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 singlephotons 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.