Abstract The progression of carrier confinement from quantum wells to quantum dots has received considerable interests because of the potential to improve the semiconductor laser performance at the underlying physics level and to explore quantum optical phenomena in semiconductors. Associated with the transition from quantum wells to quantum dots is a switch from a solid-state-like quasi-continuous density of states to an atom-like system with discrete states. As discussed in this paper, the transition changes the role of the carrier interaction processes that directly influence optical properties. Our goals in this review are two-fold. One is to identify and describe the physics that allows new applications and determines intrinsic limitations for applications in light emitters. We will analyze the use of quantum dots in conventional laser devices and in microcavity emitters, where cavity quantum electrodynamics can alter spontaneous emission and generate nonclassical light for applications in quantum information technologies. A second goal is to promote a new connection between physics and technology. This paper demonstrates how a first-principles theory may be applied to guide important technological decisions by predicting the performances of various active materials under a broad set of experimental conditions.

中文翻译：

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半导体量子点在激光和量子光学中的应用

摘要 载流子限制从量子阱到量子点的发展受到了相当大的关注，因为它有可能在底层物理水平上提高半导体激光器的性能，并探索半导体中的量子光学现象。与从量子阱到量子点的转变相关的是从类固态准连续态密度到具有离散态的类原子系统的转换。正如本文所讨论的，这种转变改变了直接影响光学特性的载流子相互作用过程的作用。我们在这次审查中的目标有两个。一种是识别和描述允许新应用的物理学，并确定光发射器应用的内在限制。我们将分析量子点在传统激光设备和微腔发射器中的使用，其中腔量子电动力学可以改变自发发射并产生非经典光，用于量子信息技术的应用。第二个目标是促进物理学与技术之间的新联系。本文展示了第一性原理理论如何通过在广泛的实验条件下预测各种活性材料的性能来指导重要的技术决策。