title: Incoherent photon conversion in selectively infiltrated hollow-core photonic crystal fibers for single photon generation in the near infrared.
abstract: At present, there exist a number of on-demand single photon sources with high emission rates and stability even at room temperature. However, their emission wavelength is restricted to specific transitions in single quantum emitters. Single photon generation in the near infrared, possibly within the telecom band, though most urgently needed, is particularly crucial. In this paper, we suggest an experimental method to convert visible single photons from a defect center in diamond to the near infrared. The conversion relies on efficient absorption by colloidal quantum dots and subsequent Stokes-shifted emission. The desired target wavelength can be chosen almost arbitrarily by selecting quantum dots with a suitable emission spectrum. A hollow core photonic crystal fiber selectively filled with a solution of quantum dots was used to achieve at the same time a single photon absorption probability of near unity and a very high re-collection efficiency of Stokes-shifted fluorescence (theoretically estimated to be 26%). A total conversion efficiency of light of 0.1% is achieved. Experimental strategies to significantly enhance this number are presented.
authors.affiliation: China University of Petroleum, Qingdao, China. pjiang@upc.edu.cn
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schroeder
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bath
authors.forename: Vladimir
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lesnyak
authors.forename: Nikolai
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gaponik
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Eychmüller
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Benson
mesh_terms: D003102:Colloids / Q000737:chemistry; D003460:Crystallization; D004867:Equipment Design; D007834:Lasers; D008027:Light; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods; D055095:Optics and Photonics; D017785:Photons; D045663:Quantum Dots; D019265:Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D003102:Colloids