High-quality quantum sources are of paramount importance for the implementation of quantum technologies. We present here a heralded single-photon source based on commercial-grade polarization-maintaining optical fiber. The heralded photons exhibit a purity of at least 0.84 and an unprecedented heralding efficiency into single-mode fiber of 85%. The birefringent phase-matching condition of the underlying four-wave mixing process can be controlled mechanically to optimize the wavelength tuning needed for interfacing multiple sources, as are required for large-scale entanglement generation.
@article{arxiv.1012.1821,
title = {High-performance single-photon generation with commercial-grade optical fiber},
author = {Christoph Söller and Offir Cohen and Brian J. Smith and Ian A. Walmsley and Christine Silberhorn},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1012.1821},
year = {2012}
}