Deterministic quantum dot single-photon sources: operational principles and state-of-the-art specifications

TL;DR

This paper reviews the physics, engineering, and current state-of-the-art performance of deterministic quantum dot single-photon sources in photonic crystal waveguides, highlighting their suitability for quantum technology applications.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of the operational principles, recent advancements, and commercially available prototypes of quantum dot single-photon sources in photonic nanostructures.

Findings

Quantum dot sources achieve high performance in photonic crystal waveguides.

Suppression of leaky modes and Purcell enhancement are key to performance.

Prototype sources are approaching ideal performance metrics.

Abstract

Non-classical states of light play a fundamental role in quantum technology. From photonic quantum computers and simulators, to quantum communication and sensing, quantum states of light enable performing tasks that may outperform their best classical counterparts. Semiconductor quantum dots embedded in photonic nanostructures offer the most advanced classes of quantum light sources. Importantly, the underlying physics processes determining device performance are today fully understood, and dedicated engineering projects are currently advancing these sources towards real-world quantum technology applications. We review the performance of deterministic single-photon sources based on quantum dots in photonic crystal waveguides, the approach with the highest performance specs since it intrinsically combines suppression of leaky modes and Purcell enhancement to slow-light waveguide mode. Furthermore, we present prototype data from sources that today are commercially available and with performance metrics approaching the ideal.