Study of narrowband single photon emitters in polycrystalline diamond films

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that polycrystalline diamond films grown on silicon can host bright, narrowband, and stable single photon emitters suitable for quantum communication and information processing at room temperature.

Contribution

It shows that microwave plasma CVD diamond films contain stable, polarized single photon emitters in the visible to near-infrared range, advancing solid-state quantum light source research.

Findings

Emitters are bright, narrowband, and photostable.

Emitters exhibit full polarization at excitation and emission.

Quantum behavior confirmed at room temperature.

Abstract

Quantum information processing and integrated nanophotonics require robust generation of single photon emitters on demand. In this work we demonstrate that diamond films grown by microwave plasma chemical vapour deposition on a silicon substrate host bright, narrowband single photon emitters in the visible to near infrared spectral range. The emitters possess fast lifetime, absolute photostability, and exhibit full polarization at excitation and emission. Pulsed and continuous laser excitations confirm their quantum behaviour at room temperature, while low temperature spectroscopy is done to investigate their inhomogeneous broadening. Our results advance the knowledge of solid state single photon sources and open pathways for their practical implementation in quantum communication and quantum information processing.