Asymmetric architecture for heralded single-photon sources

Abstract

Single photon source represent a fundamental building block for optical\nimplementations of quantum information tasks ranging from basic tests of\nquantum physics to quantum communication and high-resolution quantum\nmeasurement. In this paper we investigate the performance of a multiplexed\nsystem based on asymmetric configuration of multiple heralded single photon\nsources. {To compare the effectiveness of different designs we introduce a\nsingle-photon source performance index that is based on the value of single\nphoton probability required to achieve a guaranteed signal to noise ratio.} The\nperformance and scalability comparison with both currently existing\nmultiple-source architectures and faint laser configurations reveals an\nadvantage the proposed scheme offers in realistic scenarios. This analysis also\nprovides insights on the potential of using such architectures for integrated\nimplementation.\n