Patent ID: 8530881

Claim:
An optical device configured to operate with pulses of n photons, where n can be controlled and is an integer of at least 1, the device comprising: a quantum dot located within a three dimensional optical cavity configured to confine a photon to the order of the photon's wavelength in all three dimensions, the quantum dot and optical cavity being configured such that there is a strong coupling between the confined electronic modes of the quantum dot and the optical modes of the cavity; wherein the three dimensional cavity is provided within a layer or a plurality of layers and optical confinement in one of the dimensions within the plane of the layer or the layers is provided by a pattern of reflective interfaces, the three dimensional optical cavity being formed at an irregularity of the pattern; a source of a main beam of radiation; and a source of a control beam; wherein the cavity and the quantum dot are arranged such that the optical response of the cavity to the main beam changes in response to an interaction between the control beam and the quantum dot.