Acknowledgements

I would like to thank Prof. Martin van Exter for giving me an opportunity to be a part of this research and also for his invaluable guidance and support. I am extremely grateful to Morten Bakker who has supported me throughout this thesis with his patience and knowledge and without him this thesis would not have been possible. I would also like to thank Prof Dirk Bouwmeester for his advices and for the stimulating discussions we had. I would also like to express my deep sense of gratitude towards Gorter Stichting for sponsoring my short term course. I would like to thank the QO and OI group in Leiden especially Chris Smiet , Flavio Mariani and Nemanja Markeevid for their help and support. I would like to express my gratitude towards Prof P.Radhakrishnan , Prof V.P.N. Nampoori, Dr . M. Kailasnath , Dr. Sheenu Thomas , Dr. Reethama Thomas and all other faculty members in International School of Photonics who have been enormously helpful throughout my career. Last but least I would like to thank my friends and family for supporting me in all my endeavours. Once again, I sincerely express my gratitude to one and all for the guidance, help and courtesies extended to me.

Abstract
The broad aim of this research is to experimentally realise quantum computation. Of the different proposed experimental routes towards quantum computation, this masters thesis explores the possibilities of spin of an electron conned to a semiconductor quantum dot. The aim of this thesis is to couple quantum dots to micro pillar cavity modes. Optical properties of single quantum dots and their dependence on voltage and excitation intensity were studied using photoluminescence measurements. Various charged states of quantum dots were identified. Polarization splitting and quality factor of a cavity is determined through reflection and transmission measurements. Photoluminescence measurements on cavities explore the coupling between a quantum dot and a microcavity mode. Now we have a system where quantum dots can be charged and their emission can be tuned , so that the cavity-QD coupling can be controlled via Stark Eect

Contents
1 Introduction
1.1 Quantum Dots 1.2 Micropillar Cavities 1.3 Cavity Quantum Electrodynamics 2 5 7

2 Experimental
2.1 Sample Description 2.2 Experimental Setup 9 12

3 Results
3.1 Voltage and Power Dependence of Photoluminescence 3.2 Quantum Dot Charged States 3.3 Reflection and Transmission Measurements 3.4 Photoluminescence Measurements on Cavities 22

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4 Conclusions and Future Plans References

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