Spontaneous lifetime control of quantum dot emitters in apertured microcavities

Data are presented on modified spontaneous emission rates in quantum dot mi crocavity arrays. Three-dimensional optical confinement is achieved using a pertured microcavities with square aperture sizes varied from 5 to 1 mu m o n a side. A maximum measured increase in the on-resonance spontaneous emiss ion rate over that off resonance is similar to 50%, and we identify this en hancement with apertured modes of the microcavity. Oscillations in the spon taneous emission rate versus wavelength correspond to spectral resonances i n the higher order aperture modes. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(99)05206-8].