A single photon source based on nv centers in diamond nanocrystals

Juliane Bahe*, Xiaoqing Zhou, Tobias Kippenberg, Ariane Stiebeiner, Arno Rauschenbeutel, James Rabeau, Harald Weinfurter

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference proceeding contributionpeer-review

3 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The development of reliable devices to generate single photons is crucial for applications in quantum cryptography, as well as for fundamental quantum optics experiments. Due to their extremely high photostability at room temperature, optically active defects in solids, the so called color centers, are among the most promising candidates. Single NV (nitrogen-vacancy) centers in diamond have been demonstrated to be able to generate single photons and have already shown advantages compared to attenuated laser pulses in a quantum cryptography experiment. The nitrogen-vacancy center (NV center) in diamond consists of a substitutional nitrogen atom and an adjacent vacancy. This complex exhibits an optical transition with a fluorescence lifetime of 11.6 ns. The room temperature spectrum of the NV center consists of the zero-phonon line at 637 nm and broad phononic sidebands with a FWHM of more than 100 nm. Due to the existence of a shelving level the efficiency of the NV center as a single photon source is limited. Additionally, the high diffraction index of bulk diamond restricts the efficiency to collect the fluorescence light.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationCLEO/Europe - EQEC 2009
Subtitle of host publicationEuropean Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics and the European Quantum Electronics Conference
Place of PublicationPiscataway, NJ
PublisherInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
Pages1-1
Number of pages1
ISBN (Electronic)9781424440801
ISBN (Print)9781424440795
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2009
EventCLEO/Europe - EQEC 2009 - European Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics and the European Quantum Electronics Conference - Munich, Germany
Duration: 14 Jun 200919 Jun 2009

Other

OtherCLEO/Europe - EQEC 2009 - European Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics and the European Quantum Electronics Conference
Country/TerritoryGermany
CityMunich
Period14/06/0919/06/09

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