Towards integrated single photon sources exploiting the SiV center in nanodiamonds

Abstract

Due to their favorable optical properties, silicon-vacancy (SiV) centers have recently emerged as promising candidates for the realization of reliable on-demand single photon sources. Such non-classical light sources are key to applications in quantum computing, quantum cryptography, and quantum metrology. In the latter single photon sources are a prerequisite for a quantum-based redefinition of the candela.

This thesis contributes to the development of single photon sources with a high applicability in practice through researching SiV centers along two main approaches: First the luminescence properties of a large set of nanodiamonds containing SiV centers are established.

This yields a novel strongly inhomogeneous distribution yielding two clusters with regard to the center wavelengths and the linewidth of the zero-phonon-line at room temperature. One of these clusters is consistently explained by strain in the diamond lattice, the other might be due to modified SiV centers. Second, we work towards the goal of developing integrated high-intensity and narrow linewidth single photon sources exploiting the investigated SiV center properties.

Using pick-and-place methods, SiV centers are coupled to two different nano-structures. By placing a nanodiamond on top of a vertical-cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL), we attempt to realize a controllable hybrid-integrated single photon source. By coupling SiV centers with plasmonic nano-antennas we aim to enhance their photoluminescence intensity.

We are able to report significant progress towards this goal. Our contributions add momentum to the research of integrated, high-intensity, narrow linewidth single photon sources, to the development of novel calibration standards and ultimately to the universal adoption of the quantum candela.