Boosting Cryostat Efficiency by IGLU Compressor Technology IGLU compressor

Boosting Cryostat Efficiency by IGLU Compressor Technology

Quantum technologies often require cryogenic temperatures, and so in order to move from laboratory environments with large scale infrastructure to the ‘real world’, compact and low power alternatives are being developed.
Therefore, attocube partnered with cryo.TransMIT, an experienced producer of customized pulse tube systems, and tested their very promising new small-scale pulse tube cooler, called “SUSY” – driven by the IGLU compressor.

The combination runs on a regular wall plug without the need of cooling water with remarkable efficiency values: The cryocooler achieves minimum temperatures down to <2.2 K, while the cooling power reaches 240 mW at 4.2 K at 1.3 kW compressor input power. This implies a coefficient of performance of 185 mW cooling power per 1 kW input power, placing this combination at the top of currently available cryocoolers in the low to medium input power range.

If needed, such as in mobile applications running e.g. on solar power, the energy consumption can also be lowered down to continuous 900 mW, which still yields an available cooling power of 140 mW at 4.2 K.
This extremely high efficiency in a compact form factor paves the way for future mobile applications and compact rack solutions for quantum technologies.

This measurement was realized with the IGLU Compressor.


Rack Mountable Superconducting Nanowire Single Photon Detectors IGLU compressor

Rack Mountable Superconducting Nanowire Single Photon Detectors

The delicacy of single photon signals used in quantum applications requires extremely sensitive light detectors. The unique combination of unparalleled detection efficiency and time resolution is what makes these superconducting detectors the ideal choice for quantum communication, cryptography, infrared fluorescence spectroscopy, laser ranging, and many other applications.

The detection principle of SNSPDs is based on the transition of a nanowire from the superconductive to the resistive state upon the absorption of a single photon. In a 2.5 Kelvin environment, these detectors can achieve efficiency beyond 85% for a wide range of wavelengths, and even 99.5% has been demonstrated!

Single Quantum, market leader in SNSPD systems, uses the new attocube IGLU compressor to compactify their cryogenic detector unit into a 19” rack format and to provide infrastructure autonomy. It puts this sensitive detector backbone of quantum technologies into an easy to implement package and thus ready for industrial usage.

This measurement was realized with the IGLU Compressor.

Further reading:
Single Quantum


Industrialization of Single Photon Sources IGLU compressor

Industrialization of Single Photon Sources

Generating pure single photons in a deterministic manner has been challenging for many years in the scientific community. Due to the advances in quantum technologies, such systems have recently also become highly desirable in the industrial sector. Ultra-secure quantum communication systems and super-efficient quantum processors with unprecedented processing power are only some of the future applications that will benefit from a standalone single-photon source able to generate highly-pure single-photons efficiently.

Quandela, close partner of attocube, offers the first standalone quantum light source: “Prometheus”, a robust, efficient and easy-to-implement, 19-inch rack system, which generates bright indistinguishable single photons on demand.

Thanks to attocube’s rack mountable IGLU compressor, the required closed cycle cryocooler is fully integrated into the same 19-inch rack, removing constraints in surrounding infrastructure, hence reducing size and cost dramatically.

This measurement was realized with the IGLU Compressor.

Further reading:
Quandela Prometheus


Identifying Charged Exciton Complexes in Janus Monolayers

Janus transition-metal dichalcogenide monolayers are artificial materials, where one plane of chalcogen atoms is replaced by chalcogen atoms of a different type. Their built-in out-of-plane electric field gives rise to long-lived dipolar excitons, while preserving direct-bandgap optical transitions in a uniform potential landscape. In this paper, the group of Mete Atatüre (University of Cambridge, UK) in collaboration with Sefaattin Tongay's group (Arizona State University, USA) identified the neutral and the negatively charged inter- and intravalley exciton transitions in Janus WSeS monolayers with ~6 meV optical line widths. By conducting magneto-optic measurements with a closed-cycle cryostat attoDRY1000 with an 8T magnet and high NA objective LT-APO, they further indicate that monolayer WSeS has a direct bandgap at the K points. Their results pave the way for the development of Janus-based optoelectronic devices.

This measurement was realized with the attoDRY1000.

Identifying Charged Exciton Complexes in Janus Monolayers DRY1000

Unparalleled photon number resolution ANPz101  ANPx341

Unparalleled photon number resolution

While many breakthroughs in quantum optics have been carried out on the shoulders of single photon detectors, the group of Hong Tang (Yale University, USA) has only recently ramped up the game with a high-speed-response 100-pixel photon-number-resolving detector. This on-chip detector is moved precisely by attocube ANP positioners to make the electrode contact with a multi-channel RF probe, as well as to align the fiber array to grating couplers at cryogenic temperatures.
By spatiotemporally multiplexing an array of superconducting nanowires along a single waveguide, it is possible to observe the quantum photon statistics of a true thermal light source for the first time.
This result opens new paths for photonic quantum computation and quantum metrology.

This measurement was realized with the ANPz101/LT - linear z-nanopositioner, and the ANPx341/LT - linear x-nanopositioner.


Telecom Single Photon Emitters in Silicon attoDRY800  LT APO

Telecom Single-Photon Emitters in Silicon

Recently, silicon emissive centers (SECs) have attracted great attention for their potential as optically accessible spin qubits and single-photon emitters (SPEs). In particular, the isolation of single G and W centers, in the optical telecommunication O-band, has recently been realized in silicon by several groups. In all previous cases, however, single SECs were created uncontrollably in random locations, preventing their scalability.
 In their recent study, the Quantum Technologies group of Georgy Astakhov (Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Germany) reported the controllable and scalable creation of single SECs using focused ion beams (FIB) and CMOS-compatible broad-beam implantation protocols to fabricate telecom SPEs at desired locations on the nanoscale. Single-defect spectroscopy is performed using an all fiber-based confocal PL setup built on a customized optical cryostat (attoDRY800) using an LT-APO IR objective with ANPx311 nanopositioners. Their findings could pave the way toward industrial-scale photonic quantum processors with technology nodes below 100 nm.

This measurement was realized with the attoDRY800.


Interacting single photon emitters attoCFM I  attoDRY100 XL

Interacting single-photon emitters

Quantum photonics research focuses on miniaturized devices that transmit quantum states of light. The quantum states which are the most sought after are entangled states, because they are necessary for realization of quantum communication and quantum computing. The team lead by Peter Lodahl (Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Denmark) has achieved a major breakthrough – interaction between two single-photon emitters (SPEs). They have achieved interaction by embedding SPEs in a photonic crystal waveguide, that extended the range of the dipole-dipole coupling, which would otherwise be very short-ranged, i.e. substantially smaller than the corresponding wavelength. They have measured collective response of two interacting emitters and demonstrated ability to control them simultaneously. In this study they have been using an attoCFM I confocal microscope in an attoDRY1000 cryostat, where they placed their quantum photonics chip. Their achievement represents reaching a long-awaited milestone on the quantum roadmap, and is essential for scaling up of quantum computing and quantum communication technology.

