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Single Photon Emission Possibility in a Quantum State of light

Anjali Jatwani, Amit Verma

Published Dec 21, 2023• 3 citations
Publisher

Abstract

A single-photon source is a key advancement for quantum computing, quantum sensing, metrology, and quantum communication. These applications use single photons and have demanding standards for the effectiveness of single-photon generation. All available single photon source (SPS) is probabilistic and the search for deterministic SPS is challenging and relatively new. In this work, we explore a quantitative approach that can be applied to various sources with well-defined mathematical distribution functions in photon emission. If we have a photon number distribution, then we can easily compute the possibility of emission of a single photon from the source. Here, we observe the single photon possibility in a quantum state named as New Generalised Binomial State. Furthermore, this criterion has been applied to a single photon added New Generalised Binomial state and a single photon subtracted New Generalised Binomial State too. This technique helps us to characterize the quality of a single photon source. We explore the variation of SPS probability with different parameters and it is found that probability varies with the total number of photons in a system, the q parameter should be negative and the addition of a Photon is more suitable than subtraction for single photon source criterion.

DOI
10.1109/icsc60394.2023.10441481

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A single-photon source is a key advancement for quantum computing, quantum sensing, metrology, and quantum communication. These applications use single photons and have demanding standards for the effectiveness of single-photon generation. All available single photon source (SPS) is probabilistic and the search for deterministic SPS is challenging and relatively new. In this work, we explore a quantitative approach that can be applied to various sources with well-defined mathematical distribution functions in photon emission. If we have a photon number distribution, then we can easily compute the possibility of emission of a single photon from the source. Here, we observe the single photon possibility in a quantum state named as New Generalised Binomial State. Furthermore, this criterion has been applied to a single photon added New Generalised Binomial state and a single photon subtracted New Generalised Binomial State too. This technique helps us to characterize the quality of a single photon source. We explore the variation of SPS probability with different parameters and it is found that probability varies with the total number of photons in a system, the q parameter should be negative and the addition of a Photon is more suitable than subtraction for single photon source criterion.
A single photon source (SPS) is very important for quantum computation. In particular, it is essential for secured quantum cryptography. But there is no perfect SPS in reality. Therefore, probabilistic SPS where probability of simultaneous emission of two, three, four and more photon is less than the emission of a single photon are used. Since classical photon always comes in bunch, the required single photon source must be nonclassical. In the well-known antibunched state the rate of simultaneous emission of two photon is less than that of single photon. But the requirement of quantum cryptography is a multiphoton version of the antibunched state or the higher order antibunched state. Recently we have reported a mathematical criterion for higher order antibunching. Here we have shown that any proposal for SPS to be used in quantum cryptography should satisfy this criterion. We have studied four wave mixing as a possible candidate of single photon source.
The article surveys the state of the art in the design, development and application of devices for deterministically generating single photons on demand. Both the defined function and requisite form of such ‘single-photon’ sources are explained in detail. Their attributes and characteristics, in particular the photon-counting statistics of the light that they generate, are presented in conjunction with the experimental apparatus (most notably the Hanbury-Brown and Twiss interferometer) for measuring them. Promising applications of single-photon sources within quantum key distribution, quantum information processing, as well as metrology and fundamental tests of quantum mechanics, are described. The utility and relative advantages of single-photon sources vis-á-vis more conventional sources of light are explained in terms of application-specific requirements and the respective abilities of different sources to fulfil them. The article collects, classifies and sorts the most significant work towards realizing practical single-photon sources to date. Though emanating from a diverse set of technological disciplines, with different research and application objectives in mind, the relative advantages and drawbacks of each approach are assessed, to give the reader a broad yet coherent and critical review of a rapidly developing research front.
