Nano-electronvolt Fourier-limited transition of a single surface-adsorbed molecule
Masoud Mirzaei,
Alexey Shkarin,
Burak Gurlek,
Johannes Zirkelbach,
Ashley J. Shin,
Irena Deperasińska,
Boleslaw Kozankiewicz,
Tobias Utikal,
Stephan Götzinger, et al.
High-resolution spectroscopy allows the probing of weak interactions and subtle phenomena. Although such measurements are routinely performed in the gas phase and in crystalline materials, studies of adsorbed species on surfaces have previously fallen short of the ultimate spectral resolution, where dephasing is eliminated and the transition linewidth is determined by the excited-state lifetime. In this work, we devise an approach to surface preparation and deposition that provides access to Fourier-limited electronic transitions in single molecules on the surface of an organic crystal. By performing spectroscopy and super-resolution microscopy at liquid helium temperature, we shed light on the spectral and spatial features of the adsorbed species. Our results pave the way for investigations in solid-state physics, where angstrom spatial resolution can be combined with high-resolution laser spectroscopy.
Organic molecules as single-photon sources
Alexey Shkarin,
Stephan Götzinger
Applied Physics Reviews
13
021312
(2026)
| Journal
| PDF
The development of single-photon sources has been nothing but rapid in recent years, with quantum emitter-based systems showing especially impressive progress. In this paper, we give an overview of the developments in single-photon sources based on single molecules. We will introduce polycyclic hydrocarbons as the most commonly used emitter systems for the realization of an organic solid-state single-photon source. At cryogenic temperatures, this special class of fluorescent molecules demonstrates remarkable optical properties such as negligible dephasing, indefinite photostability, and high photon rates, which make them attractive as fundamental building blocks in emerging quantum technologies. To better understand the general properties and limitations of these molecules, we discuss sample preparation and relevant emitter parameters such as absorption and emission spectra, lifetime, and dephasing. We will also give an overview of light extraction strategies as a crucial part of a single-photon source. Finally, we conclude with a look into the future, displaying current challenges and possible solutions.
