Fiber-coupled single photon source
View Patent ↗A device comprising a single photon generator and a waveguide, wherein a single photon generated by the single photon generator is coupled to the waveguide.
1. A device comprising:
a substrate having at least one hole;
a nanowire laser positioned within the at least one hole; and
a waveguide positioned proximal to said at least one hole so that a single photon generated by said nanowire laser is coupled into said waveguide.
2. The device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said nanowire laser further comprises:
a quantum dot residing within a nanowire;
a first Bragg reflector located at a first end of said nanowire; and
a second Bragg reflector located at a second end of said nanowire, wherein said first Bragg reflector has a lower reflectivity than said second Bragg reflector.
3. The device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said waveguide is aligned with said nanowire laser via an alignment recess etched in said substrate.
4. The device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said substrate is a photonic crystal.
5. The device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said coupling is evanescent mode coupling.
6. The device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said waveguide is an optical fiber.
7. The device as set forth in claim 6 , wherein said fiber is a photonic crystal fiber.
8. A device comprising:
a substrate having an alignment fiducial;
at least one nanowire laser positioned on said substrate proximal to said alignment fiducial; and
a waveguide, wherein at least a portion of said waveguide is positioned within said alignment fiducial so that a photon generated by said at least one nanowire laser is coupled into said waveguide.
9. The device as set forth in claim 8 , wherein said coupling is evanescent mode coupling.
10. The device as set forth in claim 8 wherein said waveguide is an optical fiber.
11. The device as set forth in claim 10 , wherein said fiber is a photonic crystal fiber.
12. A method for coupling a single photon into a waveguide comprising:
positioning a nanowire laser proximal to said waveguide;
generating a single photon within said nanowire laser;
emitting said single photon from a first end of said nanowire laser; and
coupling said single photon emitted from said nanowire laser into said waveguide.
13. The device as set forth in claim 12 , wherein said nanowire laser further comprises:
a quantum dot residing within a nanowire;
a first Bragg reflector located at a first end of said nanowire; and
a second Bragg reflector located at a second end of said nanowire, wherein said first Bragg reflector has a lower reflectivity than said second Bragg reflector.
14. The method as set forth in claim 13 wherein said nanowire laser is encapsulated within a substrate.
15. The method as set forth in claim 14 , wherein said substrate is a photonic crystal.
16. The method as set forth in claim 12 , wherein said coupling is evanescent mode coupling.
17. The method as set forth in claim 12 , wherein said waveguide is an optical fiber.
18. The method as set forth in claim 17 , wherein said fiber is a photonic crystal.
19. The device as set forth in claim 8 , wherein said nanowire laser further comprises:
a quantum dot residing within a nanowire;
a first Bragg reflector located at a first end of said nanowire; and
a second Bragg reflector located at a second end of said nanowire, wherein said first Bragg reflector has a lower reflectivity than said second Bragg reflector.
20. The device as set forth in claim 8 , wherein said nanowire laser has a diameter measuring less than approximately 100 nm.