Intrinsic and environmental effects on the interference properties of a high-performance quantum dot single photon source.

We report a joint experimental and theoretical study of the interference properties of a single photon source based on a In(Ga)As quantum dot embedded in a quasi-planar GaAs-microcavity. Using resonant laser excitation with a pulse separation of 2 ns, we find near-perfect interference of the emitted photons, and a corresponding indistinguishability of $\mathcal{I} = (99.6\,^{+\,0.4}_{-\,1.4})\%$. For larger pulse separations, quasi-resonant excitation conditions, increasing pump power or with increasing temperature, the interference contrast is progressively and notably reduced. We present a systematic study of the relevant dephasing mechanisms, and explain our results in the framework of a microscopic model of our system. For strictly resonant excitation, we show that photon indistinguishability is independent of pump power, but strongly influenced by virtual phonon assisted processes which are not evident in excitonic Rabi oscillations.