Quantum dots shine unsteadily

Artificial atoms are a cornerstone of emerging technologies that promise to make practical use of the laws of quantum mechanics. In principle, artificial atoms should behave like real atoms but be compatible with a solidstate environment. As such, they could serve as solidstate quantum bits (qubits) ideally suited to interfacing with photonic qubits. They could store, manipulate, and retrieve quantum information, or could generate single photons or entangled photon pairs for use in photonic quantum circuits. Artificial atoms come in many forms, such as single molecules embedded in a host matrix, color centers in diamond, dopant ions in crystalline lattices, and various types of quantum dot.