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Report

Teaser, summary, work performed and final results

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - WASPSNEST (Wavelength tunable Advanced Single Photon Sources Non-laboratory Environment Specification and Testing)

Teaser

Summary

The project aimed to move towards commercialisation a robust triggered single photon source. This device is an important enabling component in the toolbox of quantum photonics with applications in secure telecommunications, sensing and metrology. The overall objectives were to
1) Develop a protocol for device assembly that is compatible with commercial manufacturing
2) Explore improved device specifications be investigation of novel materials
3) Carry out lifetime testing of the device
4) Field test the device in a free-space quantum key distribution system
5) Advance plans towards commercialisation of the device

Work performed

This was a short (12 month) project which was substantively hindered by a delay in hiring a postdoctoral researcher. From the beginning of thee project work was carried out by a PhD student and an undergraduate project student both of whom were funded from other sources. Work focused on improved device specifications and lifetime testing, and some positive results were obtained in those investigations. Firstly, the use of a novel single photon emitting material led to an increase in the brightness of the device by about a factor of six, while lifetime testing identified a key deterioration mechanism for the device afer prolonged use and found a way to mitigate this mechanism such that the device would operate continuously for 1000 hours.

Work on the module alignment protocol was commenced in the final 3 months of the project and further work is required to complete this task. Field testing and advancing commercial arrangements require the module alignment task to be complete so we have not yet been in a position to commence those tasks.

Final results

WASPSNEST seeks to develop a commercial triggered single photon source that operates at ambient temperature thus providing substantial advantage over the state of the art in terms of cost and size that will enable use in non-laboratory environments. The project has made progress towards this goal with exploration of new materials and with an important advance in the understanding and demonstration of the robustness of these devices with accelerated lifeetime testing. Ongoing objectives are to complete a prototype device and realise manufacturing protocols for the device that are compatible with commercialisation.
Socio-economic impact of the WASPSNEST device will be to reinforce and accelerate the emerging commercial sector of quantum information and add to commercial activity in photonics which is already a significant sector of the European economy. Wider societal implications of single photon source devices will be in secure communications, for example online transactions in banking, and sensing such as is used in environmental and biomedical science.