Single-Photon Generation in the 1.55-µm Optical-Fiber Band from an InAs/InP Quantum Dot

Abstract

We first succeeded in generating single-photon pulses in the C-band (1.55-µm band: the highest transmittance in optical telecommunication bands) from a single InAs/InP quantum dot. The quantum dot with 1546.1-nm exciton emission was prepared by controlling the growth conditions. A well-designed mesa structure presented efficient injection of the emitted photons into a single-mode optical fiber. A Hanbury-Brown and Twiss measurement has proved that the photons through the fiber were single photons. We also performed to transmit single-photon pulses through 30-km optical fiber. This preliminary trial is a milestone toward quantum telecommunication using ideal single photons.