Journal article
Engineering Nanohole-Etched Quantum Dots for Telecom-Band Single-Photon Generation
ACS nano, Vol.20(3), pp.2872-2880
01/27/2026
DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.5c17982
PMID: 41510660
Appears in UI Libraries Support Open Access
Abstract
Bright and high-purity single-photon sources at telecom wavelengths are essential for scalable quantum networks. Nanohole-etched GaSb/AlGaSb quantum dots (QDs) are an emerging platform for telecom-band emitters, offering freedom from strain-induced decoherence and indium-related nuclear spin noise of conventional InGaAs QDs. Here, we present a comprehensive optical spectroscopy study that reveals correlations between nanohole morphology, exciton recombination dynamics, and single-photon performance in GaSb QDs. Shallow nanoholes lead to ultrafast charge transfer that limits optical coherence, whereas deeper nanoholes yield clean neutral-exciton emission with a high bright-to-dark state branching ratio (98 ± 1%), indicating favorable conditions for efficient photon generation. Under pulsed quasi-resonant excitation, these QDs exhibit significantly enhanced single-photon purity with
(0) = 0.029 ± 0.011, compared to above-band excitation (
(0) = 0.18 ± 0.05). Polarization-resolved measurements across tens of QDs further reveal ultrasmall fine-structure splitting of the neutral exciton (11 ± 5 μeV), relevant for entangled-photon generation at telecom wavelengths. These results highlight the potential of GaSb QDs for high-performance quantum emitters and scalable spin-photon interfaces in the telecom band.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Engineering Nanohole-Etched Quantum Dots for Telecom-Band Single-Photon Generation
- Creators
- Ian M Masson - University of IowaAden Hageman - University of IowaCaleb Whittier - McMaster UniversityDavid Montealegre - University of IowaBhaveshkumar Kamaliya - McMaster UniversityNabil D Bassim - McMaster UniversityJohn P Prineas - University of IowaRavitej Uppu - University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- ACS nano, Vol.20(3), pp.2872-2880
- DOI
- 10.1021/acsnano.5c17982
- PMID
- 41510660
- NLM abbreviation
- ACS Nano
- ISSN
- 1936-086X
- eISSN
- 1936-086X
- Publisher
- American Chemical Society
- Grant note
- Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada: ALLRP580935-22 University of Iowa: NA Division of Electrical, Communications and Cyber Systems: 2339469
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Award No. ECCS2339469. R.U. acknowledges a seed grant from the University of Iowa's Office of the Vice President for Research through the P3 Jumpstarting Tomorrow program. N.D.B. thanks the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) for financially supporting this work under the Alliance International Catalyst Quantum grants program (ALLRP 580935 - 22). The authors acknowledge support for carrying out the focused ion beam milling (FIB) and STEM work at the Canadian Centre for Electron Microscopy (CCEM), a national facility supported by McMaster University, the Ontario Research Fund (ORF), and the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI).
- Language
- English
- Electronic publication date
- 01/09/2026
- Date published
- 01/27/2026
- Academic Unit
- Physics and Astronomy; Mechanical Engineering
- Record Identifier
- 9985116812702771
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