Impurities in diamond- a new revival for quantum optics

Realization of novel quantum technologies requires a control over their fundamental constituent- a single photon emitter. In this work we will present a comparative study of single photon emitters based on color centers in diamond which deliver performance comparable with decoy state implementation with weak coherent sources, and are most suitable for practical applications. In particular we will present the photo-physical properties of a novel family of single photon emitters, originated from Cr impurities in the diamond lattice, which exhibit a typical emission lines in the range of 740-760 nm, and a count rate in the range of 0.8-3.2 106 counts/s. We will highlight future directions to optimize these sources and present simulations of their performance in practical devices.