We propose an optical parametric down-conversion (PDC) scheme that does not suffer a trade-off between the state purity of single-photon wave packets and the rate of packet production. This is accomplished by modifying the PDC process by using a microcavity to engineer the density of states of the optical field at the PDC frequencies. The high-finesse cavity mode occupies a spectral interval much narrower than the bandwidth of the pulsed pump laser field, suppressing the spectral correlation, or entanglement, between signal and idler photons. Spectral filtering of the field occurs prior to photon creation rather than afterward as in most other schemes. Operator-Maxwell equations are solved to find the Schmidt-mode decomposition of the two-photon states produced. Greater than 99% pure-state packet production is predicted to be achievable.

• Received 27 February 2005

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.72.023825