Strain tuning of quantum dot optical transitions via laser-induced surface defects

We discuss the fine-tuning of the optical properties of self-assembled quantum dots by the strain perturbation introduced by laser-induced surface defects. We show experimentally that the quantum dot transition red-shifts, independently of the actual position of the defect, and that such frequency shift is about a factor five larger than the corresponding shift of a micropillar cavity mode resonance. We present a simple model that accounts for these experimental findings.