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arXiv:2009.12543 · Applied Physics Letters

Deterministically fabricated strain-tunable quantum dot single-photon sources emitting in the telecom O-band

N. Srocka, P. Mrowiński, J. Große, M. Schmidt, S. Rodt, S. Reitzenstein

Published Nov 30, 2020• 17 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

Most quantum communication schemes aim at the long-distance transmission of quantum information. In the quantum repeater concept, the transmission line is subdivided into shorter links interconnected by entanglement distribution via Bell-state measurements to overcome inherent channel losses. This concept requires on-demand single-photon sources with a high degree of multi-photon suppression and high indistinguishability within each repeater node. For a successful operation of the repeater, a spectral matching of remote quantum light sources is essential. We present a spectrally tunable single-photon source emitting in the telecom O-band with the potential to function as a building block of a quantum communication network based on optical fibers. A thin membrane of GaAs embedding InGaAs quantum dots (QDs) is attached onto a piezoelectric actuator via gold thermocompression bonding. Here, the thin gold layer acts simultaneously as an electrical contact, strain transmission medium, and broadband backside mirror for the QD-micromesa. The nanofabrication of the QD-micromesa is based on in situ electron-beam lithography, which makes it possible to integrate pre-selected single QDs deterministically into the center of monolithic micromesa structures. The QD pre-selection is based on distinct single-QD properties, signal intensity, and emission energy. In combination with strain-induced fine tuning, this offers a robust method to achieve spectral resonance in the emission of remote QDs. We show that the spectral tuning has no detectable influence on the multi-photon suppression with g(2)(0) as low as 2%–4% and that the emission can be stabilized to an accuracy of 4 μeV using a closed-loop optical feedback.

