High-efficiency single-photon sources based on InAs/GaAs quantum dots in pillar microcavities

We have experimentally investigated pillar microcavities containing a low density of InAs/GaAs self-assembled quantum dots. We observe a four-fold reduction in the radiative lifetime of an excitonic state due to the Purcell effect and show that we are able to collect 10% of the photons emitted by this state into a microscope objective. Under quasi-resonant excitation the multi-photon emission probability is more than 50 times lower than a Poissonian source of the same intensity.