Photon Extraction Efficiency Research Articles

Bright Electrically Contacted Circular Bragg Grating Resonators with Deterministically Integrated Quantum Dots.

Cavity-enhanced emission of electrically controlled semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) is essential in the development of bright quantum devices for real-world quantum photonic applications. Combining the circular Bragg grating (CBG) approach with a PIN-diode structure, we propose and implement designs for ridge-based electrically contacted QD-CBG resonators. Through fine-tuning of device parameters in numerical simulations and deterministic nanoprocessing, we produced electrically controlled single QD-CBG resonators with excellent electro-optical emission properties. These include multiple wavelength-tunable emission lines and a photon extraction efficiency (PEE) of up to 30.4(3.4)%, where refined numerical optimization based on experimental findings suggests a substantial improvement, promising PEE > 50%. Additionally, the developed quantum light sources yield single-photon purity reaching 99.2(2)% and photon indistinguishability of 75(5)% under quasi-resonant p-shell excitation. Our results present high-performance quantum devices with combined cavity enhancement and deterministic charge-environment controls, which are relevant for the development of photonic quantum information systems such as complex quantum repeater networks.

High-Q cavity interface for color centers in thin film diamond

Quantum information technology offers the potential to realize unprecedented computational resources via secure channels distributing entanglement between quantum computers. Diamond, as a host to optically-accessible spin qubits, is a leading platform to realize quantum memory nodes needed to extend such quantum links. Photonic crystal (PhC) cavities enhance light-matter interaction and are essential for an efficient interface between spins and photons that are used to store and communicate quantum information respectively. Here, we demonstrate one- and two-dimensional PhC cavities fabricated in thin-film diamonds, featuring quality factors (Q) of 1.8 × 105 and 1.6 × 105, respectively, the highest Qs for visible PhC cavities realized in any material. Importantly, our fabrication process is simple and high-yield, based on conventional planar fabrication techniques, in contrast to the previous with complex undercut processes. We also demonstrate fiber-coupled 1D PhC cavities with high photon extraction efficiency, and optical coupling between a single SiV center and such a cavity at 4 K achieving a Purcell factor of 18. The demonstrated photonic platform may fundamentally improve the performance and scalability of quantum nodes and expedite the development of related technologies.

High-quality single InGaAs/GaAs quantum dot growth on a silicon substrate for quantum photonic applications

Developing non-classical light sources for use in quantum information technology is a primary goal of quantum nanophotonics. Significant progress has been made in this area using quantum dots grown on III/V semiconductor substrates. However, it is crucial to develop quantum light sources based on silicon wafers to facilitate large-scale integration of electronic circuits and quantum photonic structures. We present a method for the direct heteroepitaxial growth of high-quality InGaAs quantum dots on silicon, which enables the fabrication of scalable and cost-effective quantum photonics devices that are compatible with silicon technology. To achieve high-quality GaAs heterostructures, we apply an intermediate GaP buffer and defect-reducing layers on a silicon substrate. The epitaxially grown quantum dots exhibit optical and quantum-optical properties similar to reference ones based on conventional GaAs substrates. The distributed Bragg reflector used as a backside mirror enables us to achieve bright emission with up to (18 ± 1)% photon extraction efficiency. Additionally, the quantum dots exhibit strong multi-photon suppression with g(2)(τ) = (3.7 ± 0.2) × 10−2 and high photon indistinguishability V = (66 ± 19)% under non-resonant excitation. These results indicate the high potential of our heteroepitaxy approach in the field of silicon-compatible quantum nanophotonics. Our approach can pave the way for future chips that combine electronic and quantum photonic functionality.

Spectral stability of V2 centres in sub-micron 4H-SiC membranes

Colour centres in silicon carbide emerge as a promising semiconductor quantum technology platform with excellent spin-optical coherences. However, recent efforts towards maximising the photonic efficiency via integration into nanophotonic structures proved to be challenging due to reduced spectral stabilities. Here, we provide a large-scale systematic investigation on silicon vacancy centres in thin silicon carbide membranes with thicknesses down to 0.25 μm. Our membrane fabrication process involves a combination of chemical mechanical polishing, reactive ion etching, and subsequent annealing. This leads to highly reproducible membranes with roughness values of 3–4 Å, as well as negligible surface fluorescence. We find that silicon vacancy centres show close-to lifetime limited optical linewidths with almost no signs of spectral wandering down to membrane thicknesses of ~0.7 μm. For silicon vacancy centres in thinner membranes down to 0.25 μm, we observe spectral wandering, however, optical linewidths remain below 200 MHz, which is compatible with spin-selective excitation schemes. Our work clearly shows that silicon vacancy centres can be integrated into sub-micron silicon carbide membranes, which opens the avenue towards obtaining the necessary improvements in photon extraction efficiency based on nanophotonic structuring.

