This technical report presents experimental and theoretical results of an effort to develop semiconductor nanocrystal (also known as quantum dots) doped thin films for nanotechnology applications in optical switching, optical transistors, optical computing or telecommunications packet switching. Films doped with high quality PbS and PbSe nanocrystals (quantum dots) have been fabricated. Measurements of the absorption spectra are compared with theoretical predictions. The general theoretical framework for treating the optical properties of multi-layer dielectric structures containing thin nanocrystal doped layers is presented. A simple model (the particle-in-a-sphere) is used as a starting point, however, more sophisticated models (such as those based on k.p theory, or fits to experiment) can easily be incorporated. A prototypical micron-scale Fabry-Perot optical switching cavity has been constructed and is discussed. Theoretical predictions for the optical switching behavior of such a structure, upon introduction of the semiconductor nanocrystal material into the optical cavity, are presented.
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