Gate-defined quantum dots (QDs) are such a highly-tunable quantum system in which single spins can be electrically coupled, manipulated, and measured. However, the spins in gate-defined QDs are lacking its interface to free-space photons. Here, we verify that a circularly-polarized single photon can excite a single electron spin via the transfer of angular momentum, measured using Pauli spin blockade (PSB) in a double QD. We monitor the inter-dot charge tunneling which only occur when the photo-electron spin in one QD is anti-parallel to the electron spin in the other. This allows us to detect single photo-electrons in the spin-up/down basis using PSB. The photon polarization dependence of the excited spin state was finally confirmed for the heavy-hole exciton excitation. The angular momentum transfer observed here is a fundamental step providing a route to instant injection of spins, distributing single spin information, and possibly towards extending quantum communication.
We demonstrate one and two photoelectron trapping and the subsequent dynamics associated with interdot transfer in double quantum dots over a time scale much shorter than the typical spin lifetime. Identification of photoelectron trapping is achieved via resonant interdot tunneling of the photoelectrons in the excited states. The interdot transfer enables detection of single photoelectrons in a nondestructive manner. When two photoelectrons are trapped at almost the same time we observed that the interdot resonant tunneling is strongly affected by the Coulomb interaction between the electrons. Finally the influence of the two-electron singlet-triplet state hybridization has been detected using the interdot tunneling of a photoelectron.
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