The quick development of quantum technologies and quantum communication demands a continuous search for more efficient and with higher performance quantum sources and devices. In particular, quantum dots are firmly established sources of single photon emitters and entangled photon pairs, with entanglement of photons emitted by a single quantum dot probed in polarization[1], time-bin[2] and hyperentanglement[3]. Although spontaneous parametric down conversion sources (SPDC) are widely used as entangled photon sources with the highest values of entanglement[4], are being reached by quantum dot devices[5]. With similar quality as SPDC sources, QDs however stand out as sources with sub-Poissonian statistics, essential for safe quantum communication. Still, most of the quantum dots devices exhibit low extraction efficiencies. Attempts to maximize the extraction efficiency involve sophisticated engineered photonic systems[6,7]. Furthermore, the accurate alignment of the quantum dot-cavity system is crucial for an effective quantum dotcavity coupling and hence an emission enhancement into free space[8]. All of this implies the need of intricated nanofabrication processes. Here we present a simple, scalable photonic device that grants efficient creation of entangled photon pairs from InAs quantum dots. The device, spontaneously formed during the growth process, is based on pairs of bottom/top distributed bragg reflectors (DBRs). A propagating deformation in the DBRs, leads to the formation of self-aligned dimples on top of the QDs, resulting in a self-aligned quantum-dot cavity system[9]. Therefore, costly and complex deterministic nanofabrication techniques are not required. In this work, the device performance was characterized, showing experimental collection efficiencies of 0.17, with theoretically pair extraction efficiencies above 0.45. Furthermore, a Purcell enhancement up to 1.7 was obtained. Finally, the device potential to generate time-bin entangled photons was investigated performing state tomography measurements. The subsequent reconstruction of the density matrix yields a concurrence of 0.70(10) and a fidelity of 0.84(5).
The quick development of quantum technologies and quantum communication demands a continuous search for more efficient and with higher performance quantum sources and devices. In particular, quantum dots are firmly established sources of single photon emitters and entangled photon pairs, with entanglement of photons emitted by a single quantum dot probed in polarization[1], time-bin[2] and hyperentanglement[3]. Although spontaneous parametric down conversion sources (SPDC) are widely used as entangled photon sources with the highest values of entanglement[4], are being reached by quantum dot devices[5]. With similar quality as SPDC sources, QDs however stand out as sources with sub-Poissonian statistics, essential for safe quantum communication. Still, most of the quantum dots devices exhibit low extraction efficiencies. Attempts to maximize the extraction efficiency involve sophisticated engineered photonic systems[6,7]. Furthermore, the accurate alignment of the quantum dot-cavity system is crucial for an effective quantum dotcavity coupling and hence an emission enhancement into free space[8]. All of this implies the need of intricated nanofabrication processes. Here we present a simple, scalable photonic device that grants efficient creation of entangled photon pairs from InAs quantum dots. The device, spontaneously formed during the growth process, is based on pairs of bottom/top distributed bragg reflectors (DBRs). A propagating deformation in the DBRs, leads to the formation of self-aligned dimples on top of the QDs, resulting in a self-aligned quantum-dot cavity system[9]. Therefore, costly and complex deterministic nanofabrication techniques are not required. In this work, the device performance was characterized, showing experimental collection efficiencies of 0.17, with theoretically pair extraction efficiencies above 0.45. Furthermore, a Purcell enhancement up to 1.7 was obtained. Finally, the device potential to generate time-bin entangled photons was investigated performing state tomography measurements. The subsequent reconstruction of the density matrix yields a concurrence of 0.70(10) and a fidelity of 0.84(5).
We introduce a scalable photonic platform that enables efficient generation of entangled photon pairs from a semiconductor quantum dot. Our system, which is based on a self-aligned quantum dot- micro-cavity structure, erases the need for complex steps of lithography and nanofabrication. We experimentally show collection efficiency of 0.17 combined with a Purcell enhancement of up to 1.7. We harness the potential of our device to generate photon pairs entangled in time bin, reaching a fidelity of 0.84(5) with the maximally entangled state. The achieved pair collection efficiency is 4 times larger than the state-of-the art for this application. The device, which theoretically supports pair extraction efficiencies of nearly 0.5 is a promising candidate for the implementation of bright sources of time-bin, polarization- and hyper entangled photon pairs in a straightforward manner.
We introduce a scalable photonic platform that enables efficient generation of entangled photon pairs from a semiconductor quantum dot. Our system, which is based on a self-aligned quantum dot- micro-cavity structure, erases the need for complex steps of lithography and nanofabrication. We experimentally show collection efficiency of 0.17 combined with a Purcell enhancement of up to 1.7. We harness the potential of our device to generate photon pairs entangled in time bin, reaching a fidelity of 0.84(5) with the maximally entangled state. The achieved pair collection efficiency is 4 times larger than the state-of-the art for this application. The device, which theoretically supports pair extraction efficiencies of nearly 0.5 is a promising candidate for the implementation of bright sources of time-bin, polarization- and hyper entangled photon pairs in a straightforward manner.
Many quantum photonic technologies require the efficient generation of entangled pairs of photons, but to date there have been few ways to produce them reliably. Sources based on parametric down conversion operate at very low efficiency per pulse due to the probabilistic generation process. Semiconductor quantum dots can emit single pairs of entangled photons deterministically but they fall short due to the extremely low-extraction efficiency. Strategies for extracting single photons from quantum dots, such as embedding them in narrowband optical cavities, are difficult to translate to entangled photons. Here, we build a broadband optical antenna with an extraction efficiency of 65% ± 4% and demonstrate a highly-efficient entangled-photon source by collecting strongly entangled photons (fidelity of 0.9) at a pair efficiency of 0.372 ± 0.002 per pulse. The high brightness achieved by our source represents a step forward in the development of optical quantum technologies.
