Creating single time-bin entangled photon pairs

Abstract

When a single emitter is excited by two phase-coherent pulses with a time delay, each of the pulses can lead to the emission of a photon pair, thus creating a ``time-bin entangled'' state. Double pair emission can be avoided by initially preparing the emitter in a metastable state. We show how photons from separate emissions can be made indistinguishable, permitting their use for multi-photon interference. Possible realizations are discussed. The method might also allow the direct creation of n-photon entangled states (n>2).Comment: 4 pages, 1 figur