Picosecond pulse shaping of single photons using quantum dots.

Quantum dots (QDs) are an excellent single-photon source that can be combined with a spin quantum memory. Many quantum technologies require increased control over the characteristics of emitted photons. A powerful approach is to trigger coherent Raman photons from QDs with a Λ energy-level system, such as the spin singlet-triplet system in two coupled QDs. The temporal and spectral behavior of single Raman photons can be varied simply by modifying the excitation source. Here, we demonstrate control of the single-photon pulse shape in a solid-state system on a timescale much shorter than the radiative lifetime, in addition to control of the frequency and bandwidth. We achieve a photon pulse width of 80 ps-an order of magnitude shorter than the exciton lifetime. Possible applications include time-bin encoding of quantum information, matching photons from different sources, and efficient single-photon transfer in a quantum network.

Electronic correlations and unconventional spectral weight transfer in the high-temperature pnictide BaFe(2-x)Co(x)As(2) superconductor using infrared spectroscopy.

We report an infrared optical study of the pnictide high-temperature superconductor BaFe(1.84)Co(0.16)As(2) and its parent compound BaFe(2)As(2). We demonstrate that electronic correlations are moderately strong and do not change across the spin-density wave transition or with doping. By examining the energy scale and direction of spectral weight transfer, we argue that Hund's coupling J is the primary mechanism that gives rise to correlations.