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Peter Lodahl

Publications and source records attributed to Peter Lodahl.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

Continuous-wave spatial quantum correlations of light induced by multiple scattering

We present theoretical and experimental results on spatial quantum correlations induced by multiple scattering of nonclassical light. A continuous mode quantum theory is derived that enables determining the spatial quantum correlation function from the fluctuations of the total transmittance and reflectance. Utilizing frequency-resolved quantum noise measurements, we observe that the strength of the spatial quantum correlation function can be controlled by changing the quantum state of an incident bright squeezed-light source. Our results are found to be in excellent agreement with the developed theory and form a basis for future research on, e.g., quantum interference of multiple quantum states in a multiple scattering medium.

physics.optics↗

Nonuniversal intensity correlations in 2D Anderson localizing random medium

Complex dielectric media often appear opaque because light traveling through them is scattered multiple times. Although the light scattering is a random process, different paths through the medium can be correlated encoding information about the medium. Here, we present spectroscopic measurements of nonuniversal intensity correlations that emerge when embedding quantum emitters inside a disordered photonic crystal that is found to Anderson-localize light. The emitters probe in-situ the microscopic details of the medium, and imprint such near-field properties onto the far-field correlations. Our findings provide new ways of enhancing light-matter interaction for quantum electrodynamics and energy harvesting, and may find applications in subwavelength diffuse-wave spectroscopy for biophotonics.

physics.optics↗

Statistical theory of a quantum emitter strongly coupled to Anderson-localized modes

A statistical theory of the coupling between a quantum emitter and Anderson-localized cavity modes is presented based on a dyadic Green's function formalism. The probability of achieving the strong light-matter coupling regime is extracted for an experimentally realistic system composed of InAs quantum dots embedded in a disordered photonic crystal waveguide. We demonstrate that by engineering the relevant parameters that define the quality of light confinement, i.e. the light localization length and the loss length, strong coupling between a single quantum dot and an Anderson-localized cavity is within experimental reach. As a consequence of disorder-induced light confinement provides a novel platform for quantum electrodynamics experiments.

quant-ph↗

Spontaneous emission from large quantum dots in nanostructures: exciton-photon interaction beyond the dipole approximation

We derive a rigorous theory of the interaction between photons and spatially extended excitons confined in quantum dots in inhomogeneous photonic materials. We show that, beyond the dipole approximation, the radiative decay rate is proportional to a non-local interaction function, which describes the interaction between light and spatially extended excitons. In this regime, light and matter degrees of freedom cannot be separated and a complex interplay between the nanostructured optical environment and the exciton envelope function emerges. We illustrate this by specific examples and derive a series of important analytical relations, which are useful for applying the formalism to practical problems. In the dipole limit, the decay rate is proportional to the projected local density of optical states and we obtain the strong and weak confinement regimes as special cases.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

High-Q optomechanical GaAs nanomembranes

We present a simple fabrication method for the realization of suspended GaAs nanomembranes for cavity quantum optomechanics experiments. GaAs nanomembranes with an area of 1.36 mm by 1.91 mm and a thickness of 160 nm are obtained by using a two-step selective wet-etching technique. The frequency noise spectrum reveals several mechanical modes in the kilohertz regime with mechanical Q-factors up to 2,300,000 at room temperature. The measured mechanical mode profiles agree well with a taut rectangular drumhead model. Our results show that GaAs nanomembranes provide a promising path towards quantum optical control of massive nanomechanical systems.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

Mapping the local density of optical states of a photonic crystal with single quantum dots

We use single self-assembled InGaAs quantum dots as internal probes to map the local density of optical states of photonic crystal membranes. The employed technique separates contributions from non-radiative recombination and spin-flip processes by properly accounting for the role of the exciton fine structure. We observe inhibition factors as high as 55 and compare our results to local density of optical states calculations available from the literature, thereby establishing a quantitative understanding of photon emission in photonic crystal membranes.

quant-ph↗

Probing statistical properties of Anderson localization with quantum emitters

Wave propagation in disordered media can be strongly modified by multiple scattering and wave interference. Ultimately the so-called Anderson-localized regime is reached when the waves become strongly confined in space. So far, Anderson localization of light has been probed in transmission experiments by measuring the intensity of an external light source after propagation through a disordered medium. However, discriminating between Anderson localization and losses in these experiments remains a major challenge. Here we present an alternative approach where we use quantum emitters embedded in disordered photonic crystal waveguides as light sources. Anderson-localized modes are efficiently excited and the analysis of the photoluminescence spectra allows to explore their statistical properties paving a way for controlling Anderson localization in disordered photonic crystals.

