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arXiv:1807.10690 · Scientific Reports

Long-term transmission of entangled photons from a single quantum dot over deployed fiber

Zi-Heng Xiang, Jan Huwer, R. M. Stevenson, J. Skiba-Szymanska, Martin B. Ward, Ian A. Farrer, D. A. Ritchie, Andrew J. Shields

Published Mar 11, 2019• 28 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

Entangled light sources are considered as core technology for multiple quantum network architectures. Of particular interest are sources that are based on a single quantum system as these offer intrinsic security due to the sub-Poissonian nature of the photon emission process. This is important for applications in quantum communication where multi-pair emission generally compromises performance. A large variety of sources has been developed, but the generated photons remained far from being utilized in established standard fiber networks, mainly due to lack of compatibility with telecommunication wavelengths. In this regard, single semiconductor quantum dots are highly promising photon pair sources as they can be engineered for direct emission at telecom wavelengths. In this work we demonstrate the feasibility of this approach. We report a week-long transmission of polarization-entangled photons from a single InAs/GaAs quantum dot over a metropolitan network fiber. The photons are in the telecommunication O-band, favored for fiber optical communication. We employ a polarization stabilization system overcoming changes of birefringence introduced by 18.23 km of installed fiber. Stable transmission of polarization-encoded entanglement with a high fidelity of 91% is achieved, facilitating the operation of sub-Poissonian quantum light sources over existing fiber networks.

