title: Bidirectional multiplexing of heralded single photons from a silicon chip.
abstract: We demonstrate integrated spatial multiplexing of heralded single photons generated from a single 96 μm long silicon photonic crystal waveguide in a bidirectional pump configuration. By using a low-loss fiber-coupled opto-ceramic switch, the multiplexing technique enhances the brightness of the single photon source by 51.2±4.0% while maintaining the coincidence-to-accidental ratio. Compared with the demonstration of multiplexing two individual sources, the bidirectional pump scheme represents a twofold reduction in the footprint of nonlinear devices for future large-scale integration of on-chip single photon sources. The 51.2±4.0% gain will make any quantum operation requiring n photons 1.5(n) times faster.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.forename: T D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Vo
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: T F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Krauss
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Steel
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Eggleton