This book discusses the basic physics of semiconductor macroatoms at the nanoscale as well as their potential application as building blocks for the realization of new-generation quantum devices.

It provides a review on state-of-the art fabrication and characterization of semiconductor quantum dots aimed at implementing single-electron/exciton devices for quantum information processing and communication. After an introductory chapter on the fundamentals of quantum dots, a number of more specialized review articles presents a comprehensive picture of this rapidly developing field, specifically including strongly multidisciplinary topics such as state-of-the-art nanofabrication and optical characterization, fully microscopic theoretical modeling of nontrivial many-body processes, as well as design and optimization of novel quantum-device architectures.

Contents:

• Fundamentals of Zero-Dimensional Nanostructures
• Growth and Characterization of Self-Assembled Semiconductor Macroatoms
• Ultrafast Coherent Spectroscopy of Single Semiconductor Quantum Dots
• Few-Particle Effects in Semiconductor Macroatoms/Molecules
• Electron-Phonon Interaction in Semiconductor Quantum Dots
• Phonon-Induced Decoherence in Semiconductor Quantum Dots
• All-Optical Schemes for Quantum Information Processing with Semiconductor Macroatoms
• Novel Devices for the Measurement of Electronic States in Semiconductor Quantum Dots