This measurement was realized with the attoDRY1000, and the attoCFM I.


Flatlands for Quantum Communication attoDRY800

Flatlands for Quantum Communication

Single photons are an essential resource for applications in photonic quantum information. Among the many quantum emitter platforms explored to date, the emerging class of 2D material systems has the potential to become a low-cost and scalable platform for engineered quantum light sources. In their recent paper, the group of Tobias Heindel (Technische Universität Berlin, Germany) published in collaboration with Christian Schneider's group (Carl von Ossietzky University, Germany) a study benchmarking single-photon sources based on a WSe2 monolayer for their deployment in quantum-secured communication. In their quantum key distribution testbed, the attoDRY800 optical cryostat provided a reliable platform for cryogenic operation of the atomically-thin quantum light source. Their findings demonstrate the suitability of 2D materials for quantum key distribution, with a performance readily competitive with other material platforms.

This measurement was realized with the attoDRY800.


3D tunable cavity in ultra low vibration closed cycle cryostat attoDRY800  ANPx101  ANPz101  ANPx311

3D tunable cavity in ultra low-vibration closed cycle cryostat

Experimental quantum optics is based on controlling the light-matter interaction. This work presents an open Fabry-Pérot cavity optical resonator giving the possibility to locate the region of interest on a solid-state sample as well as in-situ tuning of the cavity degrees of freedom.
In a joint project between an internal research team at attocube and Nanophotonics group of Alexander Högele (Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Germany) an open-cavity is realized inside a closed loop attoDRY800 cryostat with precise manipulations using ANPxyz positioners. Tremendous work put into a combination of passive and active vibration damping techniques allow the system to reach an exceptional level of mechanical stability. The researchers have demonstrated the formation of exciton-polaritons in this open-cavity platform with two-dimensional semiconductor and cavity photons as a hallmark of strong light-matter coupling.
The results establish the concept of an open-cavity in a closed-cycle cryostat as a promising quantum hardware tool to advance the field of solid-state quantum optics and cavity quantum electrodynamics.


Towards quantum internet ANSxyz100

Towards quantum internet

The team of Paul Barclay (University of Calgary, Canada) has been shaping the field of cavity optomechanics. Their most recent breakthrough is a demonstration of an interface between light and qubit, that utilizes the susceptibility of spin qubits to strain. They control spins of nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond with telecom-wavelength photons. This novel approach gives more flexibility in the choice of spin qubit for the design of a quantum network as it does not require perfect spin-photon interface. Using standard telecom wavelength makes it not only suitable for long distance fiber-based networks but could also open the capability of connecting into existing technology. In the core of this new setup is a diamond microdisc resonator between the qubit and the light, sitting on top of an attocube positioner stack with the ANSxyz100 scanner for sub-nm positioning resolution.Read the full article in Nature Physics here:

This measurement was realized with the ANSxyz100std/LT xyz-Scanner made from Titanium.


Bright Dates: Coupling Single Colloidal Quantum Dots attoDRY800  LT APO

Bright Dates: Coupling Single Colloidal Quantum Dots

In the playground of optoelectronics, colloidal quantum dots represent a sort of toy-bricks: single emitters, extremely stable and with high level of control. But what happens when two of those bricks are brought together? Can they stick one onto the other?
To answer this question, the group of Uri Banin (The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel) has performed cryogenic optical measurements in an attoDRY800, revealing that pairs of colloidal quantum dots can couple together, influencing each other. From the optical perspective, this results in a transformation from the simple spectra of the single colloidal quantum dots into a complex emission spectrum of the pairs, constituting "Coupled Colloidal Quantum Dots molecules" where multiple peaks shift with time simultaneously. The authors were then able to assign these simultaneous spectral changes to electrostatic interactions upon charging or discharging of one of the quantum dots. These results indicate that coupled pairs of colloidal quantum dots have the potential to become future building blocks for quantum information and quantum sensing applications.

This measurement was realized with the attoDRY800.


Towards quantum optics devices on a chip attoDRY800

Towards quantum optics devices on a chip

Since photons have low decoherence and inherent capability of low-loss transmission, using single photons as qubits is a promising route towards realization of scalable multi-qubit device that would be able to perform quantum computing and conduct quantum communication. The group of Sven Höfling (University of Würzburg, Germany) studied single photon sources based on In(Ga)As/GaAs quantum dots coupled to waveguides, using an attoDRY800 optical cryostat. They generated highly linearly polarized resonance fluorescence photons with high single photon purity and high indistinguishability, that are within the strict constraints of multi-interferometric applications in quantum optics. These single photon source are scalable and thus suitable for optical circuits for quantum computing and quantum communication on a chip.

This measurement was realized with the attoDRY800.


Tunable microcavity as highly efficient single photon source ANPz51  ANPx51  ANPz101  ANPx101

Tunable microcavity as highly efficient single-photon source

The quest for ideal single photon sources is definitely on, as they would be instrumental in enabling quantum communication and quantum computing on a large scale. As strict requirements on the efficiency of single-photon creation in such applications have seldomly been met up to now, the realization of this route towards quantum future was somewhat hindered. By tuning an open microcavity, the group of Richard Warburton (University of Basel, Switzerland) has generated a highly efficient source of single photons from quantum dots that can operate with GHz repetition rate, while maintaining excellent single photon purity and indistinguishability. They managed to more than double the previous record on efficiency. The tunability of microcavity has been achieved by utilizing two sets of cryogenic nanopositioners: one that enables full in situ spatial (xy) and spectral (z) tuning of the microcavity (2x ANPx51, 1x ANPz51), and the other one that ensures a proper positioning of the microcavity with respect to the objective lens (2x ANPx101, 1x ANPz101).


Magnetic imaging by quantum sensor attoLIQUID1000  attoAFM CFM  LT APO

Magnetic imaging by quantum sensor

As a suitable playground for designing desired materials properties, van der Waals materials (vdWM) have been acquiring a lot of attention in recent years. Magnetic vdWMs are particularly appealing because of potential spintronics applications. The group of Jörg Wrachtrup (University of Stuttgart, Germany) has studied domain wall dynamics in atomically thin CrBr3, as a function of magnetic field, by means of cryogenic nitrogen-vacancy (NV) magnetometry. By implementing this rather new scanning technique with the quantum sensor (NV center), they have reached nanoscale spatial resolution which in turn enabled identifying the pinning centers, and have quantitatively determined magnetization in CrBr3. Their results have been achieved by the help of an attoAFM/CFM microscope in an attoLIQUID1000 cryostat. Their work proves that scanning NV magnetometry is an excellent tool for exploring 2D magnets.

This measurement was realized with the attoAFM/CFM.


