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arXiv:1603.01816 · Optics Express

Optical horn antennas for efficiently transferring photons from a quantum emitter to a single-mode optical fiber

Thierry Grosjean, Mathieu Mivelle, Geoffrey W. Burr, Fadi Baida

Published Jan 16, 2013• 26 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

We theoretically demonstrate highly efficient optical coupling between a single quantum emitter and a monomode optical fiber over remarkably broad spectral ranges by extending the concept of horn antenna to optics. The optical horn antenna directs the radiation from the emitter toward the optical fiber and efficiently phase-matches the photon emission with the fiber mode. Numerical results show that an optical horn antenna can funnel up to 85% of the radiation from a dipolar source within an emission cone semi-angle as small as 7 degrees (antenna directivity of 300). It is also shown that 50% of the emitted power from the dipolar source can be collected and coupled to an SMF-28 fiber mode over spectral ranges larger than 1000 nm, with a maximum energy transfer reaching 70 %. This approach may open new perspectives in quantum optics and sensing.

DOI
10.1364/oe.21.001762

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We theoretically demonstrate highly efficient optical coupling between a single quantum emitter and a monomode optical fiber over remarkably broad spectral ranges by extending the concept of horn antenna to optics. The optical horn antenna directs the radiation from the emitter toward the optical fiber and efficiently phase-matches the photon emission with the fiber mode. Numerical results show that an optical horn antenna can funnel up to 85% of the radiation from a dipolar source within an emission cone semi-angle as small as 7 degrees (antenna directivity of 300). It is also shown that 50% of the emitted power from the dipolar source can be collected and coupled to an SMF-28 fiber mode over spectral ranges larger than 1000 nm, with a maximum energy transfer reaching 70 %. This approach may open new perspectives in quantum optics and sensing.
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Abstract Quantum antennas couple localized quantum emitters to optical modes that can be collected, routed, and used in larger photonic systems. Their performance depends on photon delivery as well as single-photon purity, coherence, and indistinguishability. This Review connects the physics of light-matter interaction with the design of quantum-photonic interfaces. We compare semiconductor quantum dots, color centers, two-dimensional and molecular emitters, and examine plasmonic, dielectric, hybrid, cavity-coupled, and waveguideintegrated antenna architectures. We discuss how emitter position, dipole orientation, spectral matching, and material loss govern radiative enhancement and quenching, then assess performance through efficiency, brightness, photon statistics, and coupling to useful optical modes. Electromagnetic and quantum-optical modeling are considered alongside fabrication, deterministic emitter placement, and experimental characterization. We further examine how arrays and metasurfaces extend control to collective emission and quantum wavefronts, and survey applications in single-photon generation, communication, networking, computing, sensing, imaging, and ranging. Across these settings, rapid decay and strong local fields produce system-level gains only when useful photon delivery improves without compromising quantum-state quality. Low-loss design, spectral stabilization, reproducible integration, and complete photon-budget reporting emerge as priorities for scalable quantum-antenna platforms.
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Single photon emitters coupled to optical fibers are becoming important as sources of non-classical light and nano-scale sensors. At present it is not possible to efficiently interface single photon emitters with the optical fiber platform, and there are particular challenges associated with the need to ensure highly efficient collection and delivery of emitted photons. To model single particle emission, we have considered the coupling of a dipole to an optical fiber mode as a function of orientation and position with respect to the core-cladding interface. Our model shows that it is possible to significantly enhance the collection efficiency into the guided modes as a result of modifications to the dipole emission pattern and power resulting from the surrounding fiber environment. For certain geometries the fiber-dipole coupling can result in a factor of 2.6 increase in the power emitted by the dipole.
In a previous paper [Nat. Photon. 5, 166 (2011)], we reported on a planar dielectric antenna that achieved 96% efficiency in collecting the photons emitted by a single molecule. In that work, the transition dipole moment of the molecule was set perpendicular to the antenna plane. Here, we present a theoretical extension of that scheme that reaches collection efficiencies beyond 99% for emitters with arbitrarily oriented dipole moments. Our work opens important doors in a wide range of contexts including quantum optics, quantum metrology, nanoanalytics, and biophysics. In particular, we provide antenna parameters to realize ultrabright single-photon sources in high-index materials such as semiconductor quantum dots and color centers in diamond, as well as sensitive detection of single molecules in nanofluidic devices.
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