We describe how quantum information may be transferred from photon polarization to electron spin in a semiconductor device. The transfer of quantum information relies on selection rules for optical transitions, such that two superposed photon polarizations excite two superposed spin states. Entanglement of the electron spin state with the spin state of the remaining hole is prevented by using a single, non-degenerate initial valence band. The degeneracy of the valence band is lifted by the combination of strain and a static magnetic field. We give a detailed description of a semiconductor structure that transfers photon polarization to electron spin coherently, and allows electron spins to be stored and to be made available for quantum information processing.
@article{arxiv.quant-ph/0004078,
title = {A spin-coherent semiconductor photo-detector for quantum communication},
author = {Rutger Vrijen and Eli Yablonovitch},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:quant-ph/0004078},
year = {2009}
}
Comments
To be published in the proceedings of the 11th International Winterschool on New Developments in Solid State Physics, 21 - 25 February, 2000, Mauterndorf, Austria (Physica E, Sept. 2000). 5 pages, 4 figures Revised with updated work on light-hole/heavy-hole selection rules