Strong photoabsorption by a single-quantum wire in waveguide-transmission spectroscopy

We measured the absorption spectrum of a single T-shaped 1436 nm lateral-sized quantum wire embedded in an optical waveguide using waveguide-transmission spectroscopy at 5 K. In spite of its small volume, the one-dimensional-exciton ground state shows a large absorption coefficient of 80 cm-1, or a 98% absorption probability for a single pass of the 500 m m long waveguide. (c) 2005 American Institute of Physics.