Researchers design quantum dot LED, or will promote the development of quantum computing

Quantum computing is widely considered to be the next generation of global computing innovation technology. Google, Intel and IBM and other giants in the field at present has invested millions, which will promote faster, more efficient processing, to meet the future of computing, high-speed network, data encryption and other applications, such as national defense, security and sensing.

The day before, the Irish National Institute of Tindall (Tyndall National Institute) the researchers used lithography technology scalable and compatible with the design of a factory, Pyramid quantum dot shaped light-emitting diode (LED), is expected to generate entangled photon correlation function and state of quantum computing.

The project will likely be used in quantum computing research to accelerate the application of quantum technology, says Dr. Emanuele Pelucchi, project leader.

The Tindall Institute used nanotechnology to power a Pyramid - like quantum dot array to produce entangled photons. Using the inherent nanoscale nature of the cone structure, especially for the designed and self-assembled vertical quantum wires, it is possible to selectively inject current into the quantum dots. The results of this paper are an important step in the implementation of quantum photonic integrated circuit design, laying the foundation for quantum information processing tasks of thousands or even more synchronous operations.

The researchers were able to restore to the top up Pyramid structure by etching the original substrate, thereby increasing several orders of magnitude of light extraction compared to the built in embedded components. Then, the top and bottom contacts are designed to selectively inject current into a single QD in the center of the Pyramid structure. The key is to use the self calibration technique to allow components to be easily manufactured on a large scale.

By contacting all of the LED, the researchers had to think about a lot of analysis of about 1300 LED, but also planned to control LED individually to achieve better performance, selectivity, and compensation for process nonuniformity.

Ideally, for quantum information processing, researchers would like to use LED as a completely distinguishable source of entangled photons. Photon capture efficiency is also quite low, about 1%, so researchers expect to improve by using different techniques, such as stress and electric field of built material.

Tindall's researchers have developed quantum dot light-emitting diodes that produce entangled photons, which can theoretically be used for information coding in quantum computing. Pelucchi explains that this is not the only solution for LED to produce entangled photons, but as described in the article "natural photonics", the method and material have important implications for the future of quantum technology.

Traditional digital computing relies on binary switches, while quantum computing uses information about the quantum states of events - such as entangled photons or multiple states of atoms - to achieve information encoding. In theory, this can promote faster, more powerful computer processing, but the current technology is difficult to support large-scale development.

The innovation lies in the design of a scalable array of electrokinetic quantum dots, which uses readily available materials and conventional semiconductor manufacturing technologies. The method can directly acquire the location of entangled photon source. The key technique of this method lies in the quantum dot position control and large-scale manufacturing technology, and their development will promote the support of quantum computing technology more widely used.

For more LED related information, please click on the LED network or pay attention to the WeChat public account (cnledw2013).