Highly Directional Room-Temperature Single Photon Device

Suppressed Magnitude of Spectral Diffusion in Cube-Shaped CdSe/CdS Core/Shell Nanocrystals with Exceedingly Stable Photoluminescence

Colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals are promising candidates for quantum light sources, yet their application has been impeded by photoluminescence instability due to blinking and spectral diffusion. This study introduces a new category of cube-shaped CdSe/CdS core/shell nanocrystals with exceptionally stable photoluminescence characteristics. Under continuous excitation, the emissive quantum state remained consistent without alterations of the charge state for 4000 s, and the average photon energy variation stayed within the bounds of spectral resolution throughout this extended duration. Systematic examination of single-nanocrystal photoluminescence, upon variation of the core and shell dimensions, revealed that a thicker CdS shell and increased core edge length significantly curtail spectral diffusion, considering that the nanocrystals possess well-controlled CdSe-CdS and facet-ligand interfaces. This study advances the optimization of colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals as high-performance quantum light sources.

Room-Temperature Fiber-Coupled Single-Photon Sources based on Colloidal Quantum Dots and SiV Centers in Back-Excited Nanoantennas

We demonstrate an important step toward on-chip integration of single-photon sources at room temperature. Excellent photon directionality is achieved with a hybrid metal-dielectric bullseye antenna, while back-excitation is permitted by placement of the emitter in a subwavelength hole positioned at its center. The unique design enables a direct back-excitation and very efficient front coupling of emission either to a low numerical aperture (NA) optics or directly to an optical fiber. To show the versatility of the concept, we fabricate devices containing either a colloidal quantum dot or a nanodiamond containing silicon-vacancy centers, which are accurately positioned using two different nanopositioning methods. Both of these back-excited devices display front collection efficiencies of ∼70% at NAs as low as 0.5. The combination of back-excitation with forward directionality enables direct coupling of the emitted photons into a proximal optical fiber without any coupling optics, thereby facilitating and simplifying future integration.

Room-Temperature Single-Photon Sources Based on Colloidal Quantum Dots: A Review

Single-photon sources (SPSs) play a crucial role in quantum photonics, and colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) have emerged as promising and cost-effective candidates for such applications due to their high-purity single-photon emission at room temperature. This review focuses on various aspects of CQDs as SPSs. Firstly, a brief overview of the fundamental optical properties of CQDs is provided, including emission wavelength engineering and fluorescence intermittency, and their single-photon emission properties. Subsequently, this review delves into research concerning CQDs as SPSs, covering topics such as the coupling of single CQDs to microcavities, both in weak and strong coupling regimes. Additionally, methods for localizing and positioning CQDs are explored, which are critical for on-chip SPSs devices.

In Situ Sintering of CdSe/CdS Nanocrystals under Electron Beam Irradiation

Colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals have attracted widespread attention due to their tremendous electrical and optical properties. Nanoparticles exhibit a strong tendency to aggregate and sinter in a short period of time during processing or use due to their large surface area-to-volume ratio, which may lead to significant changes in their required performance. Therefore, it is of great significance to conduct in-depth research on the sintering process and mechanism of nanoparticles to maintain their stability. Here, the sintering process of CdSe/CdS core/shell nanocrystals under continuous electron beam irradiation was studied using in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In the early stages of sintering, CdSe/CdS nanocrystals approached each other at a distance of approximately 1-2 nm. As the exposure time to the electron beam increased, the movement of surface atoms on the nanocrystals led to contact between them. Subsequently, the atoms on the contact surfaces underwent rapid motion, resulting in the rapid formation of the neck between the particles. The neck formation between adjacent particles provides strong evidence of a sintering mechanism dominated by surface atom diffusion rather than Ostwald ripening. Further research in this area could lead to the development of improved methods to prevent sintering and enhance the stability of nanocrystals, ultimately contributing to the advancement of nanomaterial-based devices and materials with long-lasting performance.

Multichannel Quantum Emission with On-Chip Emitter-Coupled Holographic Metasurfaces

Multichannel quantum emission is in high demand for advanced quantum photonic applications such as quantum communications, quantum computing, and quantum cryptography. However, to date, the most common way for shaping photon emission from quantum emitters (QEs) is to utilize free-standing (external) bulky optical components. Here, we develop the multichannel holography approach for flexibly designing on-chip QE-coupled metasurfaces that make use of nonradiatively QE-excited surface plasmon polaritons for generating far-field quantum emission, which propagates in designed directions carrying specific spin and orbital angular momenta (SAM and OAM, respectively). We further design, fabricate, and characterize on-chip quantum light sources of multichannel quantum emission encoded with different SAMs and OAMs. The holography-based inverse design approach developed and demonstrated on-chip quantum light sources with multiple degrees of freedoms, thereby enabling a powerful platform for quantum nanophotonics, especially relevant for advanced quantum photonic applications, e.g., high-dimensional quantum information processing.