Improving InGaN Quantum Dots as Single Photon Sources attoDRY800  ANPx101  ANPz101

Improving InGaN Quantum Dots as Single-Photon Sources

While quantum dots are generally considered to be excellent candidates as a single-photon sources, their actual performance from this point of view strongly depends on the chemical composition. In the particular case of nitride quantum dots, on one side they can emit single photons even at warm temperatures, up to 350 K, on the other side they are subjected to a significant broadening of their emission. To understand the best way to optimize their performance, the group of Robert Taylor (Oxford University, UK) has extensively investigated the photoluminescence of InGaN quantum dots, discovering that quantum dots grown on a nonpolar plane exhibit a decreased spectral diffusion rate as well as significantly shorter lifetimes compared to polar nitride dots. These findings have been achieved thanks to low-temperature photoluminescence measurements performed in an attoDRY800 cryostat equipped with ANPxyz101 stack.


Quantum control over levitating nanoparticle attoDRY800

Quantum control over levitating nanoparticle

The attoDRY800 is not only able to provide an obstruction-free playground for quantum optics experiments, but also ensures extremely clean high-vacuum conditions. These features have brilliantly been exploited by the team of Lukas Novotny (ETH Zurich, Switzerland), which for the first time optically levitated a dielectric nanoparticle in a cryogenic environment and achieved quantum control over its motion. These results have been achieved thanks to the extremely low levels of decoherence provided by the suppression of both gas collisions and emission of blackbody photons in the cryogenic environment, thus allowing to feedback-cool the particle’s motion to the quantum ground state, with a feedback control relying on a cavity-free optical measurement of the particle position that approaches the minimum of the Heisenberg relation to within a factor of two. Furthermore, importance of quantum research and Novotny´s role in it are featured in the annual report of the ETH Board for 2021.

This measurement was realized with the attoDRY800.


Optimizing quantum emitters in h BN attoDRY800  LT APO

Optimizing quantum emitters in h-BN

Many scientific studies identify hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) as a versatile material platform for a wide range of applications in nanoscience. Recently, it has also become an attractive material for quantum photonics. Indeed, h-BN is a host for a myriad of bright photoluminescent defects, which have potential as quantum emitters. While the coherent properties of the emitted photons have paramount importance for practical quantum optics application, previous studies of h-BN quantum emitters have revealed that the emissions are broadly affected by spectral diffusion. By employing coherent excitation spectroscopy, the group of Igor Aharonovich (University of Technology Sydney, Australia), has demonstrated that the predominant cause of such a broadening is phonon coupling, this phenomenon being dominant even at the cryogenic temperatures provided by the attoDRY800 cryostat. Additionally, they showed how to minimize the spectral diffusion, by employing excitation powers well below saturation, thus paving the way to the optimization of h-BN for quantum photonics applications.
All the optical measurements of this work have been achieved using an attoDRY800 cryostat, equipped with a 0.82 NA LT-APO objective.

This measurement was realized with the attoDRY800.


Nano Optomechanical Force Sensor at mK Temperatures ANPxy101  ANPz101  ANSxyz100

Nano-Optomechanical Force Sensor at mK Temperatures

Since the invention of the atomic force microscope (AFM), mechanical force sensors have been among the most sensitive probes in scanning microscopy. In an effort to further push the limits of probe temperature and sensitivity, researchers from the Néel Institute (Grenoble, France) have now cooled down a nanowire-based force sensor to 32 mK.
Based on an all-optical single-photon detection method and attocube nanopositioners (ANPxyz101/ANSxyz100), the nanowire was kept in focus during cooldown, and subsequently characterized. At mK temperatures, the group demonstrated record sensitivities for scanning force probes, which enable vectorial imaging of weak forces, such as the interaction of a spin qubit with a nanoresonator.

This measurement was realized with the ANPz101/LT - linear z-nanopositioner.


Fiber Based Microcavity with inserted Diamond Membrane at 4 K ANPx311  ANPz51  ANPx101 und ANPz102

Fiber-Based Microcavity with inserted Diamond Membrane at 4 K

For the fields of quantum sensing, quantum communication, and quantum memories stable solid-state emitters (e.g. color centers) are from highest interest. M. Salz et al. investigated fiber-based microcavities coupled to in single crystal diamond (SCD) membrane incorporated silicon vacancy centers (SiV-). Within the experimental setup and with the help of several attocube nanopositioners a Purcell enhancement of the excited-state decay into the cavity mode was examined at 4K.
The experimental setup consists of different subparts like: excitation & laser setup, detection setup, and the cryostat setup (b, c) - within the positioners are used. The multimode fiber (16) is mounted on a 3D ANPx101-ANPx101-ANPz102-stack (13), the dielectric mirror (19) is mounted on a further 3D-stack consisting of two ANPx311 and one ANPz51 (12). Due to the used piezo-driven nanopositioners an exact movement of the mirror to the cavity fiber during the experiment can be ensured, moreover, the mirror can be moved away from the fiber during cooldown to avoid an unwanted crashing of both parts.


Electro Optic Converter at mK ANPx101 LT  ANPz101 LT

Electro-Optic Converter at mK

Prof. Dr. J.M. Fink and his research group brought us one step closer to seminal technologies like quantum secure communication, modular quantum computing clusters, and powerful quantum sensing networks. In a recent experiment "Bidirectional Electro-Optic Wavelength Conversion in the Quantum Ground State" has been examined with the help of radiative cooling and a triply resonant ultra-low-loss transducer operating at millikelvin temperatures.
With the used setup the problem of the high sensitivity of quantum states encoded in microwave frequency excitations to electronic or thermal noise could be tackled. Two GRadient INdex (GRIN) lenses are used to focus input and output beams (red), each lens is attached to one xyz-piezo positioning stack from attocube. Moreover, the prism (light blue) is moved horizontally and the microwave tuning cylinder (gold) vertically with two additional attocube positioners. In total, eight stages are used to perfectly adjust and align the different positions of the system to each other - and that at a base temperature of below 10 mK.

This measurement was realized with the ANPx101/LT - linear x-nanopositioner, and the ANPz101/LT - linear z-nanopositioner.


Adding twists and turns to Magneto Transport Measurements ggg

Adding twists and turns to Magneto-Transport Measurements

A constantly increasing number of scientific experiments and their foreseeable applications require the characterization of materials in terms of three-dimensional magneto-transport properties. In order to explore the cutting-edge limits of those features, one requires not only a wide sample temperature range, from room temperature to down to few mK, but also a powerful vector magnetic field. However, typical vector magnets are limited to in field strength: at least two directions over three cannot exceed one or two Tesla.
The renowned attocube expertise with nanopositioners has created an elegant solution to overcome this limit, by equipping the transport insert with a broad portfolio of sample rotators, which are able to perform also in ultra-high vacuum and variable/low temperature conditions. The offer is not simply limited to single rotators: attocube provides also a eucentric double sample rotator - the atto3DR - and, moreover, we also provide a complete measurement system - the attoTMS. The system includes the atto3DR, the automated attoDRY2100 cryostat and an all-in-one acquisition electronics Nanonis Tramea, with one dedicated software to rule them all.
Find out more about the benefits of rotating your sample with the help of attocube products.

This measurement was realized with the atto3DR, and the attoTMS.


