Bright solid-state sources for single photons with orbital angular momentum

Single photons with high orbital angular momenta can act as higher order flying qubits, but efficient generation is scarce. The integration of a single quantum dot emitter into an on-chip mircoring resonator enables the generation of single photons in an orbital angular momentum superposition state. Photons that have a helical phase front, that is, twisted photons, can carry a discrete, in principle, unlimited, but quantized amount of orbital angular momentum (OAM). Hence, twisted single photons constitute a high-dimensional quantum system with information-processing abilities beyond those of two-level single-photon qubits. To date, the generation of single photons carrying OAM has relied on a non-linear process in bulk crystals, for example, spontaneous parametric down-conversion, which limits both the efficiency and the scalability of the source. Here, we present a bright solid-state source of single photons in an OAM superposition state with a single-photon purity of g((2))(0) = 0.115(1) and a collection efficiency of 23(4)%. The mode purity of the single-photon OAM states is further examined via projection measurements. Future developments of integrated quantum photonic devices with pure OAM states as an additional degree of freedom may enable high-dimensional quantum information processing.

Automated summary

This study introduces a bright solid-state source capable of generating single photons in an OAM superposition state. The source exhibits high single-photon purity and collection efficiency, serving as the foundation for high-dimensional quantum information processing systems.