Room-temperature single photon sources with definite circular and linear polarizations based on single-emitter fluorescence in liquid crystal hosts

Abstract

Experimental results of two room-temperature, robust and efficient single-photon sources with definite circular and linear polarization using single-emitter fluorescence in cholesteric and nematic liquid crystal hosts are discussed. For single emitters, we used nanocrystal quantum dots, single color centers in nanodiamonds, and single dye molecules. Single-photon sources based on single emitters in liquid crystals are the room temperature alternatives to cryogenic single-photon sources base on semiconductor heterostructured quantum dots in microcavities prepared by molecular beam epitaxy.