DOI
10.1063/5.0030991

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Most quantum communication schemes aim at the long-distance transmission of quantum information. In the quantum repeater concept, the transmission line is subdivided into shorter links interconnected by entanglement distribution via Bell-state measurements to overcome inherent channel losses. This concept requires on-demand single-photon sources with a high degree of multi-photon suppression and high indistinguishability within each repeater node. For a successful operation of the repeater, a spectral matching of remote quantum light sources is essential. We present a spectrally tunable single-photon source emitting in the telecom O-band with the potential to function as a building block of a quantum communication network based on optical fibers. A thin membrane of GaAs embedding InGaAs quantum dots (QDs) is attached onto a piezoelectric actuator via gold thermocompression bonding. Here, the thin gold layer acts simultaneously as an electrical contact, strain transmission medium, and broadband backside mirror for the QD-micromesa. The nanofabrication of the QD-micromesa is based on in situ electron-beam lithography, which makes it possible to integrate pre-selected single QDs deterministically into the center of monolithic micromesa structures. The QD pre-selection is based on distinct single-QD properties, signal intensity, and emission energy. In combination with strain-induced fine tuning, this offers a robust method to achieve spectral resonance in the emission of remote QDs. We show that the spectral tuning has no detectable influence on the multi-photon suppression with g(2)(0) as low as 2%–4% and that the emission can be stabilized to an accuracy of 4 μeV using a closed-loop optical feedback.
The implementation of fiber-based long-range quantum communication requires tunable sources of single photons at the telecom C-band. Stable and easy-to-implement wavelength-tunability of individual sources is crucial to (i) bring remote sources into resonance, (ii) define a wavelength standard, and (iii) ensure scalability to operate a quantum repeater. So far, the most promising sources for true, telecom single photons are semiconductor quantum dots, due to their ability to deterministically and reliably emit single and entangled photons. However, the required wavelength-tunability is hard to attain. Here, we show a stable wavelength-tunable quantum light source by integrating strain-released InAs quantum dots on piezoelectric substrates. We present triggered single-photon emission at 1.55 μm with a multi-photon emission probability as low as 0.097, as well as photon pair emission from the radiative biexciton–exciton cascade. We achieve a tuning range of 0.25 nm which will allow us to spectrally overlap remote quantum dots or tuning distant quantum dots into resonance with quantum memories. This opens up realistic avenues for the implementation of photonic quantum information processing applications at telecom wavelengths.
On demand single-photon and entangled-photon sources are key building-blocks for many proposed photonic quantum technologies. For practical device applications, epitaxially grown quantum dots (QDs) are of increasing importance due to their bright photon emission with sharp line width. Particularly, they are solid-state systems and can be easily embedded within a light-emitting diode (LED) to achieve electrically driven sources. Therefore, one would expect a full-fledged optoelectronic quantum network that is running on macroscopically separated, QD-based single- and entangled-photon devices. An all-electrically operated wavelength-tunable on demand single-photon source (SPS) is demonstrated first. The device consists of a LED in the form of self-assembled InGaAs QDs containing nanomembrane integrated onto a piezoelectric crystal. Triggered single photons are generated via injection of ultra-short electrical pulses into the diode, while their energy can be precisely tuned over a broad range of about 4.8 meV by varying the voltage applied to the piezoelectric crystal. High speed operation of this single-photon emitting diode up to 0.8 GHz is demonstrated. In the second part of this thesis, a fast strain-tunable entangled-light-emitting diode (ELED) is demonstrated. It has been shown that the fine structure splitting of the exciton can be effectively overcome by employing a specific anisotropic strain field. By injecting ultra-fast electrical pulses to the diode, electrically triggered entangled-photon emission with high degree of entanglement is successfully realized. A statistical investigation reveals that more than 30% of the QDs in the strain-tunable quantum LED emit polarization-entangled photon-pairs with entanglement-fidelities up to f+ = 0.83(5). Driven at the highest operation speed ever reported so far (400 MHz), the strain-tunable quantum LED emerges as unique devices for high-data rate entangled-photon applications. In the end of this thesis, on demand and wavelength-tunable LH single-photon emission from strain engineered GaAs QDs is demonstrated. Fourier-transform spectroscopy is performed, from which the coherence time of the LH single-photon emission is studied. It is envisioned that this new type of LH exciton-based SPS can be applied to realize an all-semiconductor based quantum interface in the foreseeable distributed quantum networks.
Non-classical photon sources made of semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) emitting in the telecommunication C-band are crucial components for low-loss, long-distance photonic quantum communication networks. Here we designed and fabricated strain--free In0.7_{0.7}0.7​Ga0.3_{0.3}0.3​As/In0.7_{0.7}0.7​Al0.3_{0.3}0.3​As QDs grown on GaAs(111)A substrates working as single-photon emitters in the 1550 nm window. The QDs were grown via local droplet etching method in a molecular beam epitaxy environment, employing a thin In0.7_{0.7}0.7​Al0.3_{0.3}0.3​As metamorphic buffer layer with the same lattice constant of the QD material, thus allowing for a completely strain--free self-assembly of the QDs. The QDs exhibit a C3v_{3v}3v​ symmetry with a ground state emission in the 1400--1600 nm range. The exciton lifetimes of ≈\approx≈ 1.3--1.9 ns and linewidths as low as ≈\approx≈ 300 μμμeV show the good quality of the fabricated QDs. Second-order autocorrelation measurements under pulsed excitation confirmed the single-photon purity of the emitters, yielding a g(2)(0)g^{(2)}(0)g(2)(0) value of 0.141±0.0270.141 \pm 0.0270.141±0.027
High-performance solid-state quantum sources in the telecom band are of paramount importance for long-distance quantum communications and the quantum Internet by taking advantage of a low-loss optical fiber network. Here, we demonstrate bright telecom-wavelength single-photon sources based on In(Ga)As/GaAs quantum dots (QDs) deterministically coupled to hybrid circular Bragg resonators (h-CBRs) by using a wide-field fluorescence imaging technique. The QD emissions are redshifted toward the telecom O-band by using an ultra-low InAs growth rate and an InGaAs strain reducing layer. Single-photon emissions under both continuous wave (CW) and pulsed operations are demonstrated, showing high brightness with count rates of 1.14 MHz and 0.34 MHz under saturation powers and single-photon purities of g ( 2 ) ( 0 ) = 0.11 ± 0.02 (CW) and g ( 2 ) ( 0 ) = 0.087 ± 0.003 (pulsed) at low excitation powers. A Purcell factor of 4.2 with a collection efficiency of 11.2 % ± 1 % at the first lens is extracted, suggesting efficient coupling between the QD and h-CBR. Our work contributes to the development of highly efficient single-photon sources in the telecom band for fiber-based quantum communication and future distributed quantum networks.
Abstract Semiconductor quantum dots are leading candidates for the on-demand generation of single photons and entangled photon pairs. High photon quality and indistinguishability of photons from different sources are critical for quantum information applications. The inability to grow perfectly identical quantum dots with ideal optical properties necessitates the application of post-growth tuning techniques via e.g. temperature, electric, magnetic or strain fields. In this review, we summarize the state-of-the-art and highlight the advantages of strain tunable non-classical photon sources based on epitaxial quantum dots. Using piezoelectric crystals like PMN-PT, the wavelength of single photons and entangled photon pairs emitted by InGaAs/GaAs quantum dots can be tuned reversibly. Combining with quantum light-emitting diodes simultaneously allows for electrical triggering and the tuning of wavelength or exciton fine structure. Emission from light hole exciton can be tuned, and quantum dot containing nanostructure such as nanowires have been piezo-integrated. To ensure the indistinguishability of photons from distant emitters, the wavelength drift caused by piezo creep can be compensated by frequency feedback, which is verified by two-photon interference with photons from two stabilized sources. Therefore, strain tuning proves to be a flexible and reliable tool for the development of scalable quantum dots-based non-classical photon sources.
Tunable sources of entangled and single photons are essential for implementing entanglement-based quantum information protocols, as quantum teleportation and entanglement swapping depend on photon indistinguishability. Tunable devices are fabricated from indium arsenide (InAs) quantum dots (QDs) embedded in gallium arsenide (GaAs) nanomembranes placed on monolithic piezoelectric substrates. Circular Bragg grating (CBG) resonators enhance emission brightness and exploit the Purcell effect; however, the inclusion of CBGs reduces strain-mediated tunability compared to planar nanomembranes. A simple and effective solution is introduced: filling the CBG trenches with a stiff dielectric (aluminum oxide) via atomic layer deposition (ALD) restores up to 95% of the tunability of planar structures. Finite element analysis (FEA) confirms that the tunability loss originates from bending in the device layers due to strain relief in the CBG geometry. Lowering the stiffness of intermediate layers between the QDs and the piezoelectric actuator, such as in bonding or reflector layers, further increases strain losses in uncoated CBGs. Coated devices maintain 98-99% strain-tuning efficiency across all simulated underlayer stiffnesses. The results demonstrate that advantageous optical cavity properties can be effectively combined with piezoelectric strain tuning, enabling scalable, bright, and tunable quantum light sources.