Abstract

We demonstrate a quantum key distribution (QKD) testbed for room temperature single photon sources based on defect centres in diamond. A BB84 protocol over a short free-space transmission line is implemented. The performance of nitrogen-vacancy (NV) as well as silicon-vacancy defect (SiV) centres is evaluated. An extrapolation for the future applicability of such sources in quantum information processing is discussed.

Highlights

  • Single photons are a key ingredient in many quantum information processing (QIP) applications

  • We demonstrate a quantum key distribution (QKD) testbed for room temperature single photon sources based on defect centres in diamond

  • In order to test the suitability of two different single photon sources we ran the BB84 protocol in the QKD setup

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Summary

Introduction

Single photons are a key ingredient in many quantum information processing (QIP) applications. In QKD, high key rate and/or long distance experiments have been successfully implemented without true single photons using weak coherent laser pulses (WCP) [3, 4] together with the decoy state protocol [5, 6]. Whereas emission into the zero phonon line (ZPL) is a few per cent for the NV centre (3% at cryogenic temperatures [19]), the SiV emits 70–80% of photons into the ZPL Both for NV and SiV centres high photon generation rates have been reported, for the NV exceeding 2 Mcps [20], for the SiV exceeding 6 Mcps [10], all under continuous laser excitation. QKD experiments are performed with NV centres and for the first time with SiV centres

Compact and versatile design of the single photon source
Nitrogen-vacancy centres in diamonds as single photon source
Silicon-vacancy centres in diamonds as single photon source
Setup of QKD testbed
Experimental results
Discussion and conclusion

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