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 language | English |
---|---|
Title of host publication | CLEO/Europe - EQEC 2009 |
Subtitle of host publication | European Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics and the European Quantum Electronics Conference |
Place of Publication | Piscataway, NJ |
Publisher | Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) |
Pages | 1-1 |
Number of pages | 1 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9781424440801 |
ISBN (Print) | 9781424440795 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2009 |
Event | CLEO/Europe - EQEC 2009 - European Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics and the European Quantum Electronics Conference - Munich, Germany Duration: 14 Jun 2009 → 19 Jun 2009 |
Other
Other | CLEO/Europe - EQEC 2009 - European Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics and the European Quantum Electronics Conference |
---|---|
Country/Territory | Germany |
City | Munich |
Period | 14/06/09 → 19/06/09 |