Abstract
We report on a source of heralded narrowband ( MHz) single photons compatible with solid-state spin-wave quantum memories based on praseodymium doped crystals. Widely non-degenerate narrow-band photon pairs are generated using cavity enhanced down conversion. One photon from the pair is at telecom wavelengths and serves as heralding signal, while the heralded single photon is at 606 nm, resonant with an optical transition of Pr3+:Y2SiO5. The source offers a heralding efficiency of 28% and a generation rate exceeding 2000 pairs mW−1 in a single-mode. The single photon nature of the heralded field is confirmed by a direct antibunching measurement, with a measured antibunching parameter down to 0.010(4). Moreover, we investigate in detail photon cross- and autocorrelation functions proving non-classical correlations between the two photons. The results presented in this paper offer prospects for the demonstration of single photon spin-wave storage in an on-demand solid state quantum memory, heralded by a telecom photon.
Highlights
The process of spontaneous parametric down conversion (SPDC) finds widespread application in quantum physics as a source for quantum states of light
SPDC can be used as a source of heralded single photons [1]
For many applications in quantum optics, where the photons are interfaced with atomic transitions [2, 3], much smaller line widths are necessary
Summary
The process of spontaneous parametric down conversion (SPDC) finds widespread application in quantum physics as a source for quantum states of light. The source featured a limited heralding efficiency of 6% and a low detected count rate of around 3 coincidences per mW of pump power, in single mode operation [19] This prevented us to measure directly the single photon character of the emitted light, by measurement of the autocorrelation signal. We complete the characterization with a detailed analysis of the non-classical state of our photons for different pump powers and an investigation of the spectral modes formed by the double resonance of the cavity With these improved performances, our source should be suitable for spin wave storage in a Pr3+:Y2SiO5quantum memory [31]. We compare the results with theoretical models and check for consistency
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