Terahertz Bandwidth All-Optical Modulation and Logic Using Multiexcitons in Semiconductor Nanocrystals

Optical pumping of semiconductor nanocrystals with femtosecond pulse sequences was performed in order to modulate multiexciton populations. We show for the first time that control of multiexciton populations produces high speed modulation of stimulated emission. Upon the basis of the speed of multie...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nano letters 2013-02, Vol.13 (2), p.722-727
Main Authors: Saari, Jonathan I, Krause, Michael M, Walsh, Brenna R, Kambhampati, Patanjali
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science
rheology
Exact sciences and technology
Logic
Materials science
Modulation
Nanocrystalline materials
Nanocrystals
Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization
Nanostructure
Optical data processing
Physics
Populations
Quantum confinement
Semiconductors
Stimulated emission
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Summary:Optical pumping of semiconductor nanocrystals with femtosecond pulse sequences was performed in order to modulate multiexciton populations. We show for the first time that control of multiexciton populations produces high speed modulation of stimulated emission. Upon the basis of the speed of multiexcitonic processes in nanocrystals, we show modulation rates approaching 1 THz by virtue of strong quantum confinement effects. Employing femtosecond optical pulse sequences, we demonstrate all-optical logic using these nanocrystals in two forms: an AND gate, and an inverter, a key step toward all optical signal processing.
ISSN:1530-6984
1530-6992
DOI:10.1021/nl3044053