title: Efficient source of single photons: a single quantum dot in a micropost microcavity.
abstract: We have demonstrated efficient production of triggered single photons by coupling a single semiconductor quantum dot to a three-dimensionally confined optical mode in a micropost microcavity. The efficiency of emitting single photons into a single-mode traveling wave is approximately 38%, which is nearly 2 orders of magnitude higher than for a quantum dot in bulk semiconductor material. At the same time, the probability of having more than one photon in a given pulse is reduced by a factor of 7 as compared to light with Poissonian photon statistics.
authors.affiliation: Quantum Entanglement Project, ICORP, JST, E. L. Ginzton Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA. pelton@imit.kth.se
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pelton
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Santori
authors.forename: Jelena
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vucković
authors.forename: Bingyang
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Glenn S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Solomon
authors.forename: Jocelyn
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Plant
authors.forename: Yoshihisa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamamoto