Quantum Electrodynamics of Atomic Light Sources in Photonic Crystals

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Ortwin Hess
• Subject Area: Theoretical Condensed Matter Physics
• Term: from 2001 to 2004
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 5318048

Photonic crystals are three-dimensional periodic composites of dielectric materials, with lattice parameters on the order of the wavelength of light. Under well-defined conditions, a photonic band gap forms. This is a range of energies in which electromagnetic waves cannot propagate, but are completely diffracted. Spontaneous emission of excited atoms with a transition energy in the gap is inhibited, since vacuum fluctuations are suppressed. It es expected that a photon is so strongly coupled to the atom, that they will form a bound state, truly a new state of matter. Presently, theory and calculations only exist for idealized and infinite systems. These assumptions are in sharp contrast to the experimental reality of a strong and determining influence of imperfections and finite size effects. In the project we extend our recently developed numerical finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) methods to more realistically simulate light sources embedded within finite 3D photonic crystals. We will investigate quantum fluctuations and the influence of the photonic crystal structure on spontaneous emission, radiative lifetimes and dipole-coupling. Initial steps towards an analysis of the influence of disorder will be taken.

• DFG Programme: Priority Programmes
• Subproject of: SPP 1113: Photonic Crystals
• International Connection: Netherlands
• Participating Person: Dr. Willem Vos