In this letter, we demonstrate that self-organized InGaAs quantum dots ͑QDs͒ grown on GaAs ͑111͒ substrate using droplet epitaxy have great potential for the generation of entangled photon pairs. The QDs show spectrally sharp luminescence lines and low spatial density. A second order correlation value of g ͑2͒ ͑0͒ Ͻ 0.3 proves single-photon emission. By comparing the power dependence of the luminescence from a number of QDs we identify a typical luminescence fingerprint. In polarization dependent microphotoluminescence studies a fine-structure splitting ranging Յ40 eV down to the determination limit of our setup ͑10 eV͒ was observed.

We report the complex refractive index of methylammonium lead iodide (CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3) perovskite thin films obtained by means of variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry and transmittance/reflectance spectrophotometry in the wavelength range of 190 nm to 2500 nm. Film thickness and roughness layer thickness are determined by minimizing a global unbiased estimator in the region where the spectrophotometry and ellipsometry spectra overlap. We then determine the optical bandgap and Urbach energy from the absorption coefficient, by means of a fundamental absorption model based on band fluctuations in direct semiconductors. This model merges both the Urbach tail and the absorption edge regions in a single equation. In this way, we increase the fitting region and extend the conventional (α ω) 2-plot method to obtain accurate bandgap values.

We develop a band-fluctuations model which describes the absorption coefficient in the fundamental absorption region for direct and indirect electronic transitions in disordered semiconductor materials. The model accurately describes both the Urbach tail and absorption edge regions observed in such materials near the mobility edge in a single equation with only three fitting parameters. An asymptotic analysis leads to the universally observed exponential tail below the bandgap energy and to the absorption edge model at zero Kelvin above it, for either direct or indirect electronic transitions. The latter feature allows the discrimination between the absorption edge and absorption tails, thus yielding more accurate bandgap values when fitting optical absorption data. We examine the general character of the model using a dimensionless Joint Density of States formalism with a quantitative analysis of a large amount of optical absorption data. Both heavily doped p-type GaAs and nano-crystalline Ga 1−x MnxN, as examples for direct bandgap materials, as well as amorphous Si:Hx, SiC:Hx and SiNx, are modeled successfully with this approach. We contrast our model with previously reported empirical models, showing in our case a suitable absorption coefficient shape capable of describing various distinct materials while also maintaining the universality of the exponential absorption tail and absorption edge.

The efficient generation of polarized single or entangled photons is a crucial requirement for the implementation of quantum key distribution (QKD) systems. Selforganized semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) are capable of emitting one polarized photon or an entangled photon pair at a time using appropriate electrical current injection. We realized a highly efficient single-photon source (SPS) based on well-established semiconductor technology: In a pin structure, a single electron and a single hole are funneled into a single InAs QD using a submicron AlO x current aperture. Efficient radiative recombination leads to emission of single polarized photons with an all-time record purity of the spectrum. Non-classicality of the emitted light without using additional spectral filtering is demonstrated. The out-coupling efficiency and the emission rate are increased by embedding the SPS into a micro-cavity. The design of the micro-cavity is based on detailed modeling to optimize its performance. The resulting resonant single-QD diode is driven at a repetition rate of 1 GHz, exhibiting a second-order correlation function of g ð2Þ ð0Þ ¼ 0. Eventually, QDs grown on (111)-oriented substrates are proposed as a source of entangled photon pairs. Intrinsic symmetry-lowering effects leading to the splitting of the exciton bright states are shown to be absent for this substrate orientation. As a result, the XX ! X ! 0 recombination cascade of a QD can be used for the generation of entangled photons without further tuning of the fine-structure splitting via QD size and/or shape.

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