Multimode hybrid gold-silicon nanoantennas for tailored nanoscale optical confinement

High-index dielectric nanoantennas, which provide an interplay between electric and magnetic modes, have been widely used as building blocks for a variety of devices and metasurfaces, both in linear and nonlinear regimes. Here, we investigate hybrid metal-semiconductor nanoantennas, consisting of a multimode silicon nanopillar core coated with a gold layer, that offer an enhanced degree of control over the mode selection and confinement, and emission of light on the nanoscale exploiting high-order electric and magnetic resonances. Cathodoluminescence spectra revealed a multitude of resonant modes supported by the nanoantennas due to hybridization of the Mie resonances of the core and the plasmonic resonances of the shell. Eigenmode analysis revealed the modes that exhibit enhanced field localization at the gold interface, together with high confinement within the nanopillar volume. Consequently, this architecture provides a flexible means of engineering nanoscale components with tailored optical modes and field confinement for a plethora of applications, including sensing, hot-electron photodetection and nanophotonics with cylindrical vector beams.

Overcoming the Rate-Directionality Trade-off: A Room-Temperature Ultrabright Quantum Light Source

Deterministic GHz-rate single photon sources at room temperature would be essential components for various quantum applications. However, both the slow intrinsic decay rate and the omnidirectional emission of typical quantum emitters are two obstacles toward achieving such a goal which are hard to overcome simultaneously. Here, we solve this challenge by a hybrid approach using a complex monolithic photonic resonator constructed of a gold nanocone responsible for the rate enhancement, enclosed by a circular Bragg antenna for emission directionality. A repeatable process accurately binds quantum dots to the tip of the antenna-embedded nanocone. As a result, we achieve simultaneous 20-fold emission rate enhancement and record-high directionality leading to an increase in the observed brightness by a factor as large as 800 (130) into an NA = 0.22(0.5). We project that these miniaturized on-chip devices can reach photon rates approaching 1.4 × 10⁸ photons/s and pure single photon rates of >10⁷ photons/second after temporal purification processes, thus enabling ultrafast light-matter interfaces for quantum technologies at ambient conditions.

Manipulation of quantum dot emission with semiconductor metasurfaces exhibiting magnetic quadrupole resonances

Optical metasurfaces were suggested as a route for engineering advanced light sources with tailored emission properties. In particular, they provide a control over the emission directionality, which is essential for single-photon sources and LED applications. Here, we experimentally study light emission from a metasurface composed of III-V semiconductor Mie-resonant nanocylinders with integrated quantum dots (QDs). Specifically, we focus on the manipulation of the directionality of spontaneous emission from the QDs due to excitation of different magnetic quadrupole resonances in the nanocylinders. To this end, we perform both back focal plane imaging and momentum-resolved spectroscopy measurements of the emission. This allows for a comprehensive analysis of the effect of the different resonant nanocylinder modes on the emission characteristics of the metasurface. Our results show that the emission directionality can be manipulated by an interplay of the excited quadrupolar nanocylinder modes with the metasurface lattice modes and provide important insights for the design of novel smart light sources and new display concepts.

Selectively accessing the hotspots of optical nanoantennas by self-aligned dry laser ablation

Plasmonic nanostructures serve as optical antennas for concentrating the energy of incoming light in localized hotspots close to their surface. By positioning nanoemitters in the antenna hotspots, energy transfer is enabled, leading to novel hybrid antenna-emitter-systems, where the antenna can be used to manipulate the optical properties of the nano-objects. The challenge remains how to precisely position emitters within the hotspots. We report a self-aligned process based on dry laser ablation of a calixarene that enables the attachment of molecules within the electromagnetic hotspots at the tips of gold nanocones. Within the laser focus, the ablation threshold is exceeded in nanoscale volumes, leading to selective access of the hotspot areas. A first indication of the site-selective functionalization process is given by attaching fluorescently labelled proteins to the nanocones. In a second example, Raman-active molecules are selectively attached only to nanocones that were previously exposed in the laser focus, which is verified by surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy. Enabling selective functionalization is an important prerequisite e.g. for preparing single photon sources for quantum optical technologies, or multiplexed Raman sensing platforms.

On-demand spin-state manipulation of single-photon emission from quantum dot integrated with metasurface

The semiconductor quantum dot (QD) has been successfully demonstrated as a potentially scalable and on-chip integration technology to generate the triggered photon streams that have many important applications in quantum information science. However, the randomicity of these photon streams emitted from the QD seriously compromises its use and especially hinders the on-demand manipulation of the spin states. Here, by accurately integrating a QD and its mirror image onto the two foci of a bifocal metalens, we demonstrate the on-demand generation and separation of the spin states of the emitted single photons. The photon streams with different spin states emitted from the QD can be flexibly manipulated to propagate along arbitrarily designed directions with high collimation of the smallest measured beaming divergence angle of 3.17°. Our work presents an effectively integrated quantum method for the simultaneously on-demand manipulation of the polarization, propagation, and collimation of the emitted photon streams.

