CAREER: Optical Spectroscopy of Quantum Coherence, Correlations, and Many-Body Effects in Nanostructures

William Marsh Rice University, Houston TX

Investigators

Abstract

This CAREER development project explores optical phenomena in semiconductor nanostructures. Various ultrafast and nonlinear optical techniques will be employed to probe the dynamics of charge and spin carriers in nanostructures and address issues of contemporary interest. More specifically, issues and questions addressed include: Autler-Towns splitting or "dressed" excitons in quantum wells, spin dephasing in semiconductor quantum wires, spin-charge separation in Tomonaga-Luttinger liquids, and carrier-induced ferromagnetism in magnetic semiconductors. The research work will train student researchers in frontier projects to produce next generation experts in semiconductor optics with broad knowledge in quantum optics, quantum information science, and nanotechnology. The impact of this project includes: increased understanding of the quantum states and dynamics of interacting and/or strongly driven electrons in nanostructures; new spectroscopy techniques; novel device concepts and implementations; establishment of the quantum nature of semiconductor-light interaction; progress towards the solid-state realization of quantum information processing, computation and communications; and provision of a controlled environment in which to address unanswered questions in many-body physics. This CAREER award will develop a five-year program that coherently integrates research and education in the area of optical studies of semiconductor nanostructures. The proposed research work will train undergraduate and graduate students in frontier projects to produce next generation experts in semiconductor optics with broad knowledge in quantum optics, quantum information science, and nanotechnology. Various cutting-edge optical techniques will be employed to study electron dynamics in nanostructures. Such research will increase our understanding of quantum effects in nanostructures, increase students' readiness for the fast-paced world of modern quantum technology, lead to novel device concepts and implementations, and bring significant progress towards the solid-state realization of quantum information processing, computation and communications.