SPARK
The world’s first commercial single photon chip meets the industry leading closed-cycle optical cryostat.
The new SPARROW single-photon source is based on self-assembled InAs quantum dots coupled to a slowlight photonic-crystal waveguide made using a unique processing technology.
The proven performance of the Cryostation provides the ideal environment for the chip to operate.
Single-Photon Chip
Each end of the single-photon source structure is coupled to precisely engineered suspended nano-beam waveguides and out-coupling gratings. The increased coupling efficiency from the quantum dot to the waveguide relies on the strong suppression of radiation modes together with an enhanced coupling into the waveguide mode. This makes it very robust to spatial and spectral dispersity meaning that the quantum dots are efficiently coupled.
Cryostation® System
The Cryostation s100 provides an automated and controlled cryogenic envirnment for quantum research applications. The robust and compact tabletop design integrates into any lab, ensuring a simple and flexible setup.
The Cryo-Optic add-on provides an integrated high NA (0.75) objective for undetectable optical drift. The horizontal design simplifies experimental setup.
Applications
- Multi-photon generation
- Single-photon nonlinear optics and quantum gates
- Chiral quantum optics
- Fundamental quantum optics
- Photonic quantum networks
Features
- User friendly, commercially available single-photon source
- Reduce laboratory start-up time to experiment, no fabrication required
- Pure single-photon emission (>90%)
- Integrated Cryo-Optic® solution improves single-photon collection efficiency and chip performance
- Optimized output coupling with high NA optics
- Robust operation in wide temperature range (<15 K)
Specifications
| Sparrow Quantum Single-Photon Chip | ||
|---|---|---|
| Waveguide mode coupling efficiency (β factor) |
90-98% | |
| Single-photon purity (1-g(2)(0)) | >95% | |
| Second order coherence (g(2)(0)) | < 0.1 | |
| Single-photon coherence (Indistinguishability) |
>60% | |
| First-lens efficiency | 300 ks-1 | |
| Emission wavelength (ground state) | 910 – 950 nm | |
| Excitation wavelength | 800 – 960 nm | |
| Excitation power (single photon regime) | 1 – 4000 nW | |
| Excitation pulse length | 1 – 100 ps | |
| Operating temperature | < 15 K | |
| Decay time (typical) | 1 ns | |
| Chip Dimensions (mm) | 4 x 2 x 0.5 (w x d x h) | |
| Custom Nanophotonic Chip (no QDs) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Wavelength range | 90-98% | |
| Feature roughness | >95% | |
| Maximum structure size | < 0.1 | |
| Minimum feature size | >60% | |
| Chip dimensions (mm) | 300 ks-1 | |
Roadmap for Chip Improvement
- Improved fiber-coupling efficiency
- 8 Mhz photon rate in fiber; see Optica Vol. 4, Issue 2, pp. 178-184 (2017)
- Improved single-photon indistinguishability
- 62% visibility achieved by chip platform; see arXiv:1701.08131
Highlights
Sparrow Quantum single-photon chips are produced in a world-leading nanofab facility and feature advanced planar
AIGaAs membrane photonic technology. The chips offer a flexible platform for nanophotonic experiments.
- Highest internal efficiency, future-proof roadmap based on planar photonic technology
- Excellent device quality
- Optimized output coupling
- Wide range of customization options in chip design
- Compatible with cryo-integrated turn-key single-photon source (SPARK)
Applications
The chips have applicability well beyond single-photon
sources:
- Next-generation quantum cryptography
- Multi-photon generation
- Photonic quantum gates
- Fundamental quantum optics
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