arXiv subjects

Arne Ludwig

Publications and source records attributed to Arne Ludwig.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2026

Near transform-limited single photons from rapid-thermal annealed quantum dots

Single-photon emitters are essential components for quantum communication systems, enabling applications such as secure quantum key distribution and the long-term vision of a quantum internet. Among various candidates, self-assembled InAs/GaAs quantum dots (QDs) remain highly promising due to their ability to emit coherent and indistinguishable photons, as well as their compatibility with photonic integration. In this work, we investigate the impact of post-growth rapid thermal annealing (RTA) on the quantum optical properties of single self-assembled QDs embedded in a p-i-n diode structure. The annealing process induces a controlled blueshift of the emission wavelength by promoting Ga in-diffusion and intermixing. Using resonance fluorescence measurements at cryogenic temperatures (4.2 K), we investigate the single-photon statistics, the emission linewidths, and coherence time $T_2$ of the emitted photons. Our results show that, despite the high annealing temperature of $760^\circ$C, the process does not degrade the optical quality of the quantum dots strongly. Instead, we observe single-photon emission with near transform-limited linewidths, where the dephasing time $T_2$ is only a factor 1.5 above the Fourier-limit $T_2=2T_1$. These findings demonstrate that rapid thermal annealing (RTA) serves as an effective tuning method that preserves the key single-photon emission properties and may help reduce undesirable effects such as non-radiative Auger recombination in quantum photonic applications.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2026

Exciton-resonant detection of high-frequency surface acoustic waves from subwavelength metal gratings

We report on all-optical generation and detection of high-frequency (up to about 30 GHz) surface acoustic waves (SAWs) in GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructures with short-period Au gratings on top. A highly sensitive method for SAW detection is demonstrated using a polarization-resolved pump-probe technique that exploits the narrow exciton resonance in high-quality GaAs. The elastic strain of the SAW modulates the exciton energy in the time domain. As a result, even a small deformation produces a noticeable change in the dielectric function at the detection wavelength leading to an order of magnitude increase in the detection sensitivity as compared to off-resonant conditions. A theoretical model is developed that considers two detection schemes: one accounting for probe light diffraction and one corresponding to a non-diffractive situation.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2026

Four-Photon Interference with a High-Efficiency Quantum Dot Source

While two-photon Hong-Ou-Mandel interference visibility has become a standard metric for single-photon sources, many optical quantum technologies require the generation and manipulation of larger photonic states. To date, efficiency limitations have prevented scaling quantum dot-based interference to the coalescence of more than two photons at a single beamsplitter. We overcome this limitation by combining a state-of-the-art quantum dot source with deterministic demultiplexing, enabling the direct observation of quantum interference fringes arising from up to four photons. We measure high mean interference contrasts of $93.0 \pm 0.1~\%$ for two photons, and $84.1 \pm 1.0~\%$ for four photons, with the complex fringe structure fully reproduced by a theoretical model. These results reveal the existence of "deep fringes" whose minima are unaffected by distinguishable photons, rendering the maximum contrast of four-photon interference highly sensitive to multi-photon emission but robust against photon distinguishability. We predict that these phenomena will extend to interference of larger numbers of photons, with relevance across a range of potential optical quantum technologies. A Fisher information analysis demonstrates that interference fringes from our source can exhibit phase sensitivity beyond the standard quantum limit, illustrating potential applications in quantum metrology.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

Indistinguishable photons from a two-photon cascade

Decay of a four-level diamond scheme via a cascade is a potential source of entangled photon pairs. A solid-state implementation is the biexciton cascade in a semiconductor quantum dot. While high entanglement fidelities have been demonstrated, the two photons, XX and X, are temporally correlated, typically resulting in poor photon coherence. Here, we demonstrate a high two-photon interference visibility (a measure of the photon coherence) for both XX (V=94$\pm$2%) and X (V=82$\pm$6%) photons. This is achieved by Purcell-enhancing the biexciton transition in a low-noise device. We find that the photon coherence follows the well-known quantum optics result upon tuning the XX:X lifetime ratio over two orders of magnitude.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

Exchange interaction in gate-defined quantum dots beyond the Hubbard model

A quantitative description of the exchange interaction in quantum dots is relevant for modeling gate operations of spin qubits. By measuring the amplitude and frequency of exchange-driven qubit state oscillations, we measure the detuning dependence of the exchange coupling in a GaAs double quantum dot over three orders of magnitude. Both 1D and 3D full configuration interaction simulations can replicate the observed behavior. Extending a Hubbard model by including excited states increases the range of detuning where it provides a good fit, thus elucidating the underlying physics.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Integrated emitters with CMOS-compatible tuning for large scale quantum SiN photonic circuits

