Time-multiplexed heralded single-photon source

Fumihiro Kaneda, Bradley G. Christensen, Jia Jun Wong, Hee Su Park, Kevin T. McCusker, Paul G. Kwiat

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Photons have proven to be excellent carriers of quantum information and play essential roles in numerous quantum information processing (QIP) applications. In particular, heralded single-photon sources via spontaneous parametricdown conversion (SPDC) have been a key technology for demonstrating small-scale QIP, yet their low generation efficiency is a critical limitation to furthering the scale-up of optical QIP technology. In order to efficiently overcome the probabilistic nature of SPDC, here we demonstrate time multiplexing for up to 30 time slots of a periodically pumped heralded single-photon source using a switchable low-loss optical storage cavity. We observe a maximum single-photon probability of 38.6 ± 0.4% in periodic output time windows, corresponding to ∼6 times enhancement over a nonmultiplexed source but with no increase in the contribution of unwanted multiphoton events. Combining this time-multiplexing technique with a heralded source producing pure single-photon states should enable larger-scale optical QIP systems than previously realized.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1010-1013
Number of pages4
JournalOptica
Volume2
Issue number12
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 30 2015

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Time-multiplexed heralded single-photon source'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this