NIST researchers are developing a new type of quantum light source using semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) that can produce “bright” single photons on demand. These QD/cavity chips are designed to be fully turnkey operations, requiring little to no expertise in quantum optics or semiconductor physics.
The chips contain a series of QD/cavity single-photon light sources with dimensions in the few-nanometer range. Each QD is excited by a power source and emits single photons that couple via waveguides with embedded microcavities. The resulting bright photons are routed off-chip for the user’s purposes.
The market for bright single-photon sources is expected to grow as they will be employed in various emerging technologies including quantum computing, simulation, and networking. These applications will be essential for solving certain kinds of problems that are intractable using conventional electronics.
Source: https://www.nist.gov/noac/technology/quantum-optics-and-radiometry/quantum-light-sources
Keywords: Photons, Quantum, Cavities, Single-photon, Sources
