title: Nanoscale optical electrometer.
abstract: We propose and demonstrate an all-optical approach to single-electron sensing using the optical transitions of a semiconductor quantum dot. The measured electric-field sensitivity of 5 (V/m)/√Hz corresponds to detecting a single electron located 5 μm from the quantum dot-nearly 10 times greater than the diffraction limited spot size of the excitation laser-in 1 s. The quantum-dot-based electrometer is more sensitive than other devices operating at a temperature of 4.2 K or higher and further offers suppressed backaction on the measured system.
authors: Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
authors: A N
authors: AN
authors: Vamivakas
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Zhao
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Fält
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Badolato
authors: J M
authors: JM
authors: Taylor
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Atatüre