Modified spontaneous emission from a two-dimensional photonic bandgap crystal slab

A two-dimensional photonic crystal patterned into a thin dielectric slab wa veguide is shown to alter drastically the lifetime of spontaneous emission as well as the radiation pattern. This means that although the light extrac tion efficiency can be greatly enhanced, inhibited spontaneous emission wit hin the photonic bandgap can result in low power output from such a structu re. Strongly inhibited emission is found within the photonic bandgap as wel l as enhanced emission into the conduction band modes for certain geometrie s. Coupled with enhanced extraction efficiency in the photonic conduction b and, this results in the possibility of a structure with increased total po wer efficiency. (C) 2000 Optical Society of America [S0740-3224(00)01008-0] OCIS codes: 270.5580, 230.3990, 230.3670, 130.3130, 020.5580.