Enhancing Light Outcoupling Efficiency via Anisotropic Low Refractive Index Electron Transporting Materials for Efficient Perovskite Light-Emitting Diodes.

Thanks to the extensive efforts toward optimizing perovskite crystallization properties, high-quality perovskite films with near-unity photoluminescence quantum yield are successfully achieved. However, the light outcoupling efficiency of perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs) is impeded by insufficient light extraction, which poses a challenge to the further advancement of PeLEDs. Here, an anisotropic multifunctional electron transporting material, 9,10-bis(4-(2-phenyl-1H-benzo[d]imidazole-1-yl)phenyl) anthracene (BPBiPA), with a low extraordinary refractive index (ne) and high electron mobility is developed for fabricating high-efficiency PeLEDs. The anisotropic molecular orientations of BPBiPA can result in a low ne of 1.59 along the z-axis direction. Optical simulations show that the low ne of BPBiPA can effectively mitigate the surface plasmon polariton loss and enhance the photon extraction efficiency in waveguide mode, thereby improving the light outcoupling efficiency of PeLEDs. In addition, the high electron mobility of BPBiPA can facilitate balanced carrier injection in PeLEDs. As a result, high-efficiency green PeLEDs with a record external quantum efficiency of 32.1% and a current efficiency of 111.7cd A-1 are obtained, which provides new inspirations for the design of electron transporting materials for high-performance PeLEDs.

Computational Characterization of Quantum‐Dot Light‐Emitting Diodes by Combinatorial Exciton Recombination Parameters and Photon Extraction Efficiency

AbstractQuantum‐dot light‐emitting diodes (QD‐LEDs) have gained significant attention for next‐generation display and lighting systems owing to their superior color selectivity and color purity. To maximize the efficiency of QD‐LED devices, it is of great importance to identify the key factors that govern their electro–optical properties. The efficiency of QD‐LED devices is strongly influenced by combinatorial processes, represented by the Shockley‐Read‐Hall rate A, Langevin strength B, and Auger probability C (ABC parameters) of quantum‐dots (QDs), along with photon extraction efficiency of QD‐LED devices. In this study, an integrated computational framework is proposed to accurately analyze the electro–optical properties of QD‐LED devices. The experimental device properties are characterized by ABC and photon extraction efficiency parameters through an innovative numerical data‐fitting procedure. Utilizing these parameters, a parametric analysis is performed based on a complete computational charge transport simulation model to explore the influence of the combinatorial exciton recombination processes. This computational framework aligns excellently with experimental results, showcasing its remarkable reliability and effectiveness in both quantitatively characterizing QD nanoparticles and in the detailed analysis of the electro–optical properties of QD‐LED devices.

Determining the Dependence of Single Nitrogen-Vacancy Center Light Extraction in Diamond Nanostructures on Emitter Positions with Finite-Difference Time-Domain Simulations.

In this study, we obtained a diamond nanocone structure using the thermal annealing method, which was proposed in our previous work. Using finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulations, we demonstrate that the extraction efficiencies of nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center emitters in nanostructures are dependent on the geometries of the nanocone/nanopillar, emitter polarizations and axis depths. Our results show that nanocones and nanopillars have advantages in extraction from emitter dipoles with s- and p-polarizations, respectively. In our simulations, the best results of collection efficiency were achieved from the emitter in a nanocone with s-polarization (57.96%) and the emitter in a nanopillar with p-polarization (38.40%). Compared with the nanopillar, the photon extraction efficiency of the emitters in the nanocone is more sensitive to the depth and polarization angle. The coupling differences between emitters and the nanocone/nanopillar are explained by the evolution of photon propagation modes and the internal reflection effects in diamond nanostructures. Our results could have positive impacts on the design and fabrication of NV center-based micro- and nano-optics in the future.

Low-Velocity-Favored Transition Radiation.