Fiber alignment at mK conditions

The step from theoretical to practical quantum computing requires not only components for quantum entanglement but also a low-loss and robust network for further data distribution. The interface between superconducting processors and optical telecom networks is one of the open questions in the quantum community. A possible solution was now presented by the group of Johannes Fink from the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (Klosterneuburg, Austria). Their bidirectional and chip-scalable converter opens a way to integrate superconducting circuits into large scale optical fiber networks using a nanomechanical transducer. The precise alignment and stable connection of the optical fibre to the microwave chip at 10 mK temperatures required a stiff set of ANP101 positioners for x,y, and z movement. This new device allows using pump-powers orders of magnitudes lower than previously reported transducers which reduces optical heating and conversion noise that currently still hinders a quantum limited operation.

Fiber alignment at mK conditions Positioners

Extreme cross-polarization extinction

Confocal microscopy has proven to be an essential tool for studying light-matter interactions via resonant fluorescence experiments on the sub-micron scale. However, the exact mechanism behind the surprisingly strong suppression of laser light in such a configuration remained elusive.
In the framework of a PhD thesis conducted at attocube and financed through the EU’s Horizon 2020 network 4PHOTON, its origin could be attributed to the Imbert-Fedorov shift, a subtle sideways shift of a polarized beam of light when it is reflected off a smooth surface. For the precise rotation of the polarizers, an attocube piezo stepper rotator was used, whose accuracy of 15 µRad steps is essential to achieving such extreme extinction values.
Our work opens the way to a methodical design of sensitive laser resonant fluorescence microscopes with extreme background extinction, for a broad range of applications in quantum optics and solid-state physics, as well as for measuring material optical properties.

This measurement was realized with the attoCFM I.

Extreme cross polarization extinction attoCFM I

Signatures of a degenerate many-body state of excitons in van der Waals heterostacks

Condensed phases of excitons have previously been revealed by transport measurements in solid state systems with weak exciton binding, and consequently condensation temperatures below 1 K. Van der Waals heterostacks of semiconducting 2D materials are expected to host many-body phenomena at higher temperatures because of their peculiar screening properties and large exciton binding energies. The first optical exploration of such many-body phase diagrams of excitons has now been published by a collaboration of groups from Munich (Holleitner; Germany) and Münster (Wurstbauer; Germany). They used an attoDRY2100 closed cycle cryostat equipped with ANP nanopositioners to observe several criticalities in photogenerated exciton ensembles. The findings point towards a coherent many body quantum state, which survives to temperatures above 10K.

This measurement was realized with the attoDRY2100.

Signatures of a degenerate many body state of excitons in van der Waals heterostacks attoDRY2100

Telecom single photon emitters in silicon attoDRY800  LT APO

Telecom single-photon emitters in silicon

Quantum computing and quantum information processing are currently one of the hottest and best funded topics in physics. Single-photon sources are amongst the most promising candidates for photonic realizations of quantum processors, repeaters and sensors. In their recent paper, the group of Georgy Astakhov (HZDR, Dresden) managed to integrate carbon-based color centers (G center) into off-the-shelf Si wafers, resulting in bright and spectrally stable telecom single-photon sources with emission at about 1.28 µm. The experiments were conducted using an LT-APO objective with ANP nanopositioners in an attoDRY800 optical cryostat at 5.7 K. Their findings pave the way toward integrated photonic devices based on existing, scalable silicon technology combined with telecom wavelength range.

This measurement was realized with the attoDRY800.


Anisotropic formation of exciton magnetic polarons in colloidal quantum dot

Colloidal nanocrystal quantum dots are - due to their reproducible and scalable fabrication process - promising candidates for many industrial applications like solar cells, LEDs and displays. Doping semiconducting colloidal nanocrystals with magnetic ions can lead to extraordinary effects, such as light-induced magnetization - aka exciton magnetic polaron (EMP). The group of Gerd Bacher (University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany) carried out temperature- and magnetic-field-dependent photoluminescence measurements on single colloidal Mn2+:CdSe/CdS quantum dots, thus shedding light on the fundamental processes that lead to EMP formation. The measurements were realized with attoCFM I in attoDRY1000 with 3D magnetic field. These findings open a new path for controlling the orientation of light-induced magnetism.

This measurement was realized with the attoDRY1000, and the attoCFM I.

Anisotropic formation of exciton magnetic polarons in colloidal quantum dot attoCFM I in attoDRY1000

Boosting single-photon quantum key distribution

Engineered quantum light sources emitting single photons on the push of a button are essential components for quantum communication protocols. To maximize the expected secure key and the communication distance for quantum key distribution, the group of Tobias Heindel at the Technische Universität Berlin (Berlin, Germany) developed tools to optimize the performance of quantum key distribution implemented with such engineered single-photon emitters. Exploiting two-dimensional temporal filtering, the expected secure key as well as the communication distance can be optimized. The group implemented their routine in a basic quantum key distribution testbed, comprising a quantum dot device sending single-photon pulses to a four-port receiver analysing the polarisation state of the flying qubits. The single-photon source was mounted on the cold platform of the optical cryostat attoDRY800 as the integration of the platform into an optical table offered the easiest solution for a cold spot on the optical table. Their method further allowed to demonstrate real-time security monitoring via photon-statistics, being an important step towards security certification in quantum communication.

This measurement was realized with the attoDRY800.

Boosting single photon quantum key distribution attoDRY800

Single photon sources on the way to QIP attoDRY1000  attoCFM I

Single photon sources on the way to QIP

Single-photon sources will be a fundamental building block for future quantum information devices. For advanced implementations, the photon sources must emit simultaneously high efficiency and indistinguishability photons. On the way towards an optimal solid-state based single-photon source, the group of Chaoyang Lu and Jian-Wei Pan at the University of Science and Technology of China (Shanghai, CN) presented a background-free method (two-color excitation) for generating spectrally isolated indistinguishable photons [1] and polarized single photons from elliptical micro-pillars. The optical measurements were performed using an attoCFM I cooled by a closed cycle attoDRY2100 cryostat. With their measurement method they demonstrated a state-of-the-art polarized single-photon efficiency of up to 60% and an indistinguishability of up to 0.975 for the micro pillar device [2], which allowed them to perform the first 20 photon experiment leading toward quantum supremacy [3].

This measurement was realized with the attoDRY1000, and the attoCFM I.


A quantum network node and register based on silicon vacancies in diamond cryogenic positioners and cryogenic objective

A quantum network node and register based on silicon-vacancies in diamond

The realization of a quantum network node is a fundamental requirement for a later quantum network or even quantum internet. Such a quantum register receives or emits information without disturbing the underlying quantum state. Now, the groups of Marko Loncar and Mikhail Lukin at the Havard University (Cambridge, MA, USA) present an elementary quantum network node based on a silicon vacancy color center inside a diamond nanocavity. This optically active point defect in the diamond lattice is characterized by a self-made mK confocal microscope based on cryogenic nanopositioners and a cryogenic apochromatic objective from attocube inside a dilution cryostat. Additionally, the authors demonstrate the working principle of the node as quantum register by coupling the system to incoming optical photons, as well as a nearby nuclear spin featuring a 100ms long decoherence time. Their work marks a first step towards the realization of a first-generation quantum repeater.

