SBIR Phase I: A Tunable Source of On-Demand Single and Entangled Photons

The broader/commercial impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project lies in its potential to shape the quantum economy, unlocking new applications across fields ranging from pharmaceuticals to optimization and finance. Successful implementation of both short- and long-range quantum networking will provide the foundational infrastructure for data center-scale quantum computing and secure communication - two critical pillars for the future security of governments and industries alike. The proposed entangled photon device offers over 70-fold improvement in efficiency compared to current technologies, reducing system cost while accelerating the transition toward quantum advantage. By enabling modular quantum computing and supporting the distribution of entangled photon pairs, the proposed technology represents a necessary step toward realizing a functional quantum internet. The project aims to deliver a commercial-grade entangled photon generator by 2028. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project aims to evaluate the feasibility of generating high-fidelity, polarization-entangled photon pairs with high efficiency using semiconductor quantum dots (QDs). In strategic collaboration with NIST, the company has already demonstrated the ability to produce high-purity, indistinguishable single photons that surpass industry benchmarks, positioning it to advance toward deterministic entangled photon generation. The proposed project will utilize a QD chip, incorporating a p-i-n junction to stabilize the charge environment, embedded in an optical cavity and subjected to controlled mechanical strain to eliminate fine structure splitting by restoring QD symmetry. This approach ensures indistinguishability in all degrees of freedom except polarization, resulting in a high-fidelity entangled photon source. Embedding the QD in a cavity also reduces its radiative lifetime, enabling a high-rate, lifetime-limited entangled photon pair generation. The projected outcome of this project is a compact, chip-scale entangled photon generator, serving as a foundational component in the company’s planned turnkey device for scalable quantum networking. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.