Room Temperature Single-Photon Source: Single-Dye Molecule Fluorescence in Liquid Crystal Host

Journal Article · Wed Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 2003 · IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/JSTQE.2003.820944· OSTI ID:821889

Lukishova, S G ^[1]; Schmid, A W; McNamara, A J; Boyd, R W; Stroud, Jr, C R

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1. Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY

OAK-(B204)We report on new approaches toward an implementation of an efficient, room temperature, deterministically polarized, single-photon source (SPS) on demand-a key hardware element for quantum information and quantum communication. Operation of a room temperature SPS is demonstrated via photon antibunching in the fluorescence from single terrylene-dye molecules embedded in a cholesteric liquid crystal host. Using oxygen-depleted liquid crystal hosts, dye-bleaching was avoided over the course of more than 1 h of continuous 532-nm excitation. Liquid crystal hosts (including liquid crystal oligomers/polymers) permit further increase of the efficiency of the source: (1) by aligning the dye molecules along a direction preferable for the maximum excitation efficiency; (2) by tuning a one-dimensional (1-D) photonic-band-gap microcavity of planar-aligned cholesteric (chiral nematic) liquid crystal layer to the dye fluorescence band.

• Research Organization: Laboratory for Laser Energetics (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: (US)
• DOE Contract Number: FC03-92SF19460
• OSTI ID: 821889
• Report Number(s): DOE/SF-19460-520; 1430; 2003-42
• Journal Information: IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics, Journal Name: IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 9
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
CHOLESTERIC LIQUID CRYSTALS
DYES
EFFICIENCY
ENANTIOMORPHS
EXCITATION
FLUORESCENCE
IMPLEMENTATION
LIQUID CRYSTALS
PHOTOLUMINESCENCE
PHOTONS
SINGLE-PHOTON SOURCE (SPS)
TUNING