DECAY-RATE DEPENDENCE OF THE SPONTANEOUS EMISSION PATTERN FROM AN ATOM IN AN OPTICAL MICROCAVITY

The validity of the methods of calculating the spontaneous emission pa ttern from an atom in an optical microcavity is examined. The methods considered are the ones based on the reciprocity theorem and image met hod. A method based on quantum mechanical first-order perturbation app roximation is also considered. It is shown that the emission pattern i s the same for the three methods but that, if the emission rate is lar ger than the cavity decay rate, deviations in the emission pattern wil l occur.