Quantum Nanostructures by Droplet Epitaxy for Optoelectronics and Quantum Information Technologies

Dear Colleagues,

Quantum materials represent the novel frontier of physics, chemistry, and engineering, aiming to tailor the electronic and optical properties of materials via the artificial nano-synthesis of quantum nanostructures (QNs), thus controlling the electronic states at the single-atom level. QNs have been systematically explored to improve “classical” optoelectronic devices like low-threshold and thermally stable semiconductor lasers, amplifiers, detectors, solar cells, etc. Even more relevant is their application as solid-state building blocks for emerging quantum technologies, allowing the fabrication of deterministic sources of single photons and quantum entangled photon pairs for quantum communication, quantum simulation, and computing.

The droplet epitaxy (DE) and local droplet etching (LDE) growth protocols exploit the controlled crystallization of metal nano-droplets into compound semiconductor QNs of high crystalline and optical quality. The two epitaxy methods make it possible to obtain QNs by controlling the process kinetics with an extended chart of materials, and to tailor shape and topology, thus making it possible to engineer electronic, spin, and optical properties for targeted applications.

The last decade has seen remarkable progress in exploiting and expanding the peculiarities of DE and LDE. In the field of quantum applications, where the properties of isolated QNs matter, it was possible to solve many technological issues that are hardly solvable with different QN self-assembly techniques, reaching several important scientific results in the field of quantum photonics, and, more importantly, tackling some obstacles intrinsic to QN growth.

The distance to be covered from lab achievements to device commercialization requires a huge effort that can be obtained only if the peculiarity and advantages of DE and LDE are disseminated in the semiconductor communities. For this reason, this Special Issue of Nanomaterials will attempt to cover the most recent advances in QNs based on DE and LDE, concerning growth, characterization, and applications. The focus is on recent advances in QN fabrication, single-photon emitters (optimizing entangled photon cascade devices, tuning the emission in the telecom range, etc.), and advanced optoelectronic devices (photodetectors, quantum dot photovoltaics, etc.)

Prof. Dr. Stefano Sanguinetti
Prof. Dr. Massimo Gurioli
Guest Editors

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