C60 Fullerene as an On-Demand Single Photon Source at Room Temperature
Raul Lahoz Sanz1,2, Lidia Lozano Martín2,3, Adrià Brú I Cortés2,3
1Departament de Física Quàntica i Astrofísica, Facultat de Física, Universitat de Barcelona (QCommsUB group), 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
Nano Letters
|October 3, 2025
Summary
We developed reliable room-temperature single-photon sources using C60 fullerene molecules. These emitters offer on-demand emission and high rates, making quantum technologies more accessible.
Area of Science:
- Quantum optics and photonics.
- Materials science for quantum applications.
Background:
- Single-photon sources are crucial for quantum computing, communication, and sensing.
- Existing sources often face challenges with robustness, integration, and cost.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present C60 fullerene molecules in polystyrene as a novel single-photon emitter.
- To demonstrate a reliable, room-temperature solution for single-photon generation.
Main Methods:
- Embedding C60 fullerene molecules into a polystyrene matrix.
- Characterizing the photophysical properties of the embedded molecules for single-photon emission.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated on-demand single-photon emission from C60 fullerene molecules at room temperature.
- Observed short fluorescence lifetimes leading to high emission rates.
- Showcased the robustness and ease of use of the fullerene-based system.
Conclusions:
- C60 fullerene-embedded polystyrene is a viable room-temperature single-photon source.
- This approach offers a practical, cost-effective, and scalable alternative for quantum technologies.
- Facilitates the development of economic and scalable quantum photonic devices.
