Nanophotonic Fabrication for Coupling to Single Organic Molecules

Dibenzoterrylene (DBT) is a polycyclic-aromatic hydrocarbon (C38H20) that displays Fourier-limited (≈40 MHz), fast (decay lifetime of 3.6 ns) and stable photon emission with an inhomogeneous distribution centered around 785 nm when hosted in a uniform anthracene crystal held at cryogenic temperature (< 4 K) [1]. It demonstrates near-unity quantum efficiency with ≈ 50% of all emissive pathways going via the narrow and coherent zero-phonon line (ZPL). Additionally, the ZPL lies close to resonance with rubidium transitions, making it compatible with atomic quantum technologies [2]. However, poor collection efficiencies and limited emission rates restrict the use of DBT as a single-photon source. This can be overcome by coupling DBT to nanophotonic structures, leading to preferential emission into a single photonic mode at an enhanced rate due to the Purcell effect.