Next-generation scalable quantum photonic technologies operating at the single photon level rely on bringing together optimized quantum building blocks with minimal optical coupling losses. Achieving this necessitates the heterogeneous integration of different elements onto a single interposer chip. Integrated quantum emitters are key enablers for generating single photons, inducing quantum nonlinearities, and producing entanglement. In this work, we demonstrate the scalable integration of mature InGaAs quantum dots embedded in GaAs waveguides onto a low-loss SiN photonic platform, as evidenced by a high processing yield of 94.7% using a commercially available micro-transfer printing tool. These integrated emitters are embedded within a p-i-n heterostructure that allows for noise suppression, near-blinking-free operation and wavelength tunability upon CMOS-level electrical biasing. With this, we pave the way for scalable integration of diverse quantum photonic devices on a single chip.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2025

Eigenstate control of plasmon wavepackets with electron-channel blockade

Coherent manipulation of plasmon wavepackets in solid-state systems is crucial for advancing nanoscale electronic devices, offering a unique platform for quantum information processing based on propagating quantum bits. Controlling the eigenstate of plasmon wavepackets is essential, as it determines its propagation speed and hence the number of quantum operations that can be performed during its flight-time through a quantum system. When plasmon wavepackets are generated by short voltage pulses and transmitted through nanoscale devices, they distribute among multiple electron conduction channels via Coulomb interactions, a phenomenon known as charge fractionalisation. This spreading complicates plasmon manipulation in quantum circuits and makes precise control of the eigenstates of plasmon wavepackets challenging. Using a cavity, we demonstrate the ability to isolate and select electron conduction channels contributing to plasmon excitation, thus enabling precise control of plasmon eigenstate. Specifically, we observe an electron-channel blockade effect, where charge fractionalisation into cavity-confined channels is suppressed due to the plasmon's narrow energy distribution, enabling more stable and predictable plasmonic circuits. This technique provides a versatile tool for designing plasmonic circuits, offering the ability to tailor plasmon speed through local parameters, minimise unwanted plasmon excitation in adjacent circuits, and enable the precise selection of electron-channel plasmon eigenstates in quantum interferometers.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Contextuality-based quantum key distribution with deterministic single-photon sources

Photons are central to quantum technologies, with photonic qubits offering a promising platform for quantum communication. Semiconductor quantum dots stand out for their ability to generate single photons on demand, a key capability for enabling long-distance quantum networks. In this work, we utilize high-purity single-photon sources based on self-assembled InAs(Ga)As quantum dots as quantum information carriers. We demonstrate that such on-demand single photons can generate quantum contextuality. This capability enables a novel protocol for semi-device-independent quantum key distribution over free-space channels. Crucially, our method does not require ideal or perfectly projective measurements, opening a new pathway for robust and practical quantum communication.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

A quantum-coherent photon--emitter interface in the original telecom band

Quantum dots stand out as the most advanced and versatile light-matter interface available today. Their ability to deliver high-quality, high-rate, and pure photons has set benchmarks that far surpass other emitters. Yet, a critical frontier has remained elusive: achieving these exceptional capabilities at telecom wavelengths, bridging the gap to fiber-optic infrastructure and scalable silicon photonics. Overcoming this challenge demands high quality quantum materials and devices which, despite extensive efforts, have not been realized yet. Here, we demonstrate waveguide-integrated quantum dots and realize a fully quantum-coherent photon-emitter interface operating in the original telecommunication band. The quality is assessed by recording transform-limited linewidths only 8 % broader than the inverse lifetime and bright 41.7 MHz emission rate under 80 MHz $π$-pulse excitation, unlocking the full potential of quantum dots for scalable quantum networks.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2025

High fidelity flopping-mode single spin operation with tuning inter-dot orbital levels

Fast spin manipulation and long spin coherence time in quantum dots are essential features for high fidelity semiconductor spin qubits. However, generally it has not been well established how to optimize these two properties simultaneously, because these two properties are usually not independent from each other. Therefore, the scheme for high fidelity operation by simultaneous tuning Rabi frequency and coherence time, which does not rely on the material-dependent strong spin-orbit interaction and the local magnetic field gradient limiting their scalability, are strongly demanded. Here, we demonstrate an approach to achieve high-fidelity spin control by tuning inter-dot spin-orbit coupling in a GaAs triple quantum dot (TQD), where the third dot provides precise control over orbital energy levels. In an electrically stable charge state with optimized tunnel coupling, we achieve Rabi frequencies exceeding 100 MHz while maintaining coherence through proper tuning of the inter-dot orbital levels of the TQD. By implementing a machine learning-based feedback control that efficiently estimates qubit frequency using past measurement data, we characterize and mitigate the impact of low frequency noise on qubit coherence with minimal measurement overhead. Finally, we demonstrate a $π$/2 gate fidelity of 99.7\% with a gate time of 4 ns through randomized benchmarking, even in a GaAs quantum dot device where electron spin coherence is typically limited by strong hyperfine interaction with nuclear spins. Our approach provides a scalable strategy for high-fidelity spin control in semiconductor quantum dot arrays by utilizing device-specific parameters rather than relying on material properties or external field gradients.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Electrical control of quantum dots in GaAs-on-insulator waveguides for coherent single-photon generation

