Abstract
Single-photon sources based on the process of spontaneous parametric down-conversion play a key role in various applied disciplines of quantum optics. We characterize the intrinsic luminescence of BBO crystals as a source of non-removable noise in quantum-optics experiments. By analysing its spectral and temporal properties together with its intensity, we evaluate the impact of luminescence on single-photon state preparation using spontaneous parametric down-conversion.