Single Electron Charging in Optically Active Nanowire Quantum Dots

• Published in: Nano letters Vol. 10; no. 5; pp. 1817 - 1822
• Main Authors: Kouwen, Maarten P. van, Reimer, Michael E, Hidma, Anne W, van Weert, Maarten H. M, Algra, Rienk E, Bakkers, Erik P. A. M, Kouwenhoven, Leo P, Zwiller, Val
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 12.05.2010
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Electron Transport; Electronics; Equipment Design; Equipment Failure Analysis; Exact sciences and technology; Materials science; Materials Testing; Molecular electronics, nanoelectronics; Nanocrystalline materials; Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization; Nanostructures - chemistry; Nanostructures - ultrastructure; Nanotechnology - instrumentation; Optical Devices; Particle Size; Physics; Quantum Dots; Quantum wires; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Semiconductors; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted - instrumentation; single electron charging; opto-electronics; Nanowires; optically-active quantum dots; Quantum dots; Electric field effects; Tunnel effect; Growth mechanism; Chemical potential; Nanostructured materials; Gates
• ISSN: 1530-6984; 1530-6992; 1530-6992
• DOI: 10.1021/nl100520r

We report optical experiments of a charge tunable, single nanowire quantum dot subject to an electric field tuned by two independent voltages. First, we control tunneling events through an applied electric field along the nanowire growth direction. Second, we modify the chemical potential in the nanowire with a back-gate. We combine these two field-effects to isolate a single electron and independently tune the tunnel coupling of the quantum dot with the contacts. Such charge control is a first requirement for opto-electrical single electron spin experiments on a nanowire quantum dot.