The integration of coherent quantum emitters with silicon photonic platforms essential for scalable quantum technologies. We demonstrate electrically controlled self-assembled quantum dots embedded in GaAs waveguides bonded onto a SiO2/Si substrate and coupled to low-loss SiN waveguides. Our approach uses a die-to-die adhesive bonding process to realize a GaAs-on-insulator platform incorporating a p-i-n junction for charge noise suppression and Stark tuning of excitonic transitions. Resonance fluorescence measurements reveal narrow optical linewidths below 2 μeV and high single-photon purity, matching the performance of unprocessed GaAs devices. These results establish a practical route to integrate high-coherence quantum light sources with mature silicon photonics, enabling scalable quantum photonic integrated circuits

physics.optics↗

arXiv2025

Enhancement of Indistinguishable Photon Emission from a GaAs Quantum Dot via Charge Noise Suppression

The generation of indistinguishable single photons is a fundamental requirement for future quantum technologies, particularly in quantum repeater networks and for distributed quantum computing based on entanglement distribution. However, spectral jitter, often induced by charge noise in epitaxial quantum dots, leads to exciton dephasing, thereby limiting their practical usage in quantum applications. We present a straightforward approach to mitigate charge noise-induced decoherence in droplet-etched GaAs quantum dots embedded in an n-i-p diode structure and integrated deterministically into an electrically contacted circular Bragg grating resonator for emission enhancement. The quantum device allows for the stabilization of the charge environment by applying an external electrical field while producing a photon extraction efficiency of approximately (37 +- 2)%. Hong-Ou-Mandel two-photon interference measurements reveal a strong voltage dependence of the exciton dephasing time and interference visibility on the applied bias in excellent agreement with our theoretical predictions. Notably, the reduction in visibility from a maximum, charge-stabilized corrected value of 97 percent at the optimum bias point follows an inverse square dependence (proportional to 1/I^2) with increasing diode current (I) in forward direction. Under a quasi-resonant excitation scheme, we achieve a maximum exciton dephasing time (T2*) of approximately (6.8 +-0.5) ns, reaching nearly the Fourier limit (T2 = 2T1) without the need for complex echo schemes like Ramsey or Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill sequences. These findings are consistent with theoretical predictions from rate equation modeling and quantum optical analysis as well as voltage-dependent linewidth measurements, demonstrating optimized electrical control of exciton dephasing.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Resonant and Anti-resonant Exciton-Phonon Coupling in Quantum Dot Molecules

Optically active quantum dot molecules (QDMs) can host multi-spin quantum states with the potential for the deterministic generation of photonic graph states with tailored entanglement structures. Their usefulness for the generation of such non-classical states of light is determined by orbital and spin decoherence mechanisms, particularly phonon-mediated processes dominant at energy scales up to a few millielectronvolts. Here, we directly measure the spectral function of orbital phonon relaxation in a QDM and benchmark our findings against microscopic kp theory. Our results reveal phonon-mediated relaxation rates exhibiting pronounced resonances and anti-resonances, with rates ranging from several ten ns$^{-1}$ to tens of $μ$s$^{-1}$. Comparison with a kinetic model reveals the voltage (energy) dependent phonon coupling strength and fully explains the interplay between phonon-assisted relaxation and radiative recombination. These anti-resonances can be leveraged to increase the lifetime of energetically unfavorable charge configurations needed for realizing efficient spin-photon interfaces and multi-dimensional cluster states.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Towards quantitative understanding of quantum dot ensemble capacitance-voltage spectroscopy

