Interference effect in the resonant emission of a semiconductor microcavity - art. no. 045321

We present a phenomenological description of the coherent emission from a s emiconductor microcavity in the strong-coupling regime. We consider two mai n contributions which are calculated in the framework of the semiclassical approach of the linear dispersion theory: reflectivity corresponds to the r esponse of a uniform microcavity while resonant Rayleigh scattering (RRS) a rises from disorder. Our simulations are compared to experimental results o btained at normal incidence in a backscattering geometry by means of cw spe ctroscopy and interferometric correlation with subpicosecond resolution. In this geometry, a fair agreement is reached assuming interferences between the two aforementioned contributions. This interference effect gives eviden ce of the drastic modification of the RRS emission pattern of the embedded quantum well induced by the Fabry-Perot cavity.