Nanowires as a single photon source for quantum photonic integrated circuits

Single photons and quantum interference between indistinguishable pairs of photons are promising resources in the ongoing development of quantum information technologies. On-demand generation of such photons on a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) is desirable as it can allow for stable operation and device scalability alongside other requisite components. Solid-state two-level emitters—in particular, epitaxial semiconductor quantum dots—have demonstrated to be a good source of single photons, though efficient integration onto PICs remains a challenge. Hybrid integration of such dots into on-chip photonic circuitry can provide a basis for testing practical implementations of quantum communication devices. In this talk, I will discuss NRC's InP-based nanowire quantum dots and our work integrating these onto silicon nitride integrated photonics. The cryogenic environment poses challenges in the operation of key components such as optical phase shifters, tunable filters, and on-chip detectors. With this in mind, I will review our progress and near-term plans for realizing on-chip quantum information processing. Also examined is our recent work developing nanowire sources that emit in telecom O or C bands—a key requirement for practical long distance quantum communications—and coherent control schemes for optical pumping.