Single-photon optical device

An optical device comprising:

• a first filter waveguide section having an input for receiving a pump signal, the first filter waveguide section further having an output,
• an emitter waveguide section having an input coupled to the output of the first filter waveguide section to receive a transmitted pump signal therefrom, the emitter waveguide section supporting at least a first guided lower-order optical mode and a second guided higher-order optical mode, the emitter waveguide section further comprising a photon emitter coupled to the first guided lower-order optical mode to emit radiation into the first guided lower-order optical mode and coupled to the second guided higher-order optical mode to allow optical pumping of the photon emitter by pump signal power carried in the second guided higher-order optical mode, the emitter waveguide section further having an output for outputting radiation emitted from the photon emitter,
• a second filter waveguide section having an input coupled to the output of the emitter waveguide section and having an output, the second filter waveguide section being configured to transmit radiation emitted into the first guided lower-order optical mode with lower loss than radiation emitted into modes other than the first guided mode, and
• the first filter waveguide section being configured to couple pump signal power predominantly into the second guided higher-order optical mode of the emitter waveguide section, wherein the input of the first filter waveguide section is coupled to a grating coupler for receiving the pump signal, and the second filter waveguide section output is coupled to a grating coupler for coupling radiation emitted by the photon emitter out of the optical device.

An optical device comprising:

• a first filter waveguide section having an input for receiving a pump signal, the first filter waveguide section further having an output,
• an emitter waveguide section having an input coupled to the output of the first filter waveguide section to receive a transmitted pump signal therefrom, the emitter waveguide section supporting at least a first guided lower-order optical mode and a second guided higher-order optical mode, the emitter waveguide section further comprising a photon emitter coupled to the first guided lower-order optical mode to emit radiation into the first guided lower-order optical mode and coupled to the second guided higher-order optical mode to allow optical pumping of the photon emitter by pump signal power carried in the second guided higher-order optical mode, the emitter waveguide section further having an output for outputting radiation emitted from the photon emitter, and
• a second filter waveguide section having an input coupled to the output of the emitter waveguide section and having an output, the second filter waveguide section being configured to transmit radiation emitted into the first guided lower-order optical mode with lower loss than radiation emitted into modes other than the first guided mode, and the first filter waveguide section being configured to couple pump signal power predominantly into the second guided higher-order optical mode of the emitter waveguide section, wherein the input of the emitter waveguide section and the output of the first filter waveguide section are not separated by a gap.

An optical device comprising:

• a first filter waveguide section having an input for receiving a pump signal, the first filter waveguide section further having an output,
• an emitter waveguide section having an input coupled to the output of the first filter waveguide section to receive a transmitted pump signal therefrom, the emitter waveguide section supporting at least a first guided lower-order optical mode and a second guided higher-order optical mode, the emitter waveguide section further comprising a photon emitter coupled to the first guided lower-order optical mode to emit radiation into the first guided lower-order optical mode and coupled to the second guided higher-order optical mode to allow optical pumping of the photon emitter by pump signal power carried in the second guided higher-order optical mode, the emitter waveguide section further having an output for outputting radiation emitted from the photon emitter, and
• a second filter waveguide section having an input coupled to the output of the emitter waveguide section and having an output, the second filter waveguide section being configured to transmit radiation emitted into the first guided lower-order optical mode with lower loss than radiation emitted into modes other than the first guided mode, and the first filter waveguide section being configured to couple pump signal power predominantly into the second guided higher-order optical mode of the emitter waveguide section, wherein the output of the first filter waveguide section is indistinguishable from the input of the emitter waveguide section.

An optical device comprising:

• a first filter waveguide section having an input for receiving a pump signal, the first filter waveguide section further having an output,
• an emitter waveguide section having an input coupled to the output of the first filter waveguide section to receive a transmitted pump signal therefrom, the emitter waveguide section supporting at least a first guided lower-order optical mode and a second guided higher-order optical mode, the emitter waveguide section further comprising a photon emitter coupled to the first guided lower-order optical mode to emit radiation into the first guided lower-order optical mode and coupled to the second guided higher-order optical mode to allow optical pumping of the photon emitter by pump signal power carried in the second guided higher-order optical mode, the emitter waveguide section further having an output for outputting radiation emitted from the photon emitter, and
• a second filter waveguide section having an input coupled to the output of the emitter waveguide section and having an output, the second filter waveguide section being configured to transmit radiation emitted into the first guided lower-order optical mode with lower loss than radiation emitted into modes other than the first guided mode, and the first filter waveguide section being configured to couple pump signal power predominantly into the second guided higher-order optical mode of the emitter waveguide section, wherein the second filter waveguide section comprises one or more bends configured to cause power carried in modes other than the first guided mode, but not power carried in the first guided mode, to leak.

An optical device comprising:

• a first filter waveguide section having an input for receiving a pump signal, the first filter waveguide section further having an output,
• an emitter waveguide section having an input coupled to the output of the first filter waveguide section to receive a transmitted pump signal therefrom, the emitter waveguide section supporting at least a first guided lower-order optical mode and a second guided higher-order optical mode, the emitter waveguide section further comprising a photon emitter coupled to the first guided lower-order optical mode to emit radiation into the first guided lower-order optical mode and coupled to the second guided higher-order optical mode to allow optical pumping of the photon emitter by pump signal power carried in the second guided higher-order optical mode, the emitter waveguide section further having an output for outputting radiation emitted from the photon emitter, and
• a second filter waveguide section having an input coupled to the output of the emitter waveguide section and having an output, the second filter waveguide section being configured to transmit radiation emitted into the first guided lower-order optical mode with lower loss than radiation emitted into modes other than the first guided mode, and the first filter waveguide section being configured to couple pump signal power predominantly into the second guided higher-order optical mode of the emitter waveguide section, wherein the waveguide sections form a contiguous waveguide without air/material interfaces along a direction of propagation.