Time-resolved studies of single quantum dots in magnetic fields

We present time-resolved and time-integrated spectroscopy of single InAs quantum dots grown in a GaAs matrix. We observe a number of interesting features in the spectra, including the zero field splitting of exciton and biexciton lines due to quantum dot asymmetry. By the application of an in-plane magnetic field, the normally optically active and inactive exciton states become mixed, enabling us to optically probe the normally inaccessible ‘dark’ states. Time resolved measurements on the mixed states show decay times several times longer than the exciton lifetime at zero field, which we show to be consistent with a dark exciton lifetime orders of magnitude longer than that for bright exciton.