Filling a gap in the literature, this up-to-date introduction to the field provides an overview of current experimental techniques, basic theoretical concepts, and sample fabrication methods. Following an introduction, this monograph deals with optically active quantum dots and their integration into electro-optical devices, before looking at the theory of quantum confined states and quantum dots interacting with the radiation field. Final chapters cover spin-spin interaction in quantum dots as well as spin and charge states, showing how to use single spins for break-through quantum computation. A conclusion and outlook round off the volume. The result is a primer providing the essential basic knowledge necessary for young researchers entering the field, as well as semiconductor and theoretical physicists, PhD students in physics and material sciences, electrical engineers and materials scientists.

Table of Contents

Preface. 1. Introduction. 1.1 Spin. 1.2 Spin-1/2 Basics. 1.3 Quantum Dots. 2. Optically Active Quantum Dots: Single and Coupled Structures. 2.1 Epitaxial Quantum Dots. 2.2 "Natural" Quantum Dots Revisited. 2.3 Self-Assembled Quantum Dots. 2.4 Alternative Epitaxial Quantum Dot Systems. 2.5 Chemically-Synthesized Quantum Dots. 3. Theory of Confined States in Quantum Dots. 3.1 Band Structure of III-V Semiconductors. 3.2 Quantum Confinement. 3.3 Spherical Quantum Dot Confinement. 3.4 Parabolic Quantum Dot Confinement. 3.5 Extensions of the Noninteracting Single-Electron Picture. 3.6 Few-Carrier Spectra of Self-Assembled Quantum. 4. Integration of Quantum Dots in Electro-optical Devices. 4.1 Tuning Quantum Dots by Electric Fields. 4.2 Optical Cavities. 5. Quantum Dots Interacting With the Electromagnetic Field. 5.1 Hamiltonian for Radiative Transitions of Quantum Dots. 5.2 Electric Dipole Transitions. 5.3 Magnetic Dipole Transitions. 5.4 Generalized Master Equation of the Driven Two-Level System. 5.5 Cavity Quantum Electrodynamics. 5.6 Dispersive Interaction. 6. Spin-spin Interaction in Quantum Dots. 6.1 Electron-Electron-Spin Interaction. 6.2 Electron-Hole Exchange Interaction. 6.3 Hyperfine Interaction. 7. Experimental Methods for Optical Initialization, Readout, and Manipulation of Spins. 7.1 Optical Spin Initialization. 7.2 Optical Spin Readout. 7.3 Observation of Spin Coherence and Optical Manipulation. 8. Controlling Charge and Spin Excitations in Coupled Quantum Dots. 8.1 Tunable Coupling in a Quantum Dot Molecule. 8.2 Molecular Theory of Confined States in Coupled Quantum Dots. 8.3 Optically Probing Spin and Charge Excitations in a Tunable Quantum Dot Molecule. 8.4 Future Directions. Appendix A Valence Band States for Spherical Confinement. Appendix B List of Constants. Appendix C Material Parameters. References. Index.

About the Author

Oliver Gywat received his PhD in the group of Daniel Loss at the University of Basel, where he has worked on the theory of spin and entanglement in optically active quantum dots, focusing on implementations of quantum information schemes. He then was a postdoctoral research scholar in the group of David Awschalom at the California Nanosystems Institute and the Center for Spintronics and Quantum Computation at the University of California at Santa Barbara. After completing his postdoctoral research in the theoretical and the experimental domain, he moved into finance and is currently working in the area of Investment Services and Products at Credit Suisse Private Banking in Zurich, maintaining a strong interest in nanotechnology and nanoscale sciences. Hubert Krenner received his PhD at the Walter Schottky Institute of the Technische Universitat Munchen in the groups of Gerhard Abstreiter and Jonathan Finley. After a two year stay as a Feodor Lynen Fellow of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation in the group of Pierre Petroff at the University of California, Santa Barbara, he moved to the Universitat Augsburg where he continues his work on control and manipulation of spin and charge excitations in optically active nanostructures. Jesse Berezovsky received his PhD at the University of California, Santa Barbara in the group of David Awschalom, and is currently a postdoctoral researcher at Harvard University. His research has focused on optically probing spin dynamics in nanocrystal quantum dots, as well as developing techniques for the optical readout and ultrafast manipulation of single spins in a quantum dot.