Superior properties in room-temperature colloidal-dot quantum emitters revealed by ultralow-dark-count detections of temporally-purified single photons

The realization of high-quality quantum emitters that can operate at room temperature is important for accelerating the application of quantum technologies, such as quantum communication, quantum information processing, and quantum metrology. In this work, we study the photon-antibunching properties on room-temperature emission from individual colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) using superconducting-nanowire single-photon detectors and temporal filtering of the photoluminescence decay curve. We find that high single-photon purities and high photon-generation rates can be simultaneously achieved by removing the signals originating from the sequential two-photon emission of biexcitons created by multiple excitation pulses. We successfully demonstrate that the ultrahigh performance of the room-temperature single-photon sources showing g⁽²⁾(0) ≪ 10⁻² can be confirmed by the ultralow-dark-count detection of the temporally purified single photons. These findings provide strong evidence for the attractiveness of CQDs as candidates for high-quality room-temperature quantum light sources.

Metal-Dielectric Parabolic Antenna for Directing Single Photons

Quantum emitters radiate light omni-directionally, making it hard to collect and use the generated photons. Here, we propose a three-dimensional metal-dielectric parabolic antenna surrounding an individual quantum dot as a source of collimated single photons, which can then be easily extracted and manipulated. Our fabrication method relies on a single optically induced polymerization step once the selected emitter has been localized by confocal microscopy. Compared to conventional nanoantennas, our geometry does not require near-field coupling, and it is, therefore, very robust against misalignment issues and minimally affected by absorption in the metal. The parabolic antenna provides one of the largest reported experimental directivities ( D = 106) and the lowest beam divergences (Θ_1/2 = 13.5°) and a broadband operation over all of the visible and near-infrared range together with extraction efficiency of more than 96%, offering a practical advantage for quantum technological applications.

Polarization Multiplexing of Fluorescent Emission Using Multiresonant Plasmonic Antennas

Combining the ability to localize electromagnetic fields at the nanoscale with a directional response, plasmonic antennas offer an effective strategy to shape the far-field pattern of coupled emitters. Here, we introduce a family of directional multiresonant antennas that allows for polarization-resolved spectral identification of fluorescent emission. The geometry consists of a central aperture surrounded by concentric polygonal corrugations. By varying the periodicity of each axis of the polygon individually, this structure can support multiple resonances that provide independent control over emission directionality for multiple wavelengths. Moreover, since each resonant wavelength is directly mapped to a specific polarization orientation, spectral information can be encoded in the polarization state of the out-scattered beam. To demonstrate the potential of such structures in enabling simplified detection schemes and additional functionalities in sensing and imaging applications, we use the central subwavelength aperture as a built-in nanocuvette and manipulate the fluorescent response of colloidal-quantum-dot emitters coupled to the multiresonant antenna.

Deciphering Charging Status, Absolute Quantum Efficiency, and Absorption Cross Section of Multicarrier States in Single Colloidal Quantum Dots

Upon photo- or electrical-excitation, colloidal quantum dots (QDs) are often found in multicarrier states due to multiphoton absorption, photocharging, or imbalanced carrier injection of the QDs. While many of these multicarrier states are observed in single-dot spectroscopy, their properties are not well studied due to random charging/discharging, emission intensity intermittency, and uncontrolled surface defects of single QDs. Here we report in situ deciphering of the charging status, precisely assessing the absorption cross section, and determining the absolute emission quantum yield of monoexciton and biexciton states for neutral, positively charged, and negatively charged single core/shell CdSe/CdS QDs. We uncover very different photon statistics of the three charge states in single QDs and unambiguously identify their charge signs together with the information on their photoluminescence decay dynamics. We then show their distinct photoluminescence saturation behaviors and evaluate the absolute values of absorption cross sections and quantum efficiencies of monoexcitons and biexcitons. We demonstrate that the addition of an extra hole or electron in a QD not only changes its emission properties but also varies its absorption cross section.

Bright off-axis directional emission with plasmonic corrugations

In this work, a new plasmonic bulls-eye structure is introduced to efficiently harvest the emitted light from diamond nitrogen vacancy (NV) centers. We show that the presence of a simple metal sub-layer underneath of a conventional bulls-eye antenna, separated by a dielectric layer, results in the spontaneous emission enhancement and increment in out-coupled light intensity. High Purcell factor is accessible in such a structure, which consequently boosts efficiency of the radiated light intensity from the structure. The structure shows considerable enhancement in far-field intensity, about three times higher than that of a one-side corrugated (conventional) optimized structure. In addition, we study for the first time asymmetric structures to steer emitted beams in two-axis. Our results show that spatial off-axial steering over a cone is approachable by introducing optimal asymmetries to grooves and ridges of the structure. The steered light retains a level of intensity even higher than conventional symmetric structures. A high value of directivity of 16 for off-axis steering is reported.