This measurement was realized with the ANPx101/LT - linear x-nanopositioner, and the ANPz102/LT - linear z-nanopositioner.


Light matter coupling in TMD monolayers and heterostructures nanopositioners for cryogenic and ambient environment
Light matter coupling in TMD monolayers and heterostructures nanopositioners for cryogenic and ambient environment

Light-matter coupling in TMD monolayers and heterostructures

Scanning optical micro-cavities have been used by two collaborating groups to study light-matter coupling phenomena in semiconductor transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) monolayers and heterostructures. The groups of David Hunger (Karlsruher Institut für Technologie, Karlsruhe, Germany) and Alexander Högele (Ludwig-Maximillians-Universität München, Germany) explored atomically thin TMD semiconductors with scanning-cavity hyperspectral imaging at room and cryogenic temperatures. To this end, WSe2 monolayer and MoSe2-WSe2 heterobilayer were coupled to a tuneable cavity consisting of a fiber-based micro-mirror at one end and a planar micro-mirror with the sample at the other end, as sketched in figure 1. For room-temperature monolayers in strong-coupling, spatial maps of new half-matter and half-light quasiparticles – so-called exciton polaritons – were correlated to maps of exciton extinctions and fluorescence [1]. Heterobilayers were explored in the weak-coupling regime at 4 K to demonstrate Purcell enhancement of layer-indirect excitons and to determine their oscillator strength [2]. To ensure the required stability, the experiments employed an ECSx3030 and ANPx101 positioner for ambient and cryogenic conditions respectively, to realize the tuneable cavity and align the fiber with respect to the sample

This measurement was realized with the ANPx101/LT - linear x-nanopositioner, the ECSx3030/Al/RT, and the ANPz102/LT - linear z-nanopositioner.


Enhanced coupling of NV-centre's spins and photons

Reliable quantum information systems require different quantum systems combining the best features of each of them. The most flexible and universal possibilities are offered by photons as mediator between localized qubits. Therefore, an effective coupling of solid-state based qubits to an optical photon is a fundamental requirement.
Nitrogen-vacancy centres feature a long spin coherence time and their spin can be optically initialized, manipulated and detected. However, only about three percent of their photon emission are channeled into the zero phonon line. This limits the rate of indistinguishable single photons and the signal-to-noise ratio of coherent spin-photon interfaces. The group of Christoph Becher at Saarland University (Saarbrücken, Germany) designed and fabricated a tunable two-dimensional photonic crystal cavity (figure 1) and reported an enhanced emission rate of one magnitude (figure 2). The tuning of the cavity mode into resonance with the zero phonon line of the NV centre was achieved by laser-induced adsorption of residual gas provided inside the vacuum tube of the closed cycle cryostat attoDRY2100. In-situ optical detection measurements allowed to control the actual tuning process. The result of their fabrication optimization and tuning is an almost tripled signal-to-noise ratio of the optical spin read-out. According to the authors even higher signal-to-noise ratio is possible using the presented fabrication technique and experimental setup.

This measurement was realized with the attoDRY2100, and the attoCFM IV.

Enhanced coupling of NV centres spins and photons closed cycle cryostat attoDRY2100 and transmissionvconfocal microscope
Enhanced coupling of NV centres spins and photons closed cycle cryostat attoDRY2100 and transmissionvconfocal microscope

Easy-to-use platform for single photon experiments

The efficient generation of single, indistinguishable photons is essential for the development of optical quantum information processing. Specifically, the quest of creating single photons on-demand is limited to certain types of sources and techniques. To achieve this, the company Quandela provides optical accessories and state-of-the-art solid-state source devices emitting millions of quantum-pure photons per second.
Combining attocube's closed cycle cryostat attoDRY800 with Quandela's semiconductor quantum dot emitters guarantees a reliable and easy-to-use state-of-the-art solid-state single photon source for complex experiments and protocols.
With this robust setup it was easily possible to use the single-photon sources for on-demand generation of quantum superpositions of zero, one or two photons [1] speed-up multiphoton experiment on-chip [2] and to proving the technology being ready for large-scale fabrication of identical sources [3]

This measurement was realized with the attoDRY800.

Easy to use platform for single photon experiments optical cryostat attoDRY800
Easy to use platform for single photon experiments optical cryostat attoDRY800

Single-photon Source at Telecom Wavelength for Quantum Computation

One of the most promising approaches towards devices that could act as a building block for quantum computing and quantum information technology are quantum dot based single photon sources. Some of the standing technical challenges are coupling efficiencies, lossy transmission of quantum states, and the integration of other photonic devices such as electro-optic modulators.
The group of Edo Waks at the University of Maryland (Maryland, USA) tackled these demands by developing an alignment-free fiber-coupled single photon source emitting at the telecom wavelength.
The heart of the device is a nanobeam with an embedded quantum dot attached to a tapered fiber. The photons emitted from the quantum dot are guided to the fiber, from which it can be transferred to other optical device. The characterization required a home-made all-fiber photoluminescence setup that was cooled to 4 K using the closed cycle attoDRY1000 cryostat. The observed single-photon emission was detected with a brightness of 1.5 % and a purity of 86 %. With these results the developed device is a promising candidate for quantum computing as it offers the required usability and performance.

This measurement was realized with the attoDRY1000.

Single photon Source at Telecom Wavelength for Quantum Computation closed cycle cryostat attoDRY1000

A nanoscale quantum sensor at high pressures

Pressure affects phenomena ranging from the properties of planetary interiors to transitions between quantum mechanical phases. However, the enormous stress gradients generated in high pressure experimental apparatuses, such as the diamond anvil cell, limit the utility of most conventional spectroscopy techniques. To address this challenge, a novel nanoscale sensing platform was independently developed by three groups (given in alphabetic order): the Jean-Francois Roch group (Université Paris-Sud, FR), the Sen Yang group (Chinese University of Hong Kong, CN), and the Norman Yao group (University of California, Berkeley, USA). The researchers used quantum spin defects integrated into an anvil cell to detect minuscule signals under extreme pressures and temperatures with diffraction-limited spatial resolution.
For this purpose, Norman Yao and colleagues utilized the table-integrated closed cycle attoDRY800 cryostat - the ideal platform for precise and rapid temperature control of a diamond anvil cell while offering a large sample chamber and free-beam optical access. The convenience of the closed-cycle cryostat allowed the researchers to publish their results to arXiv just nine months after installation.

This measurement was realized with the attoDRY800.

