When a single emitter is excited by two phase-coherent pulses with a time delay, each of the pulses can lead to the emission of a photon pair, thus creating a “time-bin-entangled” state. Double pair emission can be avoided by initially preparing the emitter in a metastable state. We show how photons from separate emissions can be made indistinguishable, permitting their use for multiphoton interference. Possible realizations are discussed. The method might also allow the direct creation of $n$-photon entangled states ($n>2$).

• Received 16 September 2004

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.94.030502