High performance single photon sources from photolithographically defined pillar microcavities

We demonstrate that single photons can be generated from single InAs/GaAs quantum dots in photolithographically defined pillar microcavities. Pillars with a 1.9 mum diameter cavity show a four fold enhancement in the radiative decay rate due to the Purcell effect and a photon collection efficiency into a lens of up to 10%. Measurements of the second order correlation function reveal a greater than fifty fold reduction in the multi-photon emission rate compared to a laser of the same intensity. (C) 2005 Optical Society of America.