Controlling the direction and magnitude of spontaneous emission using a symmetrical closed quantum cavity

Abstract

Spontaneous emission into micro- or nano-scale structures can be enhanced or inhibited by engineering the local density of optical states using closed quantum cavities. When electromagnetic fields are confined within small mode volumes of a high-Q symmetrical closed quantum cavity, the Purcell effect significantly accelerates the natural spontaneous emission. Due to the statistical nature of spontaneous emission, the emitted fields do not have a well-defined phase; consequently, the emission is incoherent and lacks directional control. The situation becomes more complicated in multi-mode cavities, as selecting a specific mode in a particular direction requires precise detuning between the emitter transition frequency and the cavity mode frequency to ensure strong coupling. In single-mode cavities, only the dominant mode can resonate, and only in a specific direction; thus, an appropriate transition frequency range can be easily determined. Such cavities allow for greater manipulation of the local electromagnetic density of states, facilitating effective control of the direction of spontaneous emission. This property is essential for creating efficient single-photon sources, photonic circuits, and on-chip quantum information.