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Optica Advanced Photonics Congress

Organic Molecules for Quantum Communication

Maja Colautti, Ghülam Murtaza, Michael Hilke, Pietro Lombardi, F. S. Cataliotti, Alessandro Zavatta, Davide Bacco, Costanza Toninelli

Published Jan 1, 2022• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We demonstrate a quantum key distribution testbed exploiting a molecule-based single-photon source operating at room-temperature. With an estimated secret key rate of 0.5Mbps, we set the ground for room-temperature deterministic emitters for quantum communication protocols.
DOI
10.1364/sppcom.2022.spw2j.1

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Quantum key distribution (QKD) allows the distribution of cryptographic keys between multiple users in an information-theoretic secure way, exploiting quantum physics. While current QKD systems are mainly based on attenuated laser pulses, deterministic single-photon sources could give concrete advantages in terms of secret key rate (SKR) and security owing to the negligible probability of multi-photon events. Here, we introduce and demonstrate a proof-of-concept QKD system exploiting a molecule-based single-photon source operating at room temperature and emitting at 785 nm. With an estimated maximum SKR of 0.5 Mbps, our solution paves the way for room-temperature single-photon sources for quantum communication protocols.
Single molecules in suitable host crystals have been demonstrated to be useful single-photon emitters both at liquid-helium temperatures and at room temperature. The low-temperature source achieved controllable emission of single photons from a single terrylene molecule in p -terphenyl by an adiabatic rapid passage technique. In contrast with almost all other single-molecule systems, terrylene single molecules show extremely high photostability under continuous, high-intensity irradiation. A room-temperature source utilizing this material has been demonstrated, in which fast pumping into vibrational sidebands of the electronically excited state achieved efficient inversion of the emissive level. This source yielded a single-photon emission probability p (1) of 0.86 at a detected count rate near 300 000 photons s −1 , with very small probability of emission of more than one photon. Thus, single molecules in solids can be considered as contenders for applications of single-photon sources such as quantum key distribution.
The development of single-photon sources has been nothing but rapid in recent years, with quantum emitter-based systems showing especially impressive progress. In this article, we give an overview of the developments in single-photon sources based on single molecules. We will introduce polycyclic hydrocarbons as the most commonly used emitter systems for the realization of an organic solid-state single-photon source. At cryogenic temperatures this special class of fluorescent molecules demonstrates remarkable optical properties such as negligible dephasing, indefinite photostability, and high photon rates, which make them attractive as fundamental building blocks in emerging quantum technologies. To better understand the general properties and limitations of these molecules, we discuss sample preparation and relevant emitter parameters such as absorption and emission spectra, lifetime, and dephasing. We will also give an overview of light extraction strategies as a crucial part of a single-photon source. Finally, we conclude with a look into the future, displaying current challenges and possible solutions.
Abstract To date, quantum communication widely relies on attenuated lasers for secret key generation. In future quantum networks fundamental limitations resulting from their probabilistic photon distribution must be overcome by using deterministic quantum light sources. Confined excitons in monolayers of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) constitute a novel type of emitter for quantum light generation. These atomically-thin solid-state sources show appealing prospects for large-scale and low-cost device integration, meeting the demands of quantum information technologies. Here, we pioneer the practical suitability of TMDC devices in quantum communication. We employ a WSe2 monolayer single-photon source to emulate the BB84 protocol in a quantum key distribution (QKD) setup and achieve raw key rates of up to 66.95 kHz and antibunching values down to 0.034 - a performance competitive with QKD experiments using semiconductor quantum dots or color centers in diamond. Our work opens the route towards wider applications of quantum information technologies using TMDC single-photon sources.
This paper introduces quantum communication concepts to the scientists starting to work in the field of quantum optics and quantum information. Several topics are covered: (1) single and entangled photon sources; (2) quantum key distribution protocols; (3) current and future quantum communication networks; (4) experimental realization of singlephoton sources: state-of-the-art. More details on single photon generation and characterization methods are provided on the examples of the author’s results on room-temperature single-photon sources with definite linear and circular polarizations.