From secure communication to blazingly fast computation, quantum technologies promise arevolutionary horizon with transformative potential across many areas. Single photon sources,essential to utilizing the special qualities of quantum mechanics, are at the core of many ofthese developments. Because single photons are discrete quanta of light, they provide quantum systems withunmatched precision and control, opening up new possibilities for security and sensitivity inapplications like quantum cryptography, quantum key distribution, and quantum sensing.These sources are fundamental components of quantum computing, in which complicatedcomputations can be completed tenfold more quickly than with traditional computers thanks toqubits contained in single photons. To fully realize the promise of quantum technologies andtheir widespread application, single-photon source development and optimization mustcontinue. In the field of quantum technologies, increasing the spontaneous emission rate of a singlephoton source is important for multiple reasons. First of all, a higher emission rate results in amore effective production of single photons, which is necessary for applications like quantumkey distribution (QKD) that demand a high photon flux. A greater emission rate in QKDincreases the overall security and efficiency of quantum communication systems byguaranteeing a quicker and more dependable interchange of quantum information. All things considered, increasing the spontaneous emission rate of a single photon source iscritical to realizing the full promise of quantum technologies, facilitating quicker and moreeffective quantum computing, sensing, integrated photonics, and communication, and openingthe door for revolutionary developments across a range of industries. This thesis explores the impact of electromagnetic scattering on solid-state single photonemitters' spontaneous emission behavior. By applying sophisticated computational approachesand conducting a comprehensive literature analysis, the study seeks to confirm and reproduceprevious findings, expanding and solidifying our knowledge of basic principles andcomputational strategies in this field. Two different scatterer geometries, a sphere, and a cylinder, activated by a point dipoleapproximation that is frequently employed in quantum optics simulations are the subject of thiswork. The main goal is to thoroughly evaluate and validate previously published results, not topresent new physics, but to guarantee the stability and dependability of computational modelsin the study of interactions between light and matter.
Single-photon sources (SPS) play a key-role in many applications, spanning from quantum metrology, to quantum information and to the foundations of quantum mechanics. Even if an ideal SPS (i. e. emitting indistinguishable, ”on-demand” single photons, at an arbitrarily fast repetition rate) is far to be realized due to real-world deviations from the ideality, much effort is currently devoted to improving the performance of real sources. With regards to the emission probability, it appears natural to employ sources that are in principle deterministic in the single- photon emission (single quantum emitters such as single atoms, ions, molecules, quantum dots, or color centers in diamond) as opposed to probabilistic ones (usually heralded SPS based on parametric down-conversion). We present an overview of our latest results concerning a work-in-progress NIR pulsed single photon source based on single quantum emitters (color centers in diamond) exploiting recently reported centers. They are particularly interesting because of the narrow emission line (tipically less than 5 nm), the shorter excited state lifetime with respect to NV centres (1 - 2 ns compared to 12 ns, allowing a ten-fold photon emission rate upon saturation) and the polarized emission.
It is safe to say that, when the concept of the photon was first introduced, the generation of single photons was not being considered. Until the emergence of the ideas and methods of quantum optics, the `single-photon regime' was attained by strongly attenuating a laser beam to ensure that the probability of having more than one photon became negligible. However, such attenuated beams differ from `true' single photons in at least two respects: first, the vacuum probability is much higher than the probability of detecting a photon, so one gets predominantly a `no-photon' regime with occasional detection of a photon; second, the probability of getting two photons is never zero, but essentially follows a Poisson law. Although the weak beam has been useful in quantum optics, the advent of quantum information science has placed stringent demands on optical sources, namely that sources produce single photons either on demand or heralded. In particular secure quantum cryptography and linear optical quantum computing depend on the availability of such single-photon sources. The combination of strict requirements for single photons, plus new technologies, is driving an exciting research effort into single-photon generation. This Focus Issue recognizes that single-photon sources are rapidly developing and presents research articles covering the spectrum of activity in the field. Significant