Single quantum dot spontaneous emission in a finite-size photonic crystal waveguide: proposal for an efficient "on...

Spontaneous emission rate enhancements from a single quantum dot embedded in a finite-size, planar photonic-crystal waveguide are investigated. Short waveguide lengths of only 10 to 20 unit cells are found to produce very large Purcell factors associated with a waveguidelike sharp resonance feature in the local density of photon states. Aided by theoretical insight and rigorous computational calculations, we explain the physics behind these remarkable emission enhancements and subsequently propose a "single-photon gun" with on-chip unidirectional collection efficiencies greater than 60% into an output wire waveguide. The advantages over recent proposals for infinitely long photonic-crystal waveguides are highlighted.