Spontaneous emission from large quantum dots in nanostructures: Exciton-photon interaction beyond the dipole approximation

TY - JOUR

T1 - Spontaneous emission from large quantum dots in nanostructures

T2 - Exciton-photon interaction beyond the dipole approximation

AU - Stobbe, Søren

AU - Kristensen, P.T.

AU - Mortensen, J.E.

AU - Hvam, Jørn Märcher

AU - Mørk, J.

AU - Lodahl, Peter

PY - 2012/8/8

Y1 - 2012/8/8

N2 - We derive a rigorous theory of the interaction between photons and spatially extended excitons confined in quantum dots in inhomogeneous photonic materials. We show that beyond the dipole approximation, the radiative decay rate is proportional to a nonlocal interaction function, which describes the interaction between light and spatially extended excitons. In this regime, light and matter degrees of freedom cannot be separated and a complex interplay between the nanostructured optical environment and the exciton envelope function emerges. We illustrate this by specific examples and derive a series of important analytical relations, which are useful for applying the formalism to practical problems. In the dipole limit, the decay rate is proportional to the projected local density of optical states, and we obtain the strong and weak confinement regimes as special cases.

AB - We derive a rigorous theory of the interaction between photons and spatially extended excitons confined in quantum dots in inhomogeneous photonic materials. We show that beyond the dipole approximation, the radiative decay rate is proportional to a nonlocal interaction function, which describes the interaction between light and spatially extended excitons. In this regime, light and matter degrees of freedom cannot be separated and a complex interplay between the nanostructured optical environment and the exciton envelope function emerges. We illustrate this by specific examples and derive a series of important analytical relations, which are useful for applying the formalism to practical problems. In the dipole limