All-optical mapping of the position of single quantum dots embedded in a nanowire antenna

Nanowire antennas embedding single quantum dots (QDs) have recently emerged as a versatile solid-state platform for quantum optics. Within the nanowire section, the emitter position simultaneously determines the strength of the light-matter interaction, as well as the coupling to potential decoherence channels. Therefore, to quantitatively understand device performance and guide future optimization, it is highly desirable to map the emitter position with an accuracy much smaller than the waveguide diameter, on the order of a few hundreds of nanometers. We introduce here a non-destructive, all-optical mapping technique which exploits the QD emission into two guided modes with different transverse profiles. These two modes are fed by the same emitter, and thus interfere. The resulting intensity pattern, which is highly sensitive to the emitter position, is resolved in the far-field using Fourier microscopy. We demonstrate this technique on a standard micro-photoluminescence setup and map the position of individual QDs in a nanowire antenna with a spatial resolution of +/- 10 nm. This work opens important perspectives for the future development of light-matter interfaces based on nanowire antennas. Beyond single-QD devices, it will also provide a valuable tool for the investigation of collective effects which imply several emitters coupled to an optical waveguide.