Abstract

The developments with coherent control (CC) techniques in optical spectroscopy have recently demonstrated population control and coherence manipulations when the induced optical phase is explored with phase-locked laser pulses. Fascinating demonstrations were first obtained with atoms and molecules such as localization of electronic wavepackets in atomic sodium and control of molecular chemical reactions.^1,2 These and other developments have been guiding the new research field of quantum control including the recent applications to semiconductors and nanostructures. Examples include population control of excitons in GaAs quantum wells and quantum dots as well as control of electron- phonon scattering is GaAs that have provided new advancements in ultrafast spectroscopy of semiconductors.^3-5

© 2001 Optical Society of America