Towards a fiber-optic temporally multiplexed single photon source

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates a fiber-optic, temporally multiplexed single photon source that improves brightness and signal-to-noise ratio by actively synchronizing heralded photons, advancing integrated non-classical photon sources for optical communications.

Contribution

It introduces a fiber-based temporal multiplexing method that enhances single photon emission efficiency and quality in the optical communication wavelength range.

Findings

Brightness improved by a factor of approximately 1.8

Enhanced signal-to-noise ratio and coincidence-to-accidental counts ratio

Feasibility of active temporal multiplexing in fiber-optic single photon sources

Abstract

We demonstrate the feasibility of implementing a photon source with sub-Poissonian emission statistics through temporal multiplexing of a continuous wave heralded photon source in the optical communications wavelength range. We use the time arrival information of a heralding photon to actively modify the delay of the heralded photon in an all-fiber assembly, in order to synchronize the output with with respect to an external clock. Within this synchronized operating regime we show that the addition of a single temporal correcting stage can improve the figure of merit for single photon emission of a heralded photon source. We obtain a brightness improvement factor of approximately 1.8 and an enhancement of the signal-to-noise ratio, quantified by the coincidence-to-accidental counts ratio. These results, clear the way for integrated optics non-classical photon sources in the optical communication band.