Abstract
The chapter explains the cavity quantum electrodynamics with semiconductor quantum dots. The fundamental transition of single quantum dots is well described in terms of a two-level system, very much like an atom. Its spontaneous emission, which arises from the relaxation of the emitting system placed on its excited state, is not an intrinsic property of the emitter itself but is rather a property of the two-level system coupled to its electromagnetic vacuum environment. The chapter also defines that engineering the interaction of light with matter allows one to tune important properties of solids such as the spontaneous emission rate or the spontaneous emission coupling factor into a laser mode. Light-matter interaction in semiconductors using quantum dots is investigated in various microcavities. Inhibition and exaltation of a single quantum dot spontaneous emission is demonstrated in various systems and has already led to several applications in quantum cryptography.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Handbook of Self Assembled Semiconductor Nanostructures for Novel Devices in Photonics and Electronics |
| Publisher | Elsevier Inc. |
| Pages | 132-164 |
| Number of pages | 33 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9780080560472 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9780080463254 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 11 Sept 2008 |