Photon emission correlation spectroscopy as an analytical tool for quantum defects

Rebecca E. K. Fishman, Raj N. Patel, David A. Hopper, Tzu-Yung Huang, Lee C. Bassett

Published 2021-11-01, updated 2022-04-28Version 2

Photon emission correlation spectroscopy has a long history in the study of atoms, molecules, and, more recently, solid-state quantum defects. In solid-state systems, its most common use is as an indicator of single-photon emission, a key property for quantum technology. However, photon correlation data can provide a wealth of information about quantum emitters beyond their single-photon purity$\,-\,$information that can reveal details about an emitter's electronic structure and optical dynamics that are hidden by other spectroscopy techniques. We present a standardized framework for using photon emission correlation spectroscopy to study quantum emitters, including discussion of theory, data acquisition, analysis, and interpretation. We highlight nuances and best practices regarding the commonly-used $g^{(2)}(\tau=0)<0.5$ test for single-photon emission. Finally, we illustrate how this experimental technique can be paired with optical dynamics simulations to formulate an electronic model for unknown quantum emitters, enabling the design of quantum control protocols and assessment of their suitability for quantum information science applications.