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Quasi-light Storage for Optical Data Packets
Published on: February 6, 2014
Photon storage with nanosecond switching in coupled quantum well nanostructures
Alexander G Winbow1, Aaron T Hammack, Leonid V Butov
1Department of Physics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0319, USA.
Nano Letters
|April 12, 2007
Summary
Researchers achieved nanosecond photon storage and release using indirect excitons in quantum wells. This breakthrough enables studying excitons in controlled electrostatic traps with microsecond storage times.
Area of Science:
- Solid State Physics
- Quantum Optics
- Materials Science
Background:
- Indirect excitons are crucial for optoelectronic devices.
- Efficient control over exciton dynamics is essential for quantum information processing.
- Previous methods lacked rapid control and long storage times.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate nanosecond switching for photon storage using indirect excitons.
- To achieve microsecond-scale photon storage.
- To enable in situ studies of excitons in controlled electrostatic traps.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing coupled quantum well nanostructures.
- Implementing gate voltage pulses for control.
- Employing indirect excitons for photon manipulation.
Main Results:
- Achieved photon storage with nanosecond switching times.
- Demonstrated photon storage and release controlled by gate voltage pulses.
- Reached microsecond-level storage times, significantly longer than switching times.
- Showcased control of excitons on a timescale shorter than their lifetime.
Conclusions:
- Photon storage with nanosecond switching is feasible using indirect excitons.
- The developed method allows for precise control over exciton dynamics.
- This technique opens new avenues for studying excitons in tunable electrostatic potentials.
