Tunable Fano interference in intersubband absorption

The multi-photon induced Fano effect

The ordinary Fano effect occurs in many-electron atoms and requires an autoionizing state. With such a state, photo-ionization may proceed via pathways that interfere, and the characteristic asymmetric resonance structures appear in the continuum. Here we demonstrate that Fano structure may also be induced without need of auto-ionization, by dressing the continuum with an ordinary bound state in any atom by a coupling laser. Using multi-photon processes gives complete, ultra-fast control over the interference. We show that a line-shape index q near unity (maximum asymmetry) may be produced in hydrogenic silicon donors with a relatively weak beam. Since the Fano lineshape has both constructive and destructive interference, the laser control opens the possibility of state-selective detection with enhancement on one side of resonance and invisibility on the other. We discuss a variety of atomic and molecular spectroscopies, and in the case of silicon donors we provide a calculation for a qubit readout application.

Fano resonances occur in many platforms that have auto-ionizing states. Here the authors show that auto-ionizing states are not required for multi-photon Fano resonance in a Si:P system with significant screening by using a pump-probe method.

Fano signatures between intersubband and ponderomotive responses in MQW structures

We present an in-depth theoretical and numerical discussion on the Fano signatures observed in differential transmission spectra obtained from multiquantum well structures. These signatures stem from ponderomotive and intersubband polarization currents modified by the coupling between the optical responses of different layers. A detailed discussion of this process is provided, evaluating quantitatively the amplitude and shape of the Fano signatures and their dependence on structural parameters, such as carrier concentration and layer width. The theoretical model described here aims to predict quantitatively the weight of the contributions of the ponderomotive currents in relation to the intersubband ones. In order to include the effect of the entire structure in the theoretical spectra, the optical response of each layer is addressed within the density matrix formalism and encompassed in an optical transfer matrix. This method also ensures the correct inclusion of the phase sensitive superposition of optical responses of different layers on which the Fano signatures are based. Numerical simulations obtained from the presented theoretical approach are in excellent agreement with the behavior observed in previous experiments.

Electromagnetically induced grating in asymmetric quantum wells via Fano interference

We propose a scheme for obtaining an electromagnetically induced grating in an asymmetric semiconductor quantum well (QW) structure via Fano interference. In our structure, owing to Fano interference, the diffraction intensity of the grating, especially the first-order diffraction, can be significantly enhanced. The diffraction efficiency of the grating can be controlled efficiently by tuning the control field intensity, the interaction length, the coupling strength of tunneling, etc. This investigation may be used to develop novel photonic devices in semiconductor QW systems.

Giant kerr nonlinearity, controlled entangled photons and polarization phase gates in coupled quantum-well structures

We study linear and nonlinear propagations of probe and signal pulses in a multiple quantum-well structure with a four-level, double Λ-type configuration. We show that slow, mutually matched group velocities and giant Kerr nonlinearity of the probe and the signal pulses may be achieved with nearly vanishing optical absorption. Based on these properties we demonstrate that two-qubit quantum polarization phase gates can be constructed and highly entangled photon pairs may be produced. In addition, we show that coupled slow-light soliton pairs with very low generation power can be realized in the system.

Fano signatures in the intersubband terahertz response of optically excited semiconductor quantum wells

Absorption and transmission spectra of broadband terahertz pulses are measured to probe the intersubband response of an optically excited quantum-well heterostructure. While the terahertz absorption shows the single peak of the resonant intersubband transition, the transmission spectra display strong Fano signatures due to the phase sensitive superposition of ponderomotive and terahertz currents as predicted by our microscopic theory.

Controllable entanglement and polarization phase gate in coupled double quantum-well structures

By analyzing the nonlinear optical response in an asymmetric coupled double quantum well structure based on the intersubband transitions, we show that a giant Kerr nonlinearity with a relatively large cross-phase modulation coefficient can be used to produce efficient photonphoton entanglement and implement an all-optical two-qubit quantum polarization phase gate. We also demonstrate that such photon-photon entanglement is practically controllable and may facilitate more practical applications in all-optical quantum information and computation.

Quantum Coherence in an Optical Modulator

Semiconductor quantum well electroabsorption modulators are widely used to modulate near-infrared (NIR) radiation at frequencies below 0.1 terahertz (THz). Here, the NIR absorption of undoped quantum wells was modulated by strong electric fields with frequencies between 1.5 and 3.9 THz. The THz field coupled two excited states (excitons) of the quantum wells, as manifested by a new THz frequency- and power-dependent NIR absorption line. Nonperturbative theory and experiment indicate that the THz field generated a coherent quantum superposition of an absorbing and a nonabsorbing exciton. This quantum coherence may yield new applications for quantum well modulators in optical communications.

Fano line shapes reconsidered: symmetric photoionization peaks from pure continuum excitation

In a photoionization spectrum in which there is no excitation of the discrete states, but only the underlying continuum, we have observed resonances which appear as symmetric peaks, not the commonly expected window resonances. Furthermore, since the excitation to the unperturbed continuum vanishes, the cross section expected from Fano's configuration interaction theory is identically zero. This shortcoming is removed by the explicit introduction of the phase shifted continuum, which demonstrates that the shape of a resonance, by itself, provides no information about the relative excitation amplitudes to the discrete state and the continuum.