Optical properties of microcavity polaritons

This work contains a theoretical analysis of the optical properties of semi conductor quantum wells embedded in planar Fabry-Perot microcavities. In pa rticular, the properties of the system in correspondence to the excitonic t ransition are studied by means of the polariton formalism. The polariton st ates in microcavities are derived and the polariton dispersion is presented . Particular emphasis is put on the existence of two well distinct regimes depending on the exciton and cavity parameters: strong coupling and weak co upling regime. The main experimental results are reviewed and compared with the prediction of the theory. After the polariton states have been charact erized, the optical response of the system is discussed, with particular at tention to the photoluminescence measurements. The polariton formation and relaxation through phonon scattering and the effect of the exciton inhomoge neous broadening are considered and, finally, a phenomenological model for the polariton photoluminescence spectra is presented.