PHOTONIC-WELL MICROCAVITIES FOR SPONTANEOUS EMISSION CONTROL

We present a simple structure that can be readily fabricated through s tandard nanofabrication technology and can permit the control of spont aneous emission. Its emission control properties are based on the phot onic bandgap displayed by a planar Fabry-Perot cavity for and in-plane polarization. Coplanar juxtaposition of Fabry-Perot cavities with dif ferent photonic band gaps produces confinement of the field in the nar row-gap part of the structure and gives rise to a ''photonic well'' in which spontaneous emission can be enhanced. Semi-conductor microcavit ies with metallic mirrors and strained-layer quantum well emitters are promising candidates for relatively efficient photonic-well structure s.