A nanoscale quantum sensor at high pressures optical cryostat cryostat attoDRY800

Non equilibrium phase transitions in quantum fluids of light optical cryostat cryostat attoDRY800

Non-equilibrium phase transitions in quantum fluids of light

The understanding of many quantum phenomena in solid state physics heavily relies the ability to measure the dispersion relation of the fundamental excitations of the system. In the blossoming field of cavity polariton research, this dispersion relation is directly encoded in the propagation direction of the light emitted by the sample. To decrease the background signal and, therefore, increase the detected signal's quality, thin planar samples are used to perform transmission spectroscopy measurements. The group of Martin Kroner (ETH Zürich, Swizerland) performs such spectroscopy measurements using a table integrated closed cycle cryostat, the attoDRY800, as cold platform for the sample. By allowing for free space optical access to the sample from both sides, the attoDRY800 setup is an ideal platform to carry transmission measurements. In addition, the cold platform’s compactness results in a high stability and leaves most of the optic’s table space for the optical setup.

This measurement was realized with the attoDRY800.

Further reading:
Link to the group's webpage


Enhancing Quantum Dot Emitters by Precisely Positioned Micrometric SILs

Using interferometric closed loop scanning integrated into the attoCFM I confocal microscope for cryogenic in-situ lithography, the group of P. Michler in Stuttgart was able to optically localize quantum dots (QDs) with a unprecedented precision of 2 nm and mark them via lithography.
This procedure enables further processing and optimizing these single photon emitters to enhance light extraction. In this case, they successfully demonstrated how to precisely add hemispherical lenses directly on top of the quantum dot via 3D direct laser writing. This led to an enhancement in extraction efficiency by a factor of 2.

“Our attoCFM I LT-lithography setup is not only the best choice when it comes to stability requirements. Its closed loop scanning feature also allows us to optically pre-select quantum dots suitable for desired experiments and mark them in-situ via lithography with nanometric precision.”
Prof. Dr. Peter Michler (University of Stuttgart, Germany)

This measurement was realized with the attoCFM I, and the Low Temperature Photolithography.

Enhancing Quantum Dot Emitters by Precisely Positioned Micrometric SILs cryogenic confocal microscopy attoCFM I  closed loop scanning  cryogenic photolithography
Enhancing Quantum Dot Emitters by Precisely Positioned Micrometric SILs cryogenic confocal microscopy attoCFM I  closed loop scanning  cryogenic photolithography

Polariton dispersion in strong coupling regime optical cryostat attoDRY800

Polariton dispersion in strong coupling regime

The group of Prof. Atac Imamoglu (ETH Zurich) uses the attoDRY800 for phase contrast microscopy. The video (link below) shows the polariton dispersion in the so-called strong coupling regime, measured via white light transmission. The x-axis represents the in-plane momentum k||, the y-axis the energy E. The time evolution is given by the exciton-cavity detuning. In the inset, the corresponding spectrum at k|| = 0 is shown.

(Data courtesy of Martin Kroner; video created by Thomas Fink and Olivier Faist; Quantum Photonics Group, ETH Zurich)

This measurement was realized with the attoDRY800.

Further reading:
Related video on Youtube


Nanoscale Imaging and Control of Domain Wall Hopping with an NV Center Microscope attoLIQUID  attoAFM CFM oder CSFM

Nanoscale Imaging and Control of Domain-Wall Hopping with an NV Center Microscope

Domain walls in magnetic wires may prove useful for future spintronic devices, and hence their nanoscale characterization is an important steps towards useful applications. As demonstrated by the group of Vincent Jaques in Science, their NV center microscope based on the attoAFM/CFM allows to image domain walls in a 1 nm thick ferromagnetic nanowire with high resolution as well as jumps between pinning sites of individual domain walls. At the same time, they showed that the domain walls can be moved along the wire by inducing jumps via local heating due to a high local laser power. Since the domain walls are pinned by nearest pinning site, this allows to probe and image the pinning landscape of the sample quite efficiently.

(Images courtesy of V. Jacques, University of Montpellier, FR)

This measurement was realized with the attoAFM/CFM.


Single Photon Generation with Controlled Polarization from InGaN Quantum Dots

The research groups led by Prof. R. Taylor & Dr. R.A. Oliver in the UK have successfully generated single-photons with polarized light emission and predefined polarization axis at temperatures spanning from around 5 K to above 200 K using InGaN quantum dots. These quantum dots offer several advantages, such as high experimental repetition rates in the range of GHz, and for their growth as a planar structure, a single routine without complex geometrical engineering.
The emission spectra of these quantum dots were characterized using micro-photoluminescence techniques, while the samples were kept cool inside an optical cryostat equipped with attocube positioners. This table top cryostat, the attoDRY800, is able to reach temperatures ranges from below 5 K up to even above 300 K with very good thermal and vibrational stability.
The single-photons generated by these quantum dots are bright enough to allow their optical properties to be measured even above 200 K, a temperature considered to be the Peltier cooling barrier. Hence, this suggests in principle, that these quantum dots could be applied in integrated electronic circuits. And thanks to the achievable polarization control, these quantum dots are good candidates for on-chip polarization encoding in quantum cryptography.

To know more about the work done by Robert Taylor, Rachel Oliver and their research teams, please visit their websites here: https://users.physics.ox.ac.uk/~rtaylor/ and here http://www.gan.msm.cam.ac.uk/directory/oliver
(Data courtesy of R. Taylor, Oxford University)

This measurement was realized with the attoDRY800.

Single Photon Generation with Controlled Polarization from InGaN Quantum Dots optical cryostat attoDRY800
Single Photon Generation with Controlled Polarization from InGaN Quantum Dots optical cryostat attoDRY800

Coupling single defects to a nanowire

Using an attoCFM I cooled by an attoDRY1000, the group of Edo Waks at the University of Maryland (Maryland, USA) succeeded to couple quantum emitters in a tungsten diselenide (WSe²) monolayer self-aligned to the surface plasmon mode of a silver nanowire. The achieved lower bound coupling efficiency was measured to be 26% ± 11% in average from the emitter into the plasmonic mode of the silver nanowire. The presented technique is versatile to construct coupled systems consisting of diverse plasmonic structures and single-defect emitters in a range of two-dimensional semiconductors. Such a coupled system could be used for applications such as ultra-fast single-photon sources, which paves a way toward super-compact plasmonic circuits.

This measurement was realized with the attoDRY1000, and the attoCFM I.

Coupling single defects to a nanowire closed cycle cryostat attoDRY1000  cryogenic confocal microscopy attoCFM
Coupling single defects to a nanowire closed cycle cryostat attoDRY1000  cryogenic confocal microscopy attoCFM
Coupling single defects to a nanowire closed cycle cryostat attoDRY1000  cryogenic confocal microscopy attoCFM

Optical Magnetometer Reveals Lack of Conventional Meissner Effect in Iron based Superconductors attoLIQUID  attoAFM CFM oder CSFM

Optical Magnetometer Reveals Lack of Conventional Meissner Effect in Iron-based Superconductors

Scientists at Ames Laboratory (US), Ruslan Prozorov and Naufer Nusran, together with graduate student Kamal Joshi succeeded to visualize spatial distribution of the magnetic induction upon penetration and expulsion of weak magnetic fields in several representative superconductors. The experimental setup is based on the Attocube AFM/CFM, a low-temperature AFM combined with a confocal microscope. Attocube’s  high NA low temperature microscope objective is used to optically access the nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond, which are essentially atomic-scale magnetic sensors.

