Integrated nanoplasmonic quantum interfaces for room temperature single photon sources

Abstract

We describe a general analytical framework of a nanoplasmonic cavity-emitter system interacting with a dielectric photonic waveguide. Taking into account emitter quenching and dephasing, our model directly reveals the single photon extraction efficiency, $η$, as well as the indistinguishability, $I$, of photons coupled into the waveguide mode. Rather than minimizing the cavity modal volume, our analysis predicts an optimum modal volume to maximize $η$ that balances waveguide coupling and spontaneous emission rate enhancement. Surprisingly, our model predicts that near-unity indistinguishability is possible, but this requires a much smaller modal volume, implying a fundamental performance trade-off between high $η$ and $I$ at room temperature. Finally, we show that maximizing $ηI$ requires that the system has to be driven in the weak coupling regime because quenching effects and decreased waveguide coupling drastically reduce $η$ in the strong coupling regime.