  A user-friendly fibre-coupled single-photon source operating at telecom
wavelengths is a key component of photonic quantum networks providing long-haul
ultra-secure data exchange. To take full advantage of quantum-mechanical data
protection and to maximize the transmission rate and distance, a true quantum
source providing single-photons on demand is highly desirable. We tackle this
great challenge by developing a ready to use semiconductor quantum dot
(QD)-based device that launches single photons at a wavelength of 1.3 um
directly into a single-mode optical fibre. In our approach the QD is
deterministically integrated into a nanophotonic structure to ensure efficient
on-chip coupling into a fibre. The whole arrangement is integrated into a 19"
compatible housing to enable stand-alone operation by cooling via a compact
Stirling cryocooler. The realized source delivers single photons with
multiphoton events probability as low as 0.15 and single-photon emission rate
up to 73 kHz into a standard telecom single-mode fibre.