quant-ph↗

Angular-resolved photon-coincidence measurements in a multiple-scattering medium

We present angular-resolved correlation measurements between photons after propagation through a three-dimensional disordered medium. The multiple scattering process induces photon correlations that are directly measured for light sources with different photon statistics. We find that multiple scattered photons between different angular directions with angles much larger than the average speckle width are strongly correlated. The time dependence of the angular photon correlation function is investigated and the coherence time of the light source is determined. Our results are found to be in excellent agreement with the continuous mode quantum theory of multiple scattering of light. The presented experimental technique is essential in order to study quantum phenomena in multiple scattering random media such as quantum interference and quantum entanglement of photons.

physics.optics↗

Strongly Modified Plasmon-Matter Interaction with Mesoscopic Quantum Emitters

Semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) provide an essential link between light and matter in emerging fields such as light-harvesting, all-solid-state quantum communication, and quantum computing. QDs are excellent single-photon sources and can store quantum bits for extended periods making them promising interconnects between light and matter in integrated quantum information networks. To this end the light-matter interaction strength must be strongly enhanced using nanophotonic structures such as photonic crystal cavities and waveguides or plasmonic nanowires. So far it has been assumed that QDs can be treated just like atomic photon emitters where the spatial properties of the wavefunction can be safely ignored. Here we demonstrate that the point-emitter description for QDs near plasmonic nanostructures breaks down. We observe that the QDs can excite plasmons eight times more efficiently depending on their orientation due to their mesoscopic character. Either enhancement or suppresion of the rate of plasmon excitation is observed depending on the geometry of the plasmonic nanostructure in full agreement with a new theory. This discovery has no equivalence in atomic systems and paves the way for novel nanophotonic devices that exploit the extended size of QDs as a resource for increasing the light-matter interaction strength.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

Dynamically reconfigurable directionality of plasmon-based single photon sources

We propose a plasmon-based reconfigurable antenna to controllably distribute emission from single quantum emitters in spatially separated channels. Our calculations show that crossed particle arrays can split the stream of photons from a single emitter into multiple narrow beams. We predict that beams can be switched on and off by switching host refractive index. The design method is based on engineering the dispersion relations of plasmon chains and is generally applicable to traveling wave antennas. Controllable photon delivery has potential applications in classical and quantum communication.

physics.optics↗

Extraction of the beta-factor for single quantum dots coupled to a photonic crystal waveguide

We present measurements of the beta-factor, describing the coupling efficiency of light emitted by single InAs/GaAs semiconductor quantum dots into a photonic crystal waveguide mode. The beta-factor is evaluated by means of time-resolved frequency-dependent photoluminescence spectroscopy. The emission wavelength of single quantum dots is temperature tuned across the band edge of a photonic crystal waveguide and the spontaneous emission rate is recorded. Decay rates up to 5.7 ns^(-1), corresponding to a Purcell factor of 5.2, are measured and beta-factors up to 85% are extracted. These results prove the potential of photonic crystal waveguides in the realization of on-chip single-photon sources.

quant-ph↗

Cavity Quantum Electrodynamics with Anderson-localized Modes

A major challenge in quantum optics and quantum information technology is to enhance the interaction between single photons and single quantum emitters. Highly engineered optical cavities are generally implemented requiring nanoscale fabrication precision. We demonstrate a fundamentally different approach in which disorder is used as a resource rather than a nuisance. We generate strongly confined Anderson-localized cavity modes by deliberately adding disorder to photonic crystal waveguides. The emission rate of a semiconductor quantum dot embedded in the waveguide is enhanced by a factor of 15 on resonance with the Anderson-localized mode and 94 % of the emitted single-photons couple to the mode. Disordered photonic media thus provide an efficient platform for quantum electrodynamics offering an approach to inherently disorder-robust quantum information devices.

quant-ph↗

Finite element modeling of spontaneous emission of a quantum emitter at nanoscale proximity to plasmonic waveguides

