Feasibility of efficient room-temperature solid-state sources of indistinguishable single photons using ultrasmall mode volume cavities

TL;DR

This paper explores the feasibility of creating efficient, room-temperature solid-state single-photon sources using ultrasmall mode volume cavities, analyzing conditions to maximize photon indistinguishability for quantum applications.

Contribution

It provides a theoretical framework for achieving indistinguishable single-photon emission at room temperature with solid-state emitters and ultrasmall cavities, identifying optimal system parameters.

Findings

Derived an expression for photon indistinguishability considering quenching and dephasing.

Identified cavity and emitter conditions for optimal photon emission.

Proposed a nanodiamond with silicon-vacancy center and plasmonic cavity as a promising system.

Abstract

Highly efficient sources of indistinguishable single photons that can operate at room temperature would be very beneficial for many applications in quantum technology. We show that the implementation of such sources is a realistic goal using solid-state emitters and ultrasmall mode volume cavities. We derive and analyze an expression for photon indistinguishability that accounts for relevant detrimental effects, such as plasmon-induced quenching and pure-dephasing. We then provide the general cavity and emitter conditions required to achieve efficient indistinguishable photon emission, and also discuss constraints due to phonon sideband emission. Using these conditions, we propose that a nanodiamond negatively charged silicon-vacancy center combined with a plasmonic-Fabry-Perot hybrid cavity is an excellent candidate system.