The on-chip integration of quantum
light sources and nonlinear elements constitutes a major step toward
scalable photon-based quantum information processing and communication.
In this work we demonstrate the potential of a hybrid technology that
combines organic-molecule-based quantum emitters and dielectric chips
consisting of ridge waveguides and grating far-field couplers. In
particular, dibenzoterrylene molecules in thin anthracene crystals
are used as single-photon sources, exhibiting long-term photostability,
easy fabrication methods, almost unitary quantum yield, and lifetime-limited
emission at cryogenic temperatures. We couple such single emitters
to silicon nitride ridge waveguides, showing a coupling efficiency
of up to 42 ± 2% over both propagation directions. Our results
open a novel path toward a fully integrated and scalable photon-processing
platform.
Integrated nanophotonics is an emerging field with high potential for quantum technology applications such as quantum sensing or quantum networks. A desired photonics platform is Si 3 N 4 due to lowphoton loss and well-established fabrication techniques. However, quantum optics applications are not yet established. Here, we investigate an approach toward Si 3 N 4 -based quantum photonics utilizing a crossed waveguide, pump−probe design. The platform enables efficient, on-chip excitation, strong background suppression, and at the same time, efficient coupling to the mode of a high-Q photonic crystal cavity. The freestanding photonic crystal cavities reach high Q-factors up to 47 × 10 3 . To test our platform, we positioned an ensemble of negatively charged nitrogen vacancy centers located in a nanodiamond within the interaction zone of the photonic crystal cavity. We quantify the efficiency of the coupling with the β λ -factor reaching values as large as 0.71. We further demonstrate on-chip excitation of the quantum emitter with strong suppression (∼20 dB) of the background fluorescence. Our results unfold the potential to utilize negatively charged nitrogen vacancy centers in nanodiamonds and Si 3 N 4 platforms as an efficient, on-chip spin-photon interface in quantum photonics experiments.
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