Organic emitters embedded in functional nanophotonic circuits

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Wolfram Hans Peter Pernice
• Subject Area: Physical Chemistry of Molecules, Liquids and Interfaces, Biophysical Chemistry
• Term: from 2016 to 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 332724366

• Final Report Year: 2021

Final Report Abstract

In this project, we developed a suite of nanophotonic devices which enable hybrid integration with organic light emitters. Near-field coupling to waveguide devices made from silicon nitride allows for high extraction efficiency from molecular emitters. The efficiency can be further improved using cavity devices with small mode volumes. We have designed several cavity geometries which provide beta-factors above 80% and allow for pump-light suppression in integrated form. The numerical predictions have been investigated experimentally in fabricated devices. For optical readout we have devised both grating-based coupling approaches which support the contact-free investigation of many devices on chip. In addition, we have used 3D devices in order to achieve broadband and efficient optical access to waveguide-integrated cavities. The coupling efficiency has been assessed using DBT molecules embedded in anthracene nanocrystals. Such organic systems can be deposited on dedicated locations on chip using microinfiltration or location-specific deposition. In collaboration with research partners at LENS and ICFO we have successfully measured coupling of light from optically excited molecular emitters in the visible spectral range. Both classical light emission and single photon emission have been characterized in integrated devices. The top-down fabrication approach developed in the project enables the realization of many functional devices in parallel for further applications both in classical and non-classical integrated optical circuits.

Publications

• “Photostable Molecules on Chip: Integrated Sources of Nonclassical Light”, ACS Photonics (2017)
  P. Lombard, A. Ovvyan, S. Pazzagli, G. Mazzamuto, G. Kewes, O. Neitzke, N. Gruhler, O. Benson, W.H.P. Pernice, F.S. Cataliotti and C.Toninelli
  
• “Nanophotonic circuits for single photon emitters”, PhD Thesis, Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT), 2018
  A. Ovvyan
  
• “Near-Field Coupling in Hybrid Integrated Photonic Circuits”, PhD Thesis, University of Münster, 2018
  N. Gruhler
  
• “Efficient Coupling of an Ensemble of Nitrogen Vacancy Center to the Mode of a High-Q, Si3N4 Photonic Crystal Cavity”, ACS Nano 13, 6891 (2019)
  K.G. Fehler, A.P. Ovvyan, N. Gruhler, W.H.P. Pernice, and A. Kubanek
  
• “Narrow Line Width Quantum Emitters in an Electron-Beam-Shaped Polymer”, ACS Photonics 6, 3120 (2019)
  C. Ciancico, K.G. Schädler, S. Pazzagli, M. Colautti, P. Lombardi, J. Osmond. C. Dore, A. Mihi, A.P. Ovvyan, W.H.P. Pernice, E. Berretti, A. Lavacchi, C. Toninelli, F.H.L. Koppens, A.Reserbat-Plantey
  
• “Purcell-enhanced emission from individual SiV− center in nanodiamonds coupled to a Si3N4-based, photonic crystal cavity”, Nanophotonics 9, 3655 (2020)
  K.G. Fehler, A.P. Ovvyan, L. Antoniuk, N. Lettner, N. Gruhler, V.A. Davydov, V.N. Agafonov, W.H.P. Pernice and A. Kubanek