Abstract
In the context of quantum technologies, the generation and manipulation of single photons has become a key element for applications such as quantum communication and quantum computing, as well as quantum metrology, biology and experiments probing the foundations of quantum physics discussed in an accompanying review. Here, we overview the definition and characterization of single-photon sources and discuss the requirements of single-photon sources for quantum communication and computing. We review the main milestones reached so far and discuss the remaining challenges.
Key points
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Single photons are key elements for quantum communication. They can be used to implement quantum key distribution and to link quantum networks.
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Quantum communication requires single photons in the telecommunication wavelength range, which remains technically challenging.
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Quantum computing with single photons is a viable platform for future quantum computers. The requirements on the quality and the quantity of single photons are very high; this being a major limitation for the implementation of linear-optical quantum computing.
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Research is still needed to develop compact sources producing single photons that are on-demand, indistinguishable and with the highest emission rate possible.
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Acknowledgements
C.C. and T.D. thank the COST Action MP1403 ‘Nanoscale Quantum Optics’, supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology). C.C. thanks the Graduate School NANO-PHOT ANR project. R.P. was supported by the European Molecular Biology Laboratory. G.W. acknowledges support by the Austrian Science Fund FWF, project F7114 (SFB BeyondC).
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Couteau, C., Barz, S., Durt, T. et al. Applications of single photons to quantum communication and computing. Nat Rev Phys 5, 326–338 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s42254-023-00583-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s42254-023-00583-2
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