Photogeneration of a single electron from a single Zeeman-resolved light-hole exciton with preserved angular momentum

Abstract

Quantum state transfer from a single photon to a single electron following selection rules can only occur for a spin-resolved light-hole excitation in GaAs quantum dots; however, these phenomena have yet to be experimentally realized. Here, we report on single-shot readout of a single electron spin via the Zeeman-resolved light-hole excitation using an optical spin blockade method in a GaAs quantum dot and a Pauli spin blockade method in a double GaAs quantum dot. The observed photoexcitation probability strongly depends on the photon polarization, an indication of angular momentum transfer from a single photon to an electron. Our demonstration will open a pathway to further investigation of fundamental quantum physics and applications of quantum networking technology.