Phonon effects in quantum dot single-photon sources

Semiconductor quantum dots are inevitably coupled to the vibrational modes of their host lattice. This interaction reduces the efficiency and the indistinguishability of single-photons emitted from semiconductor quantum dots. While the adverse effects of phonons can be significantly reduced by embedding the quantum dot in a photonic cavity, phonon-induced signatures in the emitted photons cannot be completely suppressed and constitute a fundamental limit to the ultimate performance of single-photon sources based on quantum dots. In this paper, we present a self-consistent theoretical description of phonon effects in such sources and describe their influence on the figures of merit.