When a charged particle penetrates through an optical interface, photon emissions emerge-a phenomenon known as transition radiation. Being paramount to fundamental physics, transition radiation has enabled many applications from high-energy particle identification to novel light sources. A rule of thumb in transition radiation is that the radiation intensity generally decreases with the decrease of particle velocity v; as a result, low-energy particles are not favored in practice. Here, we find that there exist situations where transition radiation from particles with extremely low velocities (e.g., v/c<10^{-3}) exhibits comparable intensity as that from high-energy particles (e.g., v/c=0.999), where c is the light speed in free space. The comparable radiation intensity implies an extremely high photon extraction efficiency from low-energy particles, up to 8 orders of magnitude larger than that from high-energy particles. This exotic phenomenon of low-velocity-favored transition radiation originates from the interference of the excited Ferrell-Berreman modes in an ultrathin epsilon-near-zero slab. Our findings may provide a promising route toward the design of integrated light sources based on low-energy electrons and specialized detectors for beyond-standard-model particles.

Additive GaN Solid Immersion Lenses for Enhanced Photon Extraction Efficiency from Diamond Color Centers.

Effective light extraction from optically active solid-state spin centers inside high-index semiconductor host crystals is an important factor in integrating these pseudo-atomic centers in wider quantum systems. Here, we report increased fluorescent light collection efficiency from laser-written nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in bulk diamond facilitated by micro-transfer printed GaN solid immersion lenses. Both laser-writing of NV centers and transfer printing of micro-lens structures are compatible with high spatial resolution, enabling deterministic fabrication routes toward future scalable systems development. The micro-lenses are integrated in a noninvasive manner, as they are added on top of the unstructured diamond surface and bonded by van der Waals forces. For emitters at 5 μm depth, we find approximately 2× improvement of fluorescent light collection using an air objective with a numerical aperture of NA = 0.95 in good agreement with simulations. Similarly, the solid immersion lenses strongly enhance light collection when using an objective with NA = 0.5, significantly improving the signal-to-noise ratio of the NV center emission while maintaining the NV's quantum properties after integration.

Optimization of Scalable Ion-Cavity Interfaces for Quantum Photonic Networks

In the design optimization of ion-cavity interfaces for quantum networking applications, difficulties occur due to the many competing figures of merit and highly interdependent design constraints, many of which present ``soft limits,'' which are amenable to improvement at the cost of engineering time. In this work, we present a systematic approach to this problem that offers a means to identify efficient and robust operating regimes and to elucidate the trade-offs involved in the design process, allowing engineering efforts to be focused on the most sensitive and critical parameters. We show that in many relevant cases it is possible to approximately separate the geometric aspects of the cooperativity from those associated with the atomic system and the mirror surfaces themselves, greatly simplifying the optimization procedure. Although our approach to optimization can be applied to most operating regimes, here we consider cavities suitable for typical ion-trapping experiments and with substantial transverse misalignment of the mirrors. We find that cavities with mirror misalignments of many micrometers can still offer very high photon extraction efficiencies, offering an appealing route to the scalable production of ion-cavity interfaces for large-scale quantum networks.

Photon extraction enhancement of praseodymium ions in gallium nitride nanopillars.

Lanthanoid-doped Gallium Nitride (GaN) integrated into nanophotonic technologies is a promising candidate for room-temperature quantum photon sources for quantum technology applications. We manufactured praseodymium (Pr)-doped GaN nanopillars of varying size, and showed significantly enhanced room-temperature photon extraction efficiency compared to unstructured Pr-doped GaN. Implanted Pr ions in GaN show two main emission peaks at 650.3nm and 651.8nm which are attributed to 3P0-3F2 transition in the 4f-shell. The maximum observed enhancement ratio was 23.5 for 200nm diameter circular pillars, which can be divided into the emitted photon extraction enhancement by a factor of 4.5 and the photon collection enhancement by a factor of 5.2. The enhancement mechanism is explained by the eigenmode resonance inside the nanopillar. Our study provides a pathway for Lanthanoid-doped GaN nano/micro-scale photon emitters and quantum technology applications.

Exciton Fine Structure in InAs Quantum Dots with Cavity-Enhanced Emission at Telecommunication Wavelength and Grown on a GaAs (111) A Vicinal Substrate

The effcient generation of entangled photons at telecom wavelength is crucial for the success of many quantum communication protocols and the development of fiber-based quantum networks. Entangled light can be generated by solid state quantum emitters with naturally low fine structure splitting, such as highly symmetric InAs quantum dots (QDs) grown on (111)-oriented surfaces. Incorporating this kind of QDs into optical cavities is critical to achieve sufficient signal intensitiesfor applications, but has so far shown major complications. In this work we present droplet epitaxy of telecom-wavelength InAs QDs within an optical cavity on a vicinal (2{\deg} miscut) GaAs(111)A substrate. We show a remarkable enhancement of the photon extraction efficiency compared to previous reports together with a reduction of the density that facilitates the isolation of single spectral lines. Moreover, we characterise the exciton fine structure splitting and employ numerical simulations under the framework of the empirical pseudopotential and configuration interaction methods to study the impact of the miscut on the optical properties of the QDs. We demonstrate that the presence of miscut steps influences the polarisation of the excitonic states and introduces a preferential orientation in the $C_{3v}$ symmetry of the surface.

