Inhibited spontaneous emission of quantum dots observed in a 3D photonic band gap

Phys Rev Lett. 2011 Nov 4;107(19):193903. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.107.193903. Epub 2011 Nov 3.

Abstract

We present time-resolved emission experiments of semiconductor quantum dots in silicon 3D inverse-woodpile photonic band gap crystals. A systematic study is made of crystals with a range of pore radii to tune the band gap relative to the emission frequency. The decay rates averaged over all dipole orientations are inhibited by a factor of 10 in the photonic band gap and enhanced up to 2× outside the gap, in agreement with theory. We discuss the effects of spatial inhomogeneity, nonradiative decay, and transition dipole orientations on the observed inhibition in the band gap.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Optics and Photonics / instrumentation*
  • Photons*
  • Quantum Dots*
  • Silicon Compounds / chemistry*

Substances

  • Silicon Compounds