Novel prospects for self-assembled InAs GaAs quantum boxes

We present recent optical data obtained on isolated self-assembled InAs quantum boxes (QBs) as well as strongly coupled QBs. We show that, owing to their specific properties (ability to capture and localize charge carriers, atom-like emission under weak excitation...), InAs self-assembled QBs open unique opportunities for such important fields as light emission at 1.3 mu m on GaAs substrate, light emission on Si substrate, or the generation of non-classical states of light using QBs in optical microcavities. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.