NONGUIDING HALF-WAVE SEMICONDUCTOR MICROCAVITIES DISPLAYING THE EXCITON-PHOTON MODE SPLITTING

We present a monolithic epitaxially grown lambda/2 semiconductor micro cavity that contains two InGaAs quantum wells in its AlAs spacer. This particular design displays greatly reduced coupling of the quantum we ll emission to the in-plane guided modes. The reflection and luminesce nce spectra of this structure at 77-K display an exciton-photon splitt ing of 4 meV with as few as two quantum wells, indicating the possibil ity of a strong coupling of the spontaneous emission of the excitons t o the vertical cavity modes. This cavity design should thus be well su ited for improving the coupling efficiency of the spontaneous emission to the lasing mode in vertically emitting structures. (C) 1994 Americ an Institute of Physics.