We have investigated terahertz (THz) photon-assisted tunneling in single self-assembled InAs quantum dots (QDs). Two types of photon-assisted tunneling processes have been observed in the THz range: ground state resonance and photon-induced excited state resonance, depending on the relative magnitude between the orbital quantization energy of the QDs and the THz photon energy. Furthermore, we could realize a very high coupling efficiency between THz waves and QDs and observed multiphoton absorption up to the fourth-order during the tunneling process, resulting in almost complete lifting of the Coulomb blockade.

We have grown site- and size-controlled InAs quantum dots (QDs) in shallow nanoholes prepared using atomic force microscope-assisted anodic nano-oxidation and subsequent etching, and investigated their transport properties by depositing metal nanogap electrodes on a single QD. We have observed clear diamond-like patterns in Coulomb stability diagrams, indicating that the fabricated single QD transistors operate as single electron transistors and that the site-controlled QDs have a good crystalline quality. Furthermore, we show that the charging energies and the orbital quantization energies can be controlled over a wide range by controlling the size of the QDs.