Room-temperature source of single photons based on a single molecule in a condensed matter host
US7068698B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 4, 2004 |
| Grant date | Jun 27, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 24, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01S3/094034
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A controllable single-photon source having a single illuminated molecule in a condensed phase host is provided. The single molecule is illuminated with a pulse of radiation having a wavelength such that the molecule is excited to a vibrational state higher in energy than an associated excited electronic state. The molecule rapidly, incoherently and irreversibly decays, with a lifetime Tvib, from the vibrational state to the excited electronic state by transferring the corresponding vibrational energy to the host. The excited electronic state has a lifetime T, and with high probability the single molecule makes a radiative transition from this state to emit a single photon. The pump pulse duration Tp satisfies the condition Tvib<Tp<T. Room temperature operation and spectral separation of pump and single-photon radiation are thereby provided. A semiconductor nanocrystal can be used instead of a molecule.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.