Bright Quantum Dot Single-Photon Emitters at Telecom Bands Heterogeneously Integrated on Si.

Whereas the Si photonic platform is highly attractive for scalable optical quantum information processing, it lacks practical solutions for efficient photon generation. Self-assembled semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) efficiently emit photons in the telecom bands (1460–1625 nm) and allow for heterogeneous integration with Si. In this work, we report on a novel, robust, and industry-compatible approach for achieving single-photon emission from InAs/InP QDs heterogeneously integrated with a Si substrate. As a proof of concept, we demonstrate a simple vertical emitting device, employing a metallic mirror beneath the QD emitter, and experimentally obtained photon extraction efficiencies of ∼10%. Nevertheless, the figures of merit of our structures are comparable with values previously only achieved for QDs emitting at shorter wavelength or by applying technically demanding fabrication processes. Our architecture and the simple fabrication procedure allows for the demonstration of high-purity single-photon generation with a second-order correlation function at zero time delay, g(2)(τ = 0) < 0.02, without any corrections at continuous wave excitation at the liquid helium temperature and preserved up to 50 K. For pulsed excitation, we achieve the as-measured g(2)(0) down to 0.205 ± 0.020 (0.114 ± 0.020 with background coincidences subtracted).

57‐4: Invited Paper: Progress on Key Innovations in Direct‐View μLED Display Manufacturing

Applied Materials reported earlier on an innovative approach to μLED‐based front plane technology using a single wavelength GaN LED emitter with Cd‐free quantum dots for color conversion. This proprietary μLED front plane technology incorporates several key innovations such as the use of high external quantum efficiency dice in ultraviolet wavelength spectrum (vs. red/green/blue), highest photon extraction efficiency at small die‐size, fewer number of mass transfer steps with high yield, and a four‐subpixel backplane architecture to allow for a simple, cost‐effective repair strategy. A picture of this display is shown below.

Numerical optimization of single-mode fiber-coupled single-photon sources based on semiconductor quantum dots.

We perform extended numerical studies to maximize the overall photon coupling efficiency of fiber-coupled quantum dot single-photon sources emitting in the near-infrared and O-band and C-band. Using the finite element method, we optimize the photon extraction and fiber-coupling efficiency of quantum dot single-photon sources based on micromesas, microlenses, circular Bragg grating cavities and micropillars. The numerical simulations which consider the entire system consisting of the quantum dot source itself, the coupling lens, and the single-mode fiber, yield overall photon coupling efficiencies of up to 83%. Our work provides objectified comparability of different fiber-coupled single-photon sources and proposes optimized geometries for the realization of practical and highly efficient quantum dot single-photon sources.

Transferable room-temperature single-photon emitters in hexagonal boron nitride grown by molecular beam epitaxy

The solid-state single-photon source is the core of applications such as quantum cryptography, quantum sensing, and quantum computing. Recently, the point defects in two-dimensional (2D) hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) have become excellent candidates for next-generation single-photon sources due to their chemical and physical stability and ultra-high brightness at room temperature. The 2D layered structure of h-BN allows the single-photon emitters (SPEs) in it to have high photon extraction efficiency and be integrated into photonic circuits easily. However, most of the SPEs found in h-BN flakes are present at the edges or wrinkles. Here, we report on the room-temperature SPEs in h-BN film grown by molecular beam epitaxy followed by a high-temperature post-annealing process and their deterministic transfer. Using the all-dry viscoelastic stamping method, the h-BN film grown on the Al2O3 substrate can be transferred to other substrates. The transferred SPEs are discretely distributed among the continuous h-BN flakes, and the SPE density is as high as ∼0.17 μm−2. After identification, the determined SPE can be deterministically transferred to other structures by the all-dry transfer method. The deterministic transfer of SPEs distributed on the h-BN flakes promises the potential to integrate SPEs into many quantum technology applications.

