Researchers at the University of Basel and Ruhr-Universität Bochum have realized Quantum Dots (QD) that emit light close to the red part of the spectrum with ultra-low background noise.
Quantum dots might one day constitute the basis for quantum computers as photons would then serve as information carriers.
Quantum dots with adequate optical properties had previously only been obtained for photons with wavelengths in the near-infrared range. The researchers have now succeeded in creating low-noise states at wavelengths between 700 and 800 nanometers (close to the visible red rang) which would, for example, enable coupling to other photonic systems.
In the next step, the researchers are planning to combine the newly developed quantum dots with a rubidium quantum memory device. Such hybrid structures would be a first step towards practical applications in future quantum communication network. (Phys.org)
The work has been published in the journal Nature Communications.