Ultrafast spectroscopy of semiconductor quantum dots

- Brief description of the context of the research including potential impact
The research will be carried out within the context of the EPSRC Programme Grant on "Semiconductor Quantum Photonics: Control of Spin, Exciton and Photon Interactions by Nano-Photonic Design." The studentship will be focussed on WP2 of the grant on "Spin qubits". The research has potential impact to develop new semiconductor devices that can be implemented in solid-state platforms for applications in quantum technologies.

- Aims and objectives
The aim is to demonstrate on-chip coherent control of electron and/or hole spins in semiconductor quantum dots.

- The research methodology, including new knowledge or techniques in engineering and physical sciences that will be investigated
The methodology is based on optical techniques for manipulating spins using short laser pulses. The electrons or holes will be confined in semiconductor quantum dots, and the light-matter interaction will be enhanced using nano-photonics.
The achievement of the goals will require development of a number of new techniques:
* design of quantum dot wafers with well-defined charge states that are compatible with nano-photonic fabrication
* design of optimised photonic structures for in- and out-coupling of photons and maximisation of the light-matter interaction using nano-photonic cavities and waveguides.
* investigation of the spin coherence in the nano-photonic structures
* development of techniques for the coherent optical control of spins

- Alignment to EPSRC's strategies and research areas
The programme grant is funded by EPSRC's Photonic Materials area, and will feed into the quantum technologies programme.