Kazuya Takemoto

Single-Photon Generation in the 1.55-µm Optical-Fiber Band from an InAs/InP Quantum Dot

We first succeeded in generating single-photon pulses in the C-band (1.55-µm band: the highest transmittance in optical telecommunication bands) from a single InAs/InP quantum dot. The quantum dot with 1546.1-nm exciton emission was prepared by controlling the growth conditions. A well-designed mesa structure presented efficient injection of the emitted photons into a single-mode optical fiber. A Hanbury-Brown and Twiss measurement has proved that the photons through the fiber were single photons. We also performed to transmit single-photon pulses through 30-km optical fiber. This preliminary trial is a milestone toward quantum telecommunication using ideal single photons.

Site-controlled photoluminescence at telecommunication wavelength from InAs∕InP quantum dots

We fabricated ordered InAs∕InP quantum-dot (QD) arrays using atomic-force-microscopic oxidation, wet etching, and regrowth by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. The QDs exhibit single-dot photoluminescence peaking at wavelengths ranging from 1.22 to 1.45μm, mostly matching the telecommunication band of optical fibers. The site dependence of single peaks indicates the site controllability of single-dot light emitters, which might be useful in quantum information processing.

An optical horn structure for single-photon source using quantum dots at telecommunication wavelengtha)

We succeeded in efficiently generating single-photon pulses from an InAs/InP quantum dot at a wavelength of 1.5 μm. Our optical structure, named a single photon horn, can propagate over 95% photon pulses in InP substrate. We extracted the photon pulses through an anti-reflection coating on a substrate, and then we injected them into an objective lens. Total extraction efficiency from the quantum dot to the lens reached ∼11%, which was estimated using a photon correlation measurement. Furthermore we directly observed the single-photon pulse width ∼1.6 ns as an exciton lifetime in the quantum dot, which opens up the possibility of operating the single photon horn over 100 MHz.

Quantum key distribution over 120 km using ultrahigh purity single-photon source and superconducting single-photon detectors

Advances in single-photon sources (SPSs) and single-photon detectors (SPDs) promise unique applications in the field of quantum information technology. In this paper, we report long-distance quantum key distribution (QKD) by using state-of-the-art devices: a quantum-dot SPS (QD SPS) emitting a photon in the telecom band of 1.5 μm and a superconducting nanowire SPD (SNSPD). At the distance of 100 km, we obtained the maximal secure key rate of 27.6 bps without using decoy states, which is at least threefold larger than the rate obtained in the previously reported 50-km-long QKD experiment. We also succeeded in transmitting secure keys at the rate of 0.307 bps over 120 km. This is the longest QKD distance yet reported by using known true SPSs. The ultralow multiphoton emissions of our SPS and ultralow dark count of the SNSPD contributed to this result. The experimental results demonstrate the potential applicability of QD SPSs to practical telecom QKD networks.

Transmission Experiment of Quantum Keys over 50 km Using High-Performance Quantum-Dot Single-Photon Source at 1.5 µm Wavelength

We have developed a high-performance single-photon source (SPS) operating at 1.5 µm wavelength. The source is an InAs/InP quantum dot with a horn-shaped nanostructure. A resonant excitation to the p-shell state helps achieve a single-photon efficiency of 5.8% after coupling into a single-mode fiber with a second-order correlation value of g(2)(0)~0.055. The performance of the source has been assessed by integrating it into a conventional quantum key distribution system. We have successfully transmitted secure keys over a 50 km commercial fiber, exceeding the previously reported range for an SPS operating below 1.3 µm.

First Demonstration of Electrically Driven 1.55 µm Single-Photon Generator

We succeeded in demonstrating single-photon generation from a single InAs quantum dot (QD) at a 1.55 µm band by current injection. A p–i–n light-emitting diode (LED), which includes a quantum dot layer, was grown on an n-InP substrate and fabricated into a nano scaled mesa structure with electrodes. Electrical pulses of 80 ps width were injected in order to generate excitons in quantum dots. We directly determined the electroluminescence (EL) and radiative lifetime of a single exciton to be 1.59 ns. Hanbury-Brown and Twiss (HBT)-type photon correlation measurements proved the antibunching behavior of exciton recombination in a current-injected quantum dot at a wavelength of 1551.2 nm. These measurements demonstrate that our QD LEDs are sources of triggered single photons in the C-band by current injection.

Exciton dynamics in current-injected single quantum dot at 1.55μm

We investigate the exciton dynamics in a current-injected single InAs quantum dot (QD) which emits 1.55μm photons. Photon antibunching behavior is observed using a single electroluminescence line of a single QD. The radiative lifetime of this line determined by time-resolved measurement is 1.59ns. The single exciton recombination time agrees with the lifetime calculated with an eight-band kp model. We examine a high drive rate operation of the device by changing the delay time between two electrical pulses. These results demonstrate that our device has the potential to achieve telecommunication band subgigahertz single-photon emission with electrical pulses.

Single-photon emission at 1.5 μm from an InAs/InP quantum dot with highly suppressed multi-photon emission probabilities

We have demonstrated highly pure single-photon emissions from an InAs/InP quantum dot at the wavelength of 1.5 μm. By applying quasi-resonant excitation, one exciton is deterministically generated in an excited state, which then relaxes to the exciton ground state before recombining to emit a single photon. The photon-correlation function of the emission from the exciton ground state exhibits a record g(2)(0) value of (4.4 ± 0.2) × 10−4 measured using high-performance super-conducting single-photon detectors, without any background subtraction. This single-photon source with extremely low multi-photon emission probability paves the way to realize long distance quantum key distribution and low error-rate quantum computation.

Development of Electrically Driven Single-Quantum-Dot Device at Optical Fiber Bands

We succeeded in observing the electroluminescence and Stark shift of a single InAs/GaAs quantum dot in the O-band (O-band is a 1.3 µm band which has the lowest dispersion characteristics in optical fiber bands). In order to access a single quantum dot, we fabricated a p–i–n diode containing one quantum dot layer with a small ohmic contact area. The electroluminescence of a single exciton (λ=1321.6 nm) and biexciton (λ=1322.3 nm) were clearly observed at the center of the O-band at 7 K. This result is the longest wavelength attained up to now. The Stark shift of single quantum dots was also observed at around 1.32 µm at 7 K. These results are promising for the realization of electrically driven single-photon emitters at optical fiber bands.

Radial InP/InAsP/InP heterostructure nanowires on patterned Si substrates using self-catalyzed growth for vertical-type optical devices

Radial InP/InAsP/InP heterostructure nanowires (NWs) on SiO2-mask-pattered Si substrates were reported using self-catalyzed InP NWs. Self-catalyzed growth was performed using low growth temperatures and high group-III flow rates, and vertical InP NWs were formed on the mask openings. The diameter and tapering of the self-catalyzed InP NWs were controlled by the introduction of HCl and H2S gases during the NW growth, and InP NWs that have a straight region with decreased diameter were formed. Radial InP/InAsP/InP quantum wells (QWs) were grown on the sidewall of the vertical InP NWs on Si substrates. Room-temperature photoluminescence of single NWs from the QW was clearly observed, which exhibited the potential of building blocks for vertical-type optical devices on Si substrates.