CAREER: Controllable Coupling of Quantum Dots in Scalable Architectures

*非技术摘要*称为量子点(QD)的半导体纳米结构可以被认为是人造原子。两个相互靠近的量子点可能会变成量子力学耦合，类似于人造分子，或量子点分子(QDM)。控制QDM组件的量子力学行为的能力对未来的技术非常重要。为了在未来的技术中发挥作用，有必要增加组装在一起的QDM的数量，就像今天的科学家将许多分子组装成材料一样。这一教师早期职业发展奖支持一个项目，该项目旨在了解和研究两种类型的QDM中的量子力学耦合的签名和机制。所研究的QDM的几何构型可能有助于增加QDM组件的尺寸。因此，该项目可能会对从量子信息到光伏等技术产生重大影响。该项目包括一个全面的教育计划，其中包括：1)为K-12教师提供实践研究和课程开发；2)为K-12学生提供实践探索科学体验；以及3)为高级本科生开发有关纳米材料的跨学科课程。该奖项得到了材料研究部和物理部的支持。*技术摘要*量子点处于量子耦合研究的前沿，因为它们可以局部地将单个电荷限制在类似于自然原子轨道能级的离散能级中。两个量子点之间的耦合导致了离域的分子？分布在两个点和其间势垒上的电子和空穴波函数。这种量子力学耦合的量子点可以被视为量子点分子(QDM)。虽然垂直堆叠的量子点形成了垂直的QDM，已经成为研究自旋相互作用和效应的重要配置，但它们不太可能成为未来技术的实用架构。该学院早期职业发展奖支持一个项目，该项目旨在调查和理解QDM的两种潜在可扩展体系结构中的量子耦合签名和机制。这些是1)侧向QDM，由嵌入在GaAs中的两个横向分开的InAs量子点组成；2)生物分子QDM，由两个胶体生长的由活性生物分子连接物连接的量子点组成。时间分辨光谱学方法将被用来研究这些单个QDM中的量子力学耦合。对这种耦合的物理原理的理解可能会导致以可扩展的方式控制量子力学耦合的能力，从而与量子信息技术和光电子器件等未来技术相关。该项目包括一项全面的教育计划，涉及K-12年级的教师和学生以及本科生和研究生。该奖项得到了材料研究部和物理部的支持。

****NON-TECHNICAL ABSTRACT****Semiconductor nanostructures known as quantum dots (QDs) can be considered artificial atoms. Two QDs close to each other may become quantum mechanically coupled, resembling an artificial molecule, or quantum dot molecule (QDM). The ability to control the quantum mechanical behavior of assemblies of QDMs is important for future technologies. In order to be of use in future technologies it is necessary to be able to increase the number of QDMs assembled together, just as scientists today assemble many molecules into materials. This Faculty Early Career Development award supports a project that seeks to understand and investigate the signatures and mechanisms of quantum mechanical coupling in two types of QDMs. The geometric configuration of the QDMs under study is one that may be useful for increasing the size of the assembly of QDMs. Therefore the project may lead to a significant impact on technologies ranging from quantum information to photovoltaics. This project includes a comprehensive educational plan consisting of: 1) hands-on research and curriculum development for k-12 teachers; 2) hands-on exploratory science experiences for k-12 students; and 3) the development of interdisciplinary courses on nanoscale materials aimed at advanced undergraduate students. This award is supported by the Division of Materials Research and the Division of Physics.****TECHNICAL ABSTRACT****Quantum dots are at the forefront of research into quantum coupling because they can locally confine single charges in discrete energy states that are analogous to the orbital energy levels of natural atoms. Coupling between two quantum dots leads to delocalized ?molecular? electron and hole wave functions that are distributed over both dots and the barrier in between. Such quantum mechanically coupled quantum dots may be viewed as a quantum dot molecule (QDM). While vertically stacked QDs, forming a vertical QDM, have been an important configuration for studying spin interactions and effects, they are unlikely to be a practical architecture for future technology. This Faculty Early Career Development award supports a project that seeks to investigate and understand the signatures and mechanisms of quantum coupling in two types of potentially scalable architectures of QDMs. These are 1) lateral QDMs consisting of two laterally separated InAs QDs embedded in GaAs and 2) bio-molecular QDMs comprised of two colloidally grown QDs connected by active bio-molecular linkers. Time-resolved optical spectroscopy methods will be utilized to study the quantum mechanical coupling in these single QDMs. The understanding of the physics of this coupling may lead the ability to control the quantum mechanical coupling in ways that are scalable and thus relevant to future technologies such as quantum information technology and optoelectronic devices. This project includes a comprehensive educational plan involving k-12 teachers and students as well as undergraduate and graduate students. This award is supported by the Division of Materials Research and the Division of Physics.