Enhanced and directional single photon emission in hyperbolic metamaterials

TL;DR

This paper presents a method to enhance and direct single photon emission from emitters in hyperbolic metamaterials using collective plasmonic modes, a pumping scheme, and a dielectric grating, aiming to improve broadband single photon sources.

Contribution

It introduces a novel approach combining collective plasmonic Bloch modes, a topological transition-based pumping scheme, and a dielectric grating to achieve directional, broadband single photon emission in hyperbolic metamaterials.

Findings

Achieves high Purcell factor over broad bandwidth despite metallic losses.

Demonstrates directional emission via quantum resonance cones.

Proposes a practical outcoupling mechanism using dielectric gratings.

Abstract

We propose an approach to enhance and direct the spontaneous emission from isolated emitters embedded inside hyperbolic metamaterials into single photon beams. The approach rests on collective plasmonic Bloch modes of hyperbolic metamaterials which propagate in highly directional beams called quantum resonance cones. We propose a pumping scheme using the transparency window of the hyperbolic metamaterial that occurs near the topological transition. Finally, we address the challenge of outcoupling these broadband resonance cones into vacuum using a dielectric bullseye grating. We give a detailed analysis of quenching and design the metamaterial to have a huge Purcell factor in a broad bandwidth inspite of the losses in the metal. Our work should help motivate experiments in the development of single photon sources for broadband emitters such as nitrogen vacancy centers in diamond.