CAREER: Controllable Coupling of Quantum Dots in Scalable Architectures

* 非技术摘要 * 半导体纳米结构被称为量子点（QD），可以被认为是人造原子。 彼此靠近的两个QD可以变成量子机械耦合，类似于人工分子或量子点分子（QDM）。控制QDM组件的量子力学行为的能力对于未来的技术是重要的。 为了在未来的技术中使用，有必要能够增加组装在一起的QDM的数量，就像今天的科学家将许多分子组装成材料一样。 这个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QDM中量子力学耦合的签名和机制。 所研究的QDM的几何配置是一种可能用于增加QDM组装的尺寸的几何配置。因此，该项目可能会对从量子信息到光子学的技术产生重大影响。该项目包括一个全面的教育计划，包括：1）动手研究和课程开发的K-12教师; 2）动手探索的K-12学生的科学经验;和3）针对先进的本科生纳米材料的跨学科课程的发展。 该奖项由材料研究部和物理部支持。*技术摘要 * 量子点处于量子耦合研究的前沿，因为它们可以将单个电荷局部限制在离散的能态中，这些能态类似于自然原子的轨道能级。 两个量子点之间的耦合导致离域？分子？电子和空穴的波函数分布在两个点和其间的势垒上。 这种量子机械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，形成一个垂直的QDM，一直是研究自旋相互作用和影响的重要配置，他们不太可能成为未来技术的实用架构。这个教师早期职业发展奖支持一个项目，该项目旨在调查和理解两种类型的潜在可扩展QDM架构中量子耦合的签名和机制。 这些是1）由嵌入GaAs中的两个横向分离的InAs QD组成的横向QDM和2）由通过活性生物分子连接体连接的两个胶体生长的QD组成的生物分子QDM。 时间分辨光谱方法将被用来研究在这些单QDM的量子力学耦合。 对这种耦合的物理学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，从而与诸如量子信息技术和光电器件等未来技术相关。 该项目包括一个全面的教育计划，涉及k-12教师和学生以及本科生和研究生。该奖项由材料研究部和物理部支持。

****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.