DOI
10.1038/s41598-019-40912-z

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Entangled light sources are considered as core technology for multiple quantum network architectures. Of particular interest are sources that are based on a single quantum system as these offer intrinsic security due to the sub-Poissonian nature of the photon emission process. This is important for applications in quantum communication where multi-pair emission generally compromises performance. A large variety of sources has been developed, but the generated photons remained far from being utilized in established standard fiber networks, mainly due to lack of compatibility with telecommunication wavelengths. In this regard, single semiconductor quantum dots are highly promising photon pair sources as they can be engineered for direct emission at telecom wavelengths. In this work we demonstrate the feasibility of this approach. We report a week-long transmission of polarization-entangled photons from a single InAs/GaAs quantum dot over a metropolitan network fiber. The photons are in the telecommunication O-band, favored for fiber optical communication. We employ a polarization stabilization system overcoming changes of birefringence introduced by 18.23 km of installed fiber. Stable transmission of polarization-encoded entanglement with a high fidelity of 91% is achieved, facilitating the operation of sub-Poissonian quantum light sources over existing fiber networks.
On-demand sources of entangled photons for the transmission of quantum information in the telecom C-band are required to realize fiber-based quantum networks. So far, non-deterministic sources of quantum states of light were used for long distance entanglement distribution in this lowest loss wavelength range. However, they are fundamentally limited in either efficiency or security due to their Poissonian emission statistics. Here, we show on-demand generation of entangled photon pairs in the telecom C-band by an InAs/GaAs semiconductor quantum dot. Using a robust phonon-assisted excitation scheme we measure a concurrence of 91.4 %91.4\,\%91.4% and a fidelity of 95.2 %95.2\,\%95.2% to Φ+Φ^+Φ+. On-demand generation of polarization entangled photons will enable secure quantum communication in fiber-based networks. Furthermore, applying this excitation scheme to several remote quantum dots tuned into resonance will enable first on-demand entanglement distribution over large distances for scalable real-life quantum applications.
Quantum dots are considered to be one of the most important quantum emitters due to their ability of emitting entangled single photons, which have not yet been practically used for large-scale quantum communication. In this work [1], we have realized the transmission of polarization-encoded entangled single photons at the telecommunication O-band emitted from a quantum dot over a loop-back fiber in the Cambridge fiber network. To maintain the polarization, an active feedback system with two classical reference beams is implemented. Stable transmission of high-fidelity (91.3%) entanglement has been achieved over one week, which is a significant step toward the application of quantum dots in quantum networks.
For quantum light sources in everyday telecommunication networks, quantum science needs to be fully transformed into quantum technology. The first necessary step to move outside a well-controlled lab environment requires the use of quantum light sources operating in the technologically relevant telecom O- and C-band. This can be provided using epitaxial quantum dots as deterministic sources of quantum light. Particularly intriguing is that emitters operating at telecom wavelengths are rapidly catching up with their short wavelength counterparts in terms of performances. Here, we make a decisive step forward in the development of quantum communication networks: a state-of-the-art source of quantum light, a semiconductor quantum dot (QD), with record coincidence rate for entangled photon emission in the telecom C-band, is operated inside an optimized rack-based setup. This setup includes a tunable pulsed laser for the QD excitation (from quasi- to fully resonant excitation), all optics for the excitation filtering, and QD signal coupling into single-mode fibers. Overall, the setup allows for above 50%50\%50% transmission for both exciton and biexciton photons. These results show that quantum dots-based telecom light sources can now be transported and integrated into existing fiber infrastructures, an important step to demonstrate the feasibility of the upcoming quantum internet.
Fiber-based distribution of triggered, entangled, single-photon pairs is a key requirement for the future development of terrestrial quantum networks. In this context, semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) are promising candidates for deterministic sources of on-demand polarization-entangled photon pairs. So far, the best QD polarization-entangled-pair sources emit in the near-infrared wavelength regime, where the transmission distance in deployed fibers is limited. Here, to be compatible with existing fiber network infrastructures, bi-directional polarization-conserving quantum frequency conversion (QFC) is employed to convert the QD emission from \unit[780]{nm} to telecom wavelengths. We show the preservation of polarization entanglement after QFC (fidelity to Bell state Fϕ+,conv=0.972±0.003F_{ϕ^+, conv}=0.972\pm0.003Fϕ+,conv​=0.972±0.003) of the biexciton transition. As a step towards real-world applicability, high entanglement fidelities (Fϕ+,loop=0.945±0.005F_{ϕ^+, loop}=0.945\pm0.005Fϕ+,loop​=0.945±0.005) after the propagation of one photon of the entangled pair along a \unit[35.8]{km} field installed standard single mode fiber link are reported. Furthermore, we successfully demonstrate a second polarization-conversing QFC step back to \unit[780]{nm} preserving entanglement (Fϕ+,back=0.903±0.005F_{ϕ^+, back}=0.903\pm0.005Fϕ+,back​=0.903±0.005). This further prepares the way for interfacing quantum light to various quantum memories.
Fiber-based distribution of triggered, entangled, single-photon pairs is a key requirement for the future development of terrestrial quantum networks. In this context, semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) are promising candidates for deterministic sources of on-demand polarization-entangled photon pairs. So far, the best QD polarization-entangled-pair sources emit in the near-infrared wavelength regime, where the transmission distance in deployed fibers is limited. Here, to be compatible with existing fiber network infrastructures, bi-directional polarization-conserving quantum frequency conversion (QFC) is employed to convert the QD emission from 780 nm to telecom wavelengths. We show the preservation of polarization entanglement after QFC (fidelity to Bell state F ϕ + , c o n v =0.972±0.003) of the biexciton transition. As a step toward real-world applicability, high entanglement fidelities ( F ϕ + , l o o p =0.945±0.005) after the propagation of one photon of the entangled pair along a 35.8 km field-installed standard single mode fiber link are reported. Furthermore, we successfully demonstrate a second polarization-conserving QFC step back to 780 nm preserving entanglement ( F ϕ + , b a c k =0.903±0.005). This further prepares the way for interfacing quantum light to various quantum memories.
Quantum light sources based on single-photon emitters are a core technology, which is expected to enable a multitude of emerging quantum-photonic applications with superior performance. As the development of sources is approaching a certain level of maturity, the important next step for quantum-network related applications is to distribute the generated photons in the most practical way. However, so far these remained within research facilities or were only transmitted over short specially installed fiber. In this regard, operation of the sources at standard telecom wavelengths such that existing classical communication infrastructure can be used, seems the most desirable solution.