Single self-assembled quantum dots are established emitters of single photons and entangled photon pairs. The entanglement of photons generated by quantum dots has been shown in polarization [1] , in time bin [2] , and also as hyperentanglement [3] . However, the achievable degree of entanglement and readiness of the source for use in quantum communication protocols, depend on several additional functionalities such as high collection efficiency, coherence of the emitted photon pairs, and fabrication scalability.
The generation of on-demand, optimally entangled photon pairs remains one of the most formidable challenges in the quantum optics and quantum information community. Despite the fact that recent developments in this area have opened new doors leading toward the realization of sources exhibiting either high brightness or near-unity entanglement fidelity, the challenges to achieve both together persist. Here, we will provide a historical review on the development of quantum dots (QDs) for entangled photon generation, with a focus on nanowire QDs, and address the latest research performed on nanowire QDs, including measuring entanglement fidelity, light-extraction efficiency, dephasing mechanisms, and the detrimental effects of detection systems on the measured values of entanglement fidelity. Additionally, we will discuss results recently observed pertaining to resonant excitation of a nanowire QD, revealing the potential of such sources to outperform spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC) sources, providing a viable solution to the current challenges in quantum optics and quantum information.
The biexciton-exciton cascade in quantum dots (QDs) yields entangled photon pairs, and recent developments in engineering photonic structures around the dot for efficient light extraction and proper control of the fine-structure splitting, has led to significant breakthroughs in achieving an ideal entangled photon source -- exhibiting properties such as high extraction efficiency, low multi-photon emission and high entanglement fidelity. This thesis presents our development in enhancing the performance of entangled photon generation of QDs towards near-unity efficiency and fidelity. We study InAsP quantum dots in photonic nanowires for efficient light extraction and to reveal the effect of a quantum dot with high nuclear spin on the entanglement fidelity. \n \nRevealing the ultimate limit of entanglement in QDs is still a challenge, and it is generally believed that a sample made of atoms possessing high nuclear spins exhibits limited entanglement due to the dephasing caused by spin-spin interactions. Moreover, it is assumed that the fine-structure splitting of QDs degrades the entanglement fidelity, as it introduces a which-path information in the biexciton-exciton cascade. We have performed two-photon state tomography on InAsP QDs in InP nanowires, comprising of nuclear spin 9/2, and have realized that such a source is capable of generating entangled photon pairs with negligible dephasing during the emission lifetime, with a peak concurrence C = 77% and a count-weighted average concurrence 62%. This result was obtained by comparing the outcome of our measurements with a theoretical model that assumes no dephasing, however, takes into account the details of the detection system, i.e., dark-count rates and timing resolution, as well as, specific features of the QD, e.g., emission lifetime, fine-structure splitting, multi-photon emission probability, etc. Proper engineering of tapered nanowires allows for extraction of the emitted photons with high efficiency, which makes it possible to perform a complete two-photon state tomography and monitoring the evolution of the exciton state, as well as, the entanglement fidelity of the photon-pair, during the emission lifetime. This enabled us to reveal the effect of an imperfect detection system, as well as, multi-photon emission in recording low values for entanglement fidelity. Moreover, our calculations show that proper analysis of the time-energy uncertainty relation provides the necessary means to measure a high entanglement fidelity even in the presence of fine-structure splitting; since, a detection system with high timing resolution can overlook the which-path information, as the uncertainty in measuring the energy of the photons will be larger than the fine-structure splitting. Therefore, realizing near-unity entanglement fidelity using QDs is merely a technical challenge, i.e., resonant excitation of the QD, in order to suppress multi-photon emission, and use of a detection system with low timing jitter and dark-count rates. \n \nAs a next step to achieve this goal, we have performed the resonant two-photon excitation scheme for the first time on a QD in a photonic nanowire, which resulted in an enhancement of the performance of our source. We managed to improve the single-photon purity of the source, g^(2)(0), by two orders of magnitude; moreover, analysis of the emission spectrum reveals that this scheme increases the pair-production efficiency to values above 93% for the biexciton-exciton cascade. Taking the efficiency of our experimental setup into consideration, the results indicate an approximately eight-fold enhancement of the pair-extraction efficiency as compared to the quasi-resonant excitation scheme (12.55% vs. 1.6%). Based on these results, two-photon state tomography on our source, under resonant two-photon excitation and performed by a detection system with high timing resolution and low dark-count rates, yields near-unity entanglement fidelity. By considering the enhancement in pair-extraction efficiency that we obtained, QDs in photonic nanowires can surpass the performance of spontaneous parametric down conversion sources in terms of entanglement fidelity and pair-extraction efficiency. \n \nEven though we have shown a finite fine-structure splitting does not degrade the entanglement fidelity in QDs, for various application in quantum information removing the fine-structure splitting is beneficial. Therefore, we have proposed a universal all-optical approach for removing the fine-structure splitting. In this scheme, the energy of the photons are shifted by using a pair of quarter-wave plates and fast-rotating half-wave plates after they have been emitted; and as a result, the energy difference between the two decay paths in the biexciton-exciton cascade is erased. This method is applicable to any QD source and can be easily implemented using the currently available technology; moreover, no further sample processing will be required in order to achieve zero fine-structure splitting.