Local droplet etching yields more symmetric quantum dots for integrated photonics

Light-based quantum technologies, such as quantum communication and photonic quantum computing, require reliable sources of individual photons and, ideally, pairs of entangled photons. Semiconductor quantum dots are promising candidates for this purpose. These nanostructures have electrical conductivity between that of insulators and conductors and are capable of confining electrons and holes. This property causes them to emit light at well-defined frequencies when excited by a laser.