advances are reported for single-photon and photon-pair sources constructed from quantum dots in pillar microcavities, parametric down converters, falling neutral atoms and trapped ions in cavities, defects in diamond nanocrystals and a single molecule in a solid. In addition to producing single-photon pulses, one article reports on the latest developments regarding the production of photon number states in a microwave cavity. Another article discusses the application of a nitrogen-vacancy-based single-photon source to an experimental demonstration of quantum key distribution in open air. Photodetection performs a critical role in assessing single-photon sources as well as heralding the arrival of a single photon based on detecting a correlated partner, and this issue presents the latest results on single-photon counting with a superconducting niobium nitride hot-electron bolometer. Another article provides a detailed study of how to characterize single-photon sources via intensity noise analyses. Photodetection is also important for post-selection-based processing for non-deterministic quantum information tasks, and this issue presents an analysis of photodetection and post-selection used in another way: enhancing the efficiency of single-photon sources by interferometry, photodetection and post-selection. New Journal of Physics appreciates the rapid pace of development in the area of single photons on demand. This Focus Issue presents the latest developments and also points to a bright future with better photon sources. Focus on Single Photons on Demand Contents Photon statistics characterization of a single-photon source R Alleaume, F Treussart, J-M Courty and J-F Roch Photon statistics of a non-stationary periodically driven single-photon source M Hennrich, T Legero, A Kuhn and G Rempe On the measurement of two-photon single-mode coupling efficiency in parametric down-conversion photon sources S Castelletto, I P Degiovanni, A Migdall and M Ware Single-photon sources based on single molecules in solids W E Moerner Single-photon generation with InAs quantum dots Charles Santori, David Fattal, Jelena Vuckovic, Glenn S Solomon and Yoshihisa Yamamoto Visible single-photon generation from semiconductor quantum dots Thomas Aichele, Valery Zwiller and Oliver Benson Enhanced correlated photon pair emission from a pillar microcavity M Benyoucef, S M Ulrich, P Michler, J Wiersig, F Jahnke and A Forchel Experimental open-air quantum key distribution with a single-photon source R Alleaume, F Treussart, G Messin, Y Dumeige, J-F Roch, A Beveratos, R Brouri-Tualle, J-P Poizat and P Grangier Post-processing with linear optics for improving the quality of single-photon sources Dominic W Berry, Stefan Scheel, Casey R Myers, Barry C Sanders, Peter L Knight and Raymond Laflamme A single-photon source based on a single Ca+ ion Christian Maurer, Christoph Becher, Carlos Russo, Jurgen Eschner and Rainer Blatt A calcium ion in a cavity as a controlled single-photon source M Keller, B Lange, K Hayasaka, W Lange and H Walther Quantum optics with single quantum dot devices Valery Zwiller, Thomas Aichele and Oliver Benson The creation and detection of arbitrary photon number states using cavity QED Benjamin T H Varcoe, Simon Brattke and Herbert Walther Stable single-photon source in the near infrared T Gaebel, I Popa, A Gruber, M Domhan, F Jelezko and J Wrachtrup Colloidal CdSe/ZnS quantum dots as single-photon sources X Brokmann, G Messin, P Desbiolles, E Giacobino, M Dahan and J P Hermier Towards a periodic deterministic source of arbitrary single-photon states Evan Jeffrey, Nicholas A Peters and Paul G Kwiat Fabrication of a superconducting niobium nitride hot electron bolometer for single-photon counting R Romestain, B Delaet, P Renaud-Goud, I Wang, C Jorel, J-C Villegier and J-Ph Poizat High-quality asynchronous heralded single-photon source at telecom wavelength Sylvain Fasel, Olivier Alibart, Sebastien Tanzilli, Pascal Baldi, Alexios Beveratos, Nicolas Gisin and Hugo Zbinden Philippe Grangier, Institut d'Optique Theorique et Appliquee, Orsay, France Barry Sanders, University of Calgary, Canada Jelena Vuckovic, Stanford University, CA, USA
A description of states of light in terms of photons allows for a clear delineation between classical and non-classical light. The development of single-photon sources and detectors has enabled experimental studies of quantum light at the single-photon level, proving essential for applications in quantum communication, sensing, and imaging. Multi-photon quantum states, existing in higher-dimensional spaces, extend these applications and open opportunities to study the rich space of non-classical light states. Platforms for sourcing and characterizing such states have been increasingly explored to leverage the quantum resources they offer. Arithmetic operations of photon addition and subtraction, allow for generating non-classical multi-photon light from classical sources like coherent and squeezed states, as well as for photon-number-resolved (PNR) detection. PNR detection is essential for characterizing multi-photon states,providing access to their photon-number distributions and higher-order correlations, and enabling advanced quantum tomography.