Emission properties of a defect cavity in a two-dimensional photonic bandgap crystal slab

A single isolated defect within a two-dimensional photonic crystal semicond uctor slab is shown to provide a lithographically tunable doubly degenerate emission resonance within the photonic bandgap, with a measured quality fa ctor (Q) of 80-150, depending on the cavity geometry. Spontaneous emission outside the cavity linewidth is below the measurement limit of our system. Stimulated emission from this photonic crystal defect cavity is demonstrate d at room temperature under pulsed optical pumping in spite of the large su rface-to-volume ratio of this cavity and the associated large nonradiative surface recombination rate. (C) 2000 Optical Society of America [S0740-3224 (00)01704-5] OCIS codes: 230.3990, 300.2140, 230.5750, 130.3130.