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

Journal Article · · IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics

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; TRN: US0401219
Journal Information:
IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics, Vol. 9, Issue 6; Other Information: Submitted to IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics: Volume 9, No.6; PBD: 31 Dec 2003
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English