Nanoscale Mapping and Control of Antenna-Coupling Strength for Bright Single Photon Sources

TLDR

Cavity quantum electrodynamics enhances light‑matter interaction in high‑Q cavities, enabling sensing, quantum information, and energy capture, but high‑Q designs trap photons for microseconds to milliseconds. The study aims to achieve high photon output by targeting highly localized electric fields in radiatively lossy cavities. The authors use nanophotonic antennas that combine low‑Q factors with deeply localized mode volumes to attain large coupling strength when the emitter is precisely positioned. They map and tune the coupling between a dipole nanoantenna‑cavity and a single molecule, achieving a maximum coupling rate of ~200 GHz and photon output exceeding 10⁹ photons s⁻¹, demonstrating that nanoantennas acting as low‑Q cavities provide bright, ultrafast single‑photon sources for quantum technologies.

Abstract

Cavity quantum electrodynamics is the art of enhancing light-matter interaction of photon emitters in cavities with opportunities for sensing, quantum information, and energy capture technologies. To boost emitter-cavity interaction, that is, coupling strength g, ultrahigh quality cavities have been concocted yielding photon trapping times of microsecondsy to milliseconds. However, such high- Q cavities give poor photon output, hindering applications. To preserve high photon output, it is advantageous to strive for highly localized electric fields in radiatively lossy cavities. Nanophotonic antennas are ideal candidates combining low- Q factors with deeply localized mode volumes, allowing large g, provided the emitter is positioned exactly right inside the nanoscale mode volume. Here, with nanometer resolution, we map and tune the coupling strength between a dipole nanoantenna-cavity and a single molecule, obtaining a coupling rate of gmax ∼ 200 GHz. Together with accelerated single photon output, this provides ideal conditions for fast and pure nonclassical single photon emission with brightness exceeding 109 photons/sec. Clearly, nanoantennas acting as "bad" cavities offer an optimal regime for strong coupling g to deliver bright on-demand and ultrafast single photon nanosources for quantum technologies.