This measurement was realized with the attoAFM/CFM.


Magneto Raman Microscopy for Probing Local Material Properties of Graphene attoRAMAN  attoLIQUID

Magneto-Raman Microscopy for Probing Local Material Properties of Graphene

The combination of confocal Raman microscopy and magnetic fields at 4 K yields the opportunity to investigate and tune the electron-phonon interaction in graphene and few-layer graphene. In particular, excitations between Landau levels can resonantly couple to the Raman active long wavelength optical phonon (G-phonon), when their energies are matched, resulting in magneto-phonon resonances (MPRs). Such resonances at ±3.7 T are presented in the figure and highlighted by arrows. The details of the coupling depend on various material properties of the investigated graphene layer. From the MPRs, device parameters such as the electron-phonon coupling constant or the Fermi velocity of the charge carriers can be extracted. Interestingly for low charge carrier doping, the Fermi velocity shows signatures of many-body interaction effects.

This measurement was realized with the attoRAMAN.


Scalable Architecture for Multi Photon Boson Sampling closed cycle cryostat attoDRY1000  cryogenic confocal microscopy attoCFM

Scalable Architecture for Multi-Photon Boson Sampling

Research groups led by Jian-Wei Pan & Chao-Yang Lu in China and Sven Höfling in Germany & UK have successfully demonstrated the first quantum simulator based on single photons that beats early classical computers. In Nature Photonics, they report on “High-efficiency multiphoton boson sampling“, implementing 3-, 4-, and 5-boson-sampling with rates which are more than 24,000 times faster than all previous experiments, and 10-100 times faster than the first electronic computer (ENIAC) and transistorized computer (TRADIC) in human history. Their work, which was carefully prepared and accompanied by their 3 previous papers published in PRL (see below), kick starts a new era of photonic quantum technologies-going beyond proof-of-principle demonstrations and building a quantum machine to actually race against different generations of classical computers. In recognition of their achievements in quantum teleportation research, the very active and highly respected Chinese group recently also won the 2015 Physics World Breakthrough of the Year award and the 2015 State Nature Science First Class Award in China. In addition, Chao-Yang Lu was portrayed by Nature last summer as one of the “Science stars of China”. For their quantum dot experiments, his group uses three attoDRY cryostats equipped with attocube positioners, scanners and cryogenic objectives. Visit the group’s homepage for more information on their experiment.

This measurement was realized with the attoDRY1000, and the attoCFM I.


NV-Center Based Nanomagnetometry

Given its premier mechanical and thermal stability, the attoAFM/CFM is the ideal platform for nanoscale magnetic imaging employing an AFM tip with a diamond nanocrystal that contains a single nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center [1]-[4]. Local magnetic fields are subsequently evaluated by measuring the Zeeman shifts of the NV defect spin sublevels. In the particular case of NV-center magnetometry, an external microwave field is emitted and tuned in frequency such that local spin resonance occurs. This condition can subsequently be detected by a decrease in photoluminescence intensity of the NV-center, referred to as ODMR (optically detected magnetic resonance). Using a Lock-in and feedback loop technique allows to maintain spin resonance while rastering the sample, allowing to record a local magnetic field map with nanometer resolution.
In this example, magnetic imaging of a hard disk sample with random bit orientation was performed in the group of V. Jacques at LPQM, ENS-Cachan, France. [1]
Example 1 (a,b): Quantitative imaging using ODMR based method with NV-center scanned at d1 = 250 nm above the sample. (a) Schematic of the measurement. (b) Quantitative magnetic field distribution recorded with the lockin technique (13 nm pixel size, 110 ms acquisition time per pixel). The inset shows a line-cut taken along the dashed white line in the image. [1]
Example 2 (c,d): All-optical method with NV center closer to the sample surface. (c) Schematic of the measurement. (d) All optical photoluminescence image (no microwave field applied) recorded with the NV-scanning probe magnetometer in tapping mode (8 nm pixel size, 20 ms acquisition time per pixel). Comparisons with simulations indicates that the tip surface distance is roughly d2 = 30 nm. Fine white dotted lines are plotted along the direction of the hard disk tracks as a guide for the eye. [1]

Related publications based on the attoAFM/CFM (2012-2016)
[5] A. Dréau et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 113, 137601 (2014)
[6] A. Dréau et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 110, 060502 (2013)
[7] L. Rondin et al., Nature communications 4, 2279 (2013)
[8] J.-P. Tetienne et al., Phys. Rev. B 87, 235436 (2013)
[9] J.-P. Tetienne et al., New J. Phys. 14, 103033 (2012)
[10] A. Dréau et al., Phys. Rev. B 85, 134107 (2012)
[11] L. Rondin et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 100, 153118 (2012)

This measurement was realized with the attoAFM/CFM.

NV Center Based Nanomagnetometry attoLIQUID  attoAFM CFM oder CSFM
NV Center Based Nanomagnetometry attoLIQUID  attoAFM CFM oder CSFM
NV Center Based Nanomagnetometry attoLIQUID  attoAFM CFM oder CSFM
NV Center Based Nanomagnetometry attoLIQUID  attoAFM CFM oder CSFM

Collective electronic excitations of dipolar excitons closed cycle cryostat attoDRY2100  cryogenic confocal microscopy attoCFM

Collective electronic excitations of dipolar excitons

Photogenerated excitonic ensembles confined in coupled GaAs quantum wells are probed by a complementary approach of emission spectroscopy and resonant inelastic light scattering. The line scan of the photoluminescence energy in the image was measured at 7 K and covers the whole length of the circular trap with a diameter of 20 µm (x-axis). The inner electrode is circumvented by a ring shaped electrode at a different voltage. The gap of approx. 130 nm between the samples was created by e-beam lithography. The measurement was performed with an attoCFM III microscope inside a closed cycle attoDRY2100 cryostat.

This measurement was realized with the attoCFM III, and the attoDRY2100.


Quantitative Nanoscale Vortex-Imaging of Superconductors

Understanding the microscopic mechanisms of superconductivity could be greatly facilitated by non-invasive tools that allow for quantitative imaging with nanometric resolution over a large range of temperatures and high magnetic fields. Based on the attoAFM/CFM, the group of Patrick Maletinsky (Univ. of Basel) reports on cryogenic measurements using NV center magnetometry. Their technique allows to extract quantitative data on the local magnetic field of individual superconducting vortices in YBCO with high sensitivity and spatial resolution. By determining the local London penetration depth, they find that the so called Pearl-vortex model explains the data much better and allows for fitting of additional parameters than the standard monopole model. Their experiments constitute an impressive example for how far the practical use of the NV center based magnetometry tools has already evolved.

(Images courtesy of P. Maletinsky, University of Basel, CH)

This measurement was realized with the attoAFM/CFM.

