Angular momentum transfer from photon polarization to an electron spin in a gate-defined quantum dot

Gate-defined quantum dots (QDs) are such a highly-tunable quantum system in which single spins can be electrically coupled, manipulated, and measured. However, the spins in gate-defined QDs are lacking its interface to free-space photons. Here, we verify that a circularly-polarized single photon can...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nature communications 2019-07, Vol.10 (1), p.2991-6, Article 2991
Main Authors: Fujita, Takafumi, Morimoto, Kazuhiro, Kiyama, Haruki, Allison, Giles, Larsson, Marcus, Ludwig, Arne, Valentin, Sascha R., Wieck, Andreas D., Oiwa, Akira, Tarucha, Seigo
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
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Angular momentum
Circular polarization
Dependence
Electron spin
Electrons
Excitons
Humanities and Social Sciences
Momentum transfer
multidisciplinary
Photons
Polarization
Polarization (spin alignment)
Quantum dots
Quantum theory
Science
Science (multidisciplinary)
Single electrons
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Summary:Gate-defined quantum dots (QDs) are such a highly-tunable quantum system in which single spins can be electrically coupled, manipulated, and measured. However, the spins in gate-defined QDs are lacking its interface to free-space photons. Here, we verify that a circularly-polarized single photon can excite a single electron spin via the transfer of angular momentum, measured using Pauli spin blockade (PSB) in a double QD. We monitor the inter-dot charge tunneling which only occur when the photo-electron spin in one QD is anti-parallel to the electron spin in the other. This allows us to detect single photo-electrons in the spin-up/down basis using PSB. The photon polarization dependence of the excited spin state was finally confirmed for the heavy-hole exciton excitation. The angular momentum transfer observed here is a fundamental step providing a route to instant injection of spins, distributing single spin information, and possibly towards extending quantum communication. Gate-defined quantum dots offer a way to engineer electrically controllable quantum systems with potential for information processing. Here, the authors transfer angular momentum from the polarization of a single photon to the spin of a single electron in a gate-defined double quantum dot.
ISSN:2041-1723
2041-1723
DOI:10.1038/s41467-019-10939-x