SPONTANEOUS EMISSION FROM PLANAR MICROSTRUCTURES

The alteration of spontaneous emission characteristics in terms of the spontaneous lifetime and spectral emission characteristics are discus sed for dipoles in the presence of nearby planar reflecting interfaces and cavities, specifically for the case of semiconductors. For dipole s closely spaced to absorbing metal mirrors, significant lifetime chan ge is possible. Analysis and experimental data are presented for light emitting diodes. For dielectric Fabry-Perot microcavities, the expect ed lifetime change is small, but significant modification in the radia tion Pattern of the emitted light occurs. It is shown that the spectra l characteristics of emission have a sensitive dependence on the dipol e location in the cavity. Comparison is made between a classical again st a quantum treatment of the spontaneous emission modification due to the cavity.