Quantitative Nanoscale Vortex Imaging of Superconductors attoAFM CFM oder CSFM  attoLIQUID
Quantitative Nanoscale Vortex Imaging of Superconductors attoAFM CFM oder CSFM  attoLIQUID
Quantitative Nanoscale Vortex Imaging of Superconductors attoAFM CFM oder CSFM  attoLIQUID

Observation of Many Body Exciton States using the attoCFM I cryogenic confocal microscopy attoCFM  attoLIQUID3000

Observation of Many-Body Exciton States using the attoCFM I

Many-body interactions opens the doors to new fascinating physics such as the Fermi-edge singularity in metals, the Kondo effect in the resistance of metals with magnetic impurities and the fractional quantum Hall effect. The group of Paul M. Koenraad at the Eindhoven University of Technology (Eindhoven, NL) observed striking many-body effects in the optical spectra of a semiconductor quantum dot interacting with a degenerate electron gas using a free beam confocal microscope inside a 3He cryostat.
The image on the left shows a 3D map of the photoluminescence of a single InAs/GaAs quantum dot in a charge-tunable device. It was found that the coupling between the semiconductor quantum dot states and the continuum of the Fermi sea gives rise to new optical transitions, manifesting the formation of many-body exciton states. The experiments are an excellent proof for the stability of the attoCFM as the measurements took more than 15 hours without the need for re-alignment.

This measurement was realized with the attoCFM I.


Automatic Mapping of Semiconductor QDs made with cryogenic positioner  ANP RES LT

Automatic Mapping of Semiconductor QDs

Returning to interesting sample positions has never been easier: Yves Delley from the Quantum Photonics Group (QPG) at the ETH Zurich have - based on attocube positioners with resistive encoders made for cryogenics - built a micro-photoluminescence (PL) setup and automated it to a great extent. They programmed a fully automated routine for raster-imaging a full sample of up to 4 x 4 mm2 as well as implemented an auto-focus routine. Once initiated, the positioners are moved frame-by-frame and a CCD camera takes images of the PL of their semiconductor quantum dot samples. Knowing the coordinates of all individual images, it is easy to put together a complete map of the sample (see figure ).
“Now, we have to select the interesting dots, at which we want to take a closer look”, says Yves Delley, the responsible project researcher at QPG and gags: “Yet, in order to find the shortest route between all these quantum dots, we would need a quantum computer to solve this problem.”

(Image kindly provided by Yves Delley, Quantum Photonics Group, ETH Zurich, Switzerland)


Addressing Strain and Doping by Cryogenic Raman Mapping

T. Verhagen in the Czech Academy of Sciences in Prague conducted a comprehensive study on the effects of temperature induced strain on two-layer Graphene sheets using an attoRAMANxs confocal Raman microscope. Using isotopical labelling, they can differentiate the influences of the surface on the lower and on the upper layer. A correlation analysis allows to separate strain and doping contributions to the observed Raman shifts. This detailed analysis allows to estimate temperature induced strain and doping contributions that are important when analyzing transport measurements on graphene mono- and bilayers.

This measurement was realized with the attoCFM I, and the attoRAMAN.

Addressing Strain and Doping by Cryogenic Raman Mapping attoRAMAN
Addressing Strain and Doping by Cryogenic Raman Mapping attoRAMAN

Raman Spectroscopy on Graphene made with attoRAMAN

Raman Spectroscopy on Graphene

The figure to the left shows magneto-Raman measurements recorded at 4 K on an exfoliated single crystal of natural graphite with unprecedented spatial resolution (approx. 0.5 µm), while sweeping the magnetic field from -9 T to +9 T. The data were recorded on a single graphene flake and demonstrate the crossing of the E2g phonon energy with the electron-hole separation between the valence and conduction Landau levels.
(-N,+M) of the Dirac cone. Resonant hybridization of the E2g phonon is a specific signature of graphene flakes which display very rich Raman scattering spectra varying strongly as function of magnetic field [1].

[1] C. Faugeras et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 107, 036807 (2011);
(attocube application labs, 2011; work in cooperation with C. Faugeras, P. Kossacki, and M. Potemski, LNCM I - Grenoble, CNRS_UJF_UPS_INSA France)

This measurement was realized with the attoCFM I.


Resonant Spectroscopy on a Single QD

Spectroscopy of semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) under resonant optical laser excitation and of other single photon emitters, such as vacancy-centers often yields more information about the emitters than more ubiquitous non-resonant excitation. However, it is a technically challenging measurement to perform. The difficulty lies within the separation of the excitation laser photons from the re-emitted and scattered photons. One way in which this can be achieved is by means of polarization suppression: in a geometry where the scattered laser photons have a well-defined polarization, they can be filtered from the detected signal facilitating the detection of resonance fluorescence (RF) of a single quantum dot or any other quantum emitter.
The attoCFM I can be upgraded with a resonant fluorescence package, which features an apochromatic performance that permits alignment free switching between off resonant PL measurements and RF. This feature is fully enabled by our novel cryogenic compatible apochromatic objectives designed to hold the focus plane at the same position on the sample independently from the photon wavelength.
The combination of high precision rotators with the flexible beam management of the confocal CFM I head leads to an easy and reproducible use for our customer. It provides extinction ratios of 107, just a factor 10 away from the world record in research labs while allowing an unprecedented flexibility of use.
The first figure shows the resonance fluorescence of a quantum dot measured with the attoCFM I equipped with the Polarization Extinction Option and a narrow band tunable laser. In order to resolve the Mollow triplet, the emission is filtered through a high resolution spectrometer. Here, the extinction ratio exceeds 106, using the low temperature near infrared apochromatic objective LT-APO\NIR.
The second figure shows the extinction ratio of the Polarization Extinction option for the attoCFM I as a function of the rotation angle of the inbuilt piezo rotator equipped with a quarter wave plate. In an angular region of 30 m° an extinction of more than 106 can be reached with a tunable narrow band diode laser (<1?pm line width).

Measurement and data by E. Kammann (1), S.H. E. Müller (1), K. Puschkarsky (2), M. Hauck (2), S. Beavan (2), A. Högele (2), and K. Karrai (1),
(1) attocube systems AG, Munich, Germany,
(2) Ludwig Maximilian Universität, Munich, Germany

This measurement was realized with the attoCFM I.

Resonant Spectroscopy on a Single QD cryogenic confocal microscopy attoCFM
Resonant Spectroscopy on a Single QD cryogenic confocal microscopy attoCFM

Simultaneous Reflection and Transmission

The attoCFM III enables reflection and transmission measurements simultaneously. The fiber based microscope is designed to fit into any 2 inch bore-size cryostat like on of the the attoLIQUIDs, the attoDRY1000 or DRY2100.
The presented images of reflection (left) and transmission (right) are taken from a Vanadium rhomb-structure on a glass substrate with a layer thickness of 50 nm and a periodicity of 5 µm.

(attocube application labs 2007)

This measurement was realized with the attoCFM III.

Simultaneous Reflection and Transmission cryogenic confocal microscopy attoCFM
Simultaneous Reflection and Transmission cryogenic confocal microscopy attoCFM