We develop a self-consistent finite element method to study spontaneous emission at nanoscale proximity of plasmonic waveguides. In the model, it is assumed that only one guided mode is dominatingly excited by the quantum emitter. With such one dominating mode assumption, the cross section of the plasmonic waveguide can be arbitrary. We apply our numerical method to calculate the coupling of a quantum emitter to a cylindrical nanowire and a rectangular waveguide, and compare the cylindrical nanowire to previous work valid in quasistatic approximation. The fraction of the energy coupled to the plasmonic mode can be calculated exactly, which can be used to determine the single optical plasmon generation efficiency for a quantum emitter. For a gold nanowire we observe agreement with the quasistatic approximation for radii below 20 nm, but for larger radii the total decay rate is up to 10 times larger. For the rectangular waveguide we estimate an optimized value for the spontaneous emission factor βof up to 80%.

physics.optics↗

Light propagation in finite-sized photonic crystals: Multiple scattering using an electric field integral equation

We present an accurate, stable and efficient solution to the Lippmann-Schwinger equation for electromagnetic scattering in two dimensions. The method is well suited for multiple scattering problems and may be applied to problems with scatterers of arbitrary shape or non-homogenous background materials. We illustrate the method by calculating light emission from a line source in a finite sized photonic crystal waveguide.

math-ph↗

Exciton spin-flip rate in quantum dots determined by a modified local density of optical states

The spin-flip rate that couples dark and bright excitons in self-assembled quantum dots is obtained from time-resolved spontaneous emission measurements in a modified local density of optical states. Employing this technique, we can separate effects due to non-radiative recombination and unambiguously record the spin-flip rate. The dependence of the spin-flip rate on emission energy is compared in detail to a recent model from the literature, where the spin flip is due to the combined action of short-range exchange interaction and acoustic phonons. We furthermore observe a surprising enhancement of the spin-flip rate close to a semiconductor-air interface, which illustrates the important role of interfaces for quantum dot based nanophotonic structures. Our work is an important step towards a full understanding of the complex dynamics of quantum dots in nanophotonic structures, such as photonic crystals, and dark excitons are potentially useful for long-lived coherent storage applications.

cond-mat.other↗

Frequency dependence of the radiative decay rate of excitons in self-assembled quantum dots: experiment and theory

We analyze time-resolved spontaneous emission from excitons confined in self-assembled $\mathrm{InAs}$ quantum dots placed at various distances to a semiconductor-air interface. The modification of the local density of optical states due to the proximity of the interface enables unambiguous determination of the radiative and non-radiative decay rates of the excitons. From measurements at various emission energies we obtain the frequency dependence of the radiative decay rate, which is only revealed due to the separation of the radiative and non-radiative parts. It contains detailed information about the dependence of the exciton wavefunction on quantum dot size. The experimental results are compared to the quantum optics theory of a solid state emitter in an inhomogeneous environment. Using this model, we extract the frequency dependence of the overlap between the electron and hole wavefunctions. We furthermore discuss three models of quantum dot strain and compare the measured wavefunction overlap to these models. The observed frequency dependence of the wavefunction overlap can be understood qualitatively in terms of the different compressibility of electrons and holes originating from their different effective masses.

cond-mat.other↗

Demonstration of Quadrature Squeezed Surface-Plasmons in a Gold Waveguide

We report on the efficient generation, propagation, and re-emission of squeezed long-range surface-plasmon polaritons (SPPs) in a gold waveguide. Squeezed light is used to excite the non-classical SPPs and the re-emitted quantum state is fully quantum characterized by complete tomographic reconstruction of the density matrix. We find that the plasmon-assisted transmission of non-classical light in metallic waveguides can be described by a Hamiltonian analogue to a beam splitter. This result is explained theoretically.

quant-ph↗

Observation of spatial quantum correlations induced by multiple scattering of non-classical light

We present the experimental realization of spatial quantum correlations of photons that are induced by multiple scattering of squeezed light. The quantum correlation relates photons propagating along two different light trajectories through the random medium and is infinite in range. Both positive and negative spatial quantum correlations are observed when varying the quantum state incident to the multiple scattering medium, and the magnitude of the correlations is controlled by the number of photons. The experimental results are in excellent agreement with recent theoretical proposals by implementing the full quantum model of multiple scattering.

quant-ph↗