CM-AMO SEMINAR | Quantum Optics with Solid-State Quantum Emitters

Optically active semiconductor quantum dots and defects in solids behave in many ways like artificial atoms.  The ease with which they interact with optical fields has made possible a number of quantum optical investigations. In this talk I will discuss some of our recent experiments that explore how a semiconductor quantum-dot optical transition interacts with a resonant laser.  We exploit this interaction to not only optically measure quantum-dot electron spin orientation, but also to generate ultra coherent single photons. Finally, I will discuss a second proof-of-principle experiment demonstrating the possibility of fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy with a single nitrogen vacancy center in diamond.  In our experiments we measure the local density of optical states of a proximal nanoscale optical antenna.