Researchers in Basel Develop Ideal Single-Photon Source
However, quantum dots made of semiconductor materials are offering new hope. A quantum dot consists of a few hundred thousand atoms and forms by self-assembly under certain conditions in a semiconductor. Single electrons can be trapped inside a quantum dot and are confined on a nanometer scale. An individual photon is emitted when a quantum state decays.
Noise in the semiconductor
A team of scientists led by Dr. Andreas Kuhlmann and Prof. Richard J. Warburton from the University of Basel have already shown in past publications that the indistinguishability of the photons is reduced by the fluctuating nuclear spins of the quantum dot atoms. For the first time ever, the scientists have managed to control the nuclear spins to such an extent that even photons sent out widely separated in time are the same color.
Quantum cryptography and quantum communication are two potential areas of application for single-photon sources. These technologies could make it possible to perform calculations that are far beyond the capabilities of today's computers.
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