Design of electrically driven single-photon source based on intra-cavity contacted microcavity with oxide-confined optical apertures emitting at 1.3 μm

We propose a hybrid microcavity design of a 1.3 μm range electrically driven single-photon source (SPS) consisting of two high-contrast dielectric distributed Bragg reflectors which surround a 3λ-thick semiconductor cavity with two intra-cavity contact layers and four 40-nm-thick oxide-confined apertures. According to 3D finite-difference time-domain modelling, the overall photon-extraction efficiency of ~74% and the Purcell factor of ~13 can be obtained by properly adjusting the position of oxide-confined apertures relative to the electric field of the fundamental optical mode. The studied SPS design also demonstrates a coupling efficiency of up to 13% within numerical aperture 0.12 in contrast to ~5% reached for a conventional semiconductor micropillar.

Optical Quality of InAs/InP Quantum Dots on Distributed Bragg Reflector Emitting at 3rd Telecom Window Grown by Molecular Beam Epitaxy.

We present an experimental study on the optical quality of InAs/InP quantum dots (QDs). Investigated structures have application relevance due to emission in the 3rd telecommunication window. The nanostructures are grown by ripening-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. This leads to their unique properties, i.e., low spatial density and in-plane shape symmetry. These are advantageous for non-classical light generation for quantum technologies applications. As a measure of the internal quantum efficiency, the discrepancy between calculated and experimentally determined photon extraction efficiency is used. The investigated nanostructures exhibit close to ideal emission efficiency proving their high structural quality. The thermal stability of emission is investigated by means of microphotoluminescence. This allows to determine the maximal operation temperature of the device and reveal the main emission quenching channels. Emission quenching is predominantly caused by the transition of holes and electrons to higher QD’s levels. Additionally, these carriers could further leave the confinement potential via the dense ladder of QD states. Single QD emission is observed up to temperatures of about 100 K, comparable to the best results obtained for epitaxial QDs in this spectral range. The fundamental limit for the emission rate is the excitation radiative lifetime, which spreads from below 0.5 to almost 1.9 ns (GHz operation) without any clear spectral dispersion. Furthermore, carrier dynamics is also determined using time-correlated single-photon counting.

InP-based single-photon sources operating at telecom C-band with increased extraction efficiency

In this work, we demonstrate a triggered single-photon source operating at the telecom C-band with photon extraction efficiency exceeding any reported values in this range. The non-classical light emission with low probability of the multiphoton events is realized with single InAs quantum dots (QDs) grown by molecular beam epitaxy and embedded directly in an InP matrix. Low QD spatial density on the order of 5 × 108 cm−2 to ∼2 × 109 cm−2 and symmetric shape of these nanostructures together with spectral range of emission make them relevant for quantum communication applications. The engineering of extraction efficiency is realized by combining a bottom distributed Bragg reflector consisting of 25 pairs of InP/In0.53Ga0.37Al0.1 As layers and cylindrical photonic confinement structures. Realization of such a technologically non-demanding approach even in a non-deterministic fashion results in photon extraction efficiency of (13.3 ± 2) % into 0.4 numerical aperture detection optics at approximately 1560 nm emission wavelength, i.e., close to the center of the telecom C-band.

Bright Electrically Controllable Quantum‐Dot‐Molecule Devices Fabricated by In Situ Electron‐Beam Lithography

AbstractSelf‐organized semiconductor quantum dots represent almost ideal two‐level systems, which have strong potential to applications in photonic quantum technologies. For instance, they can act as emitters in close‐to‐ideal quantum light sources. Coupled quantum dot systems with significantly increased functionality are potentially of even stronger interest since they can be used to host ultra‐stable singlet‐triplet spin qubits for efficient spin‐photon interfaces and for deterministic photonic 2D cluster‐state generation. An advanced quantum dot molecule (QDM) device is realized and excellent optical properties are demonstrated. The device includes electrically controllable QDMs based on stacked quantum dots in a pin‐diode structure. The QDMs are deterministically integrated into a photonic structure with a circular Bragg grating using in situ electron beam lithography. A photon extraction efficiency of up to (24 ± 4)% is measured in good agreement with numerical simulations. The coupling character of the QDMs is clearly demonstrated by bias voltage dependent spectroscopy that also controls the orbital couplings of the QDMs and their charge state in quantitative agreement with theory. The QDM devices show excellent single‐photon emission properties with a multi‐photon suppression of . These metrics make the developed QDM devices attractive building blocks for use in future photonic quantum networks using advanced nanophotonic hardware.