Simulation of quantum dot based single-photon sources using the Schrödinger-Poisson-Drift-Diffusion-Lindblad system

Abstract

The device-scale simulation of electrically driven quantum light sources based on semiconductor quantum dots requires a combination of the (semi-)classical semiconductor device equations with cavity quantum electrodynamics. We present a comprehensive quantum-classical simulation approach that self-consistently couples the (semi-)classical drift-diffusion system to a Lindblad-type quantum master equation. This allows to describe the spatially resolved carrier transport in complex, multi-dimensional device geometries along with the fully quantum-mechanical light-matter interaction in the quantum dot-cavity system. The latter gives access to important quantum optical figures of merit, in particular the second-order correlation function of the emitted radiation. In order to account for the quantum confined Stark effect in the device’s internal electric field, the system is solved along with a Schrödinger–Poisson problem, that describes the envelope wave functions and energy levels of the quantum dot carriers. The approach is demonstrated by numerical simulations of a single-photon emitting diode.