A Silicon carbide room-temperature single-photon source

Castelletto, S.*; Johnson, B.*; Ivady, V.*; Stavrias, N.*; Umeda, Takahide*; Gali, A.*; Oshima, Takeshi

The generation and detection of single photons play a central role in the experimental foundation of quantum mechanics and measurement theory. An effcient and high-quality single-photon source is thought to be necessary to realize quantum key distribution, quantum repeaters and photonic quantum information processing. We found the identication and formation of ultra-bright, room temperature, photo-stable single photon sources in silicon carbide (SiC). The single photon source consists of an intrinsic defect which is known as the carbon antisite vacancy pair, created by carefully optimized electron irradiation and annealing of ultra pure SiC. An extreme brightness (210 counts/s) resulting from polarization rules and a high quantum effciency is obtained in the bulk without resorting to the use of a cavity or plasmonic structure.