Tobias Heindel,1
Je-Hyung Kim,2
Niels Gregersen,3
Armando Rastelli,4
and Stephan Reitzenstein1,*
1Institut für Festkörperphysik, Technische Universität Berlin, Hardenbergstraße 36, 10623 Berlin, Germany
2Department of Physics, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea
3DTU Electro, Department of Electrical and Photonics Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Østeds Plads, Building 343, DK-2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
4Institute of Semiconductor and Solid State Physics, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Altenbergerstr. 69, 4040 Linz, Austria
Tobias Heindel, Je-Hyung Kim, Niels Gregersen, Armando Rastelli, and Stephan Reitzenstein, "Quantum dots for photonic quantum information technology," Adv. Opt. Photon. 15, 613-738 (2023)
The generation, manipulation, storage, and detection of single photons play a central role in emerging photonic quantum information technology. Individual photons serve as flying qubits and transmit the relevant quantum information at high speed and with low losses, for example between individual nodes of quantum networks. Due to the laws of quantum mechanics, the associated quantum communication is fundamentally tap-proof, which explains the enormous interest in this modern information technology. On the other hand, stationary qubits or photonic states in quantum computers can potentially lead to enormous increases in performance through parallel data processing, to outperform classical computers in specific tasks when quantum advantage is achieved. In this review, we discuss in depth the great potential of semiconductor quantum dots in photonic quantum information technology. In this context, quantum dots form a key resource for the implementation of quantum communication networks and photonic quantum computers, because they can generate single photons on demand. Moreover, these solid-state quantum emitters are compatible with the mature semiconductor technology, so that they can be integrated comparatively easily into nanophotonic structures such as resonators and waveguide systems, which form the basis for quantum light sources and integrated photonic quantum circuits. After a thematic introduction, we present modern numerical methods and theoretical approaches to device design and the physical description of quantum dot devices. We then introduce modern methods and technical solutions for the epitaxial growth and for the deterministic nanoprocessing of quantum devices based on semiconductor quantum dots. Furthermore, we highlight the most promising device concepts for quantum light sources and photonic quantum circuits that include single quantum dots as active elements and discuss applications of these novel devices in photonic quantum information technology. We close with an overview of open issues and an outlook on future developments.
S. Pirandola, U. L. Andersen, L. Banchi, M. Berta, D. Bunandar, R. Colbeck, D. Englund, T. Gehring, C. Lupo, C. Ottaviani, J. L. Pereira, M. Razavi, J. Shamsul Shaari, M. Tomamichel, V. C. Usenko, G. Vallone, P. Villoresi, and P. Wallden Adv. Opt. Photon. 12(4) 1012-1236 (2020)
Zheshen Zhang, Chenglong You, Omar S. Magaña-Loaiza, Robert Fickler, Roberto de J. León-Montiel, Juan P. Torres, Travis S. Humble, Shuai Liu, Yi Xia, and Quntao Zhuang Adv. Opt. Photon. 16(1) 60-162 (2024)
No data were generated or analyzed in the presented research.
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The table indicates the relative complexity (complex.), whether the technology is marker based (MB), if spectral selection (SS) (using a spectrometer) of QDs is possible, and which type of lithography is performed (optical lithography, EBL, at cryogenic temperatures (low-T) or at room temperature (RT)). It also provides information about position accuracy (PA), alignment accuracy (AA), lithography resolution (LR), and the related references. Here, PA refers to the accuracy with which the position of a QD can be determined. AA is the accuracy with which the QD is positioned in the nanophotonic structure.
The table contains information about the SPS design, the fabrication method (deterministic nanofabrication yes/no), the alignment technique, near-field (NF) or far-field (FF) coupling, type of fiber; multi-mode fiber (MMF), single mode fiber (SMF), micro-fiber (MF), permanent coupling (yes/no), wavelength, extraction and total efficiency, and the corresponding reference. The table does not include solutions where the fiber coupling is performed outside the cryostat (using intermediate free-space optics).
Table 3.
Comparison of State-of-the-Art QLSs Based on Semiconductor QDsa
Abbreviations: $V_{\rm TPI}$, TPI visibility; $T/T_0$, modulated transmission of a weak resonant laser by a single QD (value in parentheses is a correction after deconvolution); $g^{(2)}(0)$, change in the photon statistics of a transmitted laser by a single QD (value in parentheses is a correction after deconvolution); $\beta$, QD–waveguide coupling efficiency; $g_0$, light–matter coupling strength of a QD–cavity system.
Table 5.
Implementations of Single-Photon QKD Based on the BB84 Protocol and QD Sources
Same publication as above but QKD experiment performed by a different group. Abbreviations: LED, light-emitting diode; Pol, polarization; FSO, free space optical; FC, fiber-coupled.
Table 6.
Implementations of Entanglement-Based QKD Using QD Sources
The table indicates the relative complexity (complex.), whether the technology is marker based (MB), if spectral selection (SS) (using a spectrometer) of QDs is possible, and which type of lithography is performed (optical lithography, EBL, at cryogenic temperatures (low-T) or at room temperature (RT)). It also provides information about position accuracy (PA), alignment accuracy (AA), lithography resolution (LR), and the related references. Here, PA refers to the accuracy with which the position of a QD can be determined. AA is the accuracy with which the QD is positioned in the nanophotonic structure.
The table contains information about the SPS design, the fabrication method (deterministic nanofabrication yes/no), the alignment technique, near-field (NF) or far-field (FF) coupling, type of fiber; multi-mode fiber (MMF), single mode fiber (SMF), micro-fiber (MF), permanent coupling (yes/no), wavelength, extraction and total efficiency, and the corresponding reference. The table does not include solutions where the fiber coupling is performed outside the cryostat (using intermediate free-space optics).
Table 3.
Comparison of State-of-the-Art QLSs Based on Semiconductor QDsa
Abbreviations: $V_{\rm TPI}$, TPI visibility; $T/T_0$, modulated transmission of a weak resonant laser by a single QD (value in parentheses is a correction after deconvolution); $g^{(2)}(0)$, change in the photon statistics of a transmitted laser by a single QD (value in parentheses is a correction after deconvolution); $\beta$, QD–waveguide coupling efficiency; $g_0$, light–matter coupling strength of a QD–cavity system.
Table 5.
Implementations of Single-Photon QKD Based on the BB84 Protocol and QD Sources
Same publication as above but QKD experiment performed by a different group. Abbreviations: LED, light-emitting diode; Pol, polarization; FSO, free space optical; FC, fiber-coupled.
Table 6.
Implementations of Entanglement-Based QKD Using QD Sources
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