Inhomogeneous ensembles of quantum dots (QDs) coupled to a charge reservoir are widely studied by using, e.g., electrical methods like capacitance-voltage spectroscopy. We present experimental measurements of the QD capacitance as a function of varying parameters such as ac frequency and bath temperature. The experiment reveals distinct shifts in the position of the capacitance peaks. While temperature-induced shifts have been explained by previous models, the observation of frequency-dependent shifts has not been explained so far. Given that existing models fall short in explaining these phenomena, we propose a refined theoretical model based on a master equation approach which incorporates energy-dependent tunneling effects. This approach successfully reproduces the experimental data. We highlight the critical role of energy-dependent tunneling in two distinct regimes: at low temperatures, ensemble effects arising from energy-level dispersion in differently sized QDs dominate the spectral response; at high temperatures and frequencies, we observe a peak shift of a different nature, which is best described by optimizing the conjoint probability of successive in- and out-tunneling events. Our findings contribute to a deeper understanding of tunnel processes and the physical properties of QD ensembles coupled to a common reservoir, with implications for their development in applications such as single-photon sources and spin qubits.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Optical and magnetic response by design in GaAs quantum dots

Quantum networking technologies use spin qubits and their interface to single photons as core components of a network node. This necessitates the ability to co-design the magnetic- and optical-dipole response of a quantum system. These properties are notoriously difficult to design in many solid-state systems, where spin-orbit coupling and the crystalline environment for each qubit create inhomogeneity of electronic g-factors and optically active states. Here, we show that GaAs quantum dots (QDs) obtained via the quasi-strain-free local droplet etching epitaxy growth method provide spin and optical properties predictable from assuming the highest possible QD symmetry. Our measurements of electron and hole g-tensors and of transition dipole moment orientations for charged excitons agree with our predictions from a multiband k.p simulation constrained only by a single atomic-force-microscopy reconstruction of QD morphology. This agreement is verified across multiple wavelength-specific growth runs at different facilities within the range of 730 nm to 790 nm for the exciton emission. Remarkably, our measurements and simulations track the in-plane electron g-factors through a zero-crossing from -0.1 to 0.3 and linear optical dipole moment orientations fully determined by an external magnetic field. The robustness of our results demonstrates the capability to design - prior to growth - the properties of a spin qubit and its tunable optical interface best adapted to a target magnetic and photonic environment with direct application for high-quality spin-photon entanglement.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

Electrical control of a Kondo spin screening cloud

Quantitative analysis of quantum many-body systems, consisting of numerous itinerant electrons that interact with localized spins or electrons, is a long-standing issue. The Kondo cloud, a quantum many-body object of conduction electrons that screens a single localized spin, is the building block of such strongly correlated electronic systems. While quantitative analysis of the Kondo cloud associated with a single magnetic impurity is well established for uniform conduction electrons, the fundamental properties of a deformed Kondo cloud influenced by conduction electrons with a modulated density of states remain unsolved. Here we report engineering of the Kondo cloud deformation by confining a part of the cloud into a quantum box called the Kondo box that mimics realistic material systems. We demonstrate quantitative control of the Kondo cloud by developing a way of tuning quantum interference in the box and monitoring the Kondo entanglement. The temperature dependence of the entanglement reveals counterintuitively that the cloud shape is altered mainly outside the box although the quantum interference in the box is tuned. Our work provides a way to simulate various strongly correlated systems by integrating the Kondo cloud, which is not possible in the current theoretical framework.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Integration of a GaAs-based nanomechanical phase shifter with quantum-dot single-photon sources

We demonstrate a small-footprint electromechanical phase shifter with a compact active length of $10\:μ\text{m}$ fabricated on a suspended GaAs membrane, offering versatile integration with quantum-dot single-photon sources. The phase shifter is based on a slot-mode waveguide, whose slot width can be controlled by electrostatic forces, enabling a large effective refractive index change $Δn_\text{eff} > 0.1$. We observe up to 3$π$ phase modulation with 10.6 \text{V} applied bias, and a figure of merit $V_πL = 5.7\cdot 10^{-3} \text{V}\cdot \text{cm}$. Integration with a Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) further allows routing of single photons with up to 24 \text{dB} extinction ratio at cryogenic temperatures. This device enables advanced manipulation of quantum emitters and the realization of reconfigurable quantum photonic integrated circuits.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

Controlling emitter-field coupling in waveguides with a nanomechanical phase shifter

The ability to control light-matter interfaces with solid-state photon emitters is a major requirement for the development of quantum photonic integrated circuits. We demonstrate controllable coupling between a quantum dot and an optical mode in a dielectric waveguide using a nano-opto-electro-mechanical phase shifter and a photonic crystal mirror. By controlling the phase, we induce a virtual displacement of the mirror that modifies the local density of states at the position of the emitter, thereby enhancing or suppressing spontaneous emission without an optical cavity. We observe a broadband tuning of the spontaneous emission rate and a modulation of the intensity emitted by the quantum dot in the waveguide. The method reported here could be employed to optimize the emitter-field interaction between quantum dots in-operando, by maximizing a single-photon source generation rate or adjusting its lifetime, as well as a characterization tool for the direct measurement of emitter-photon cooperativity.

quant-ph↗