Coherent phenomena in photonic crystals - art. no. 013801

We study the spontaneous emission, absorption, and dispersion properties of a Lambda -type atom where one transition interacts near resonantly with a double-band photonic crystal. Assuming an isotropic dispersion relation nea r the band edges, we show that two distinct coherent phenomena can occur. F irst the spontaneous emission spectrum of the adjacent free-space transitio n obtains "dark lines" (zeros in the spectrum). Second, the atom can became transparent to a probe laser field coupling to the adjacent free-space tra nsition.