich spectrum of the biexciton resonances is fully understood, for the first time.

Coherent writing and reading of quantum dots excitons' state by resonant two colors polarized laser pulses

We use a resonant circularly polarized picosecond laser pulse to write a coherent superposition of excitons states. We use a second, delayed circularly polarized pulse, tuned into the biexciton resonance to read the excitons state.