Photostable molecules on chip: integrated single photon sources for quantum technologies

Abstract

The on-chip integration of quantum light sources and nonlinear elements poses a serious challenge to the development of a scalable photonic platform for quantum information and communication. In this work we demonstrate the potential of a novel hybrid technology which combines single organic molecules as quantum emitters and dielectric chips, consisting of ridge waveguides and grating far-field couplers. Dibenzoterrylene molecules in thin anthracene crystals exhibit long-term photostability, easy fabrication methods, almost unitary quantum yield and life-time limited emission at cryogenic temperatures. We couple such single emitters to silicon nitride ridge waveguide with a coupling efficiency of up to 42+/-2 %, considering both propagation directions. The platform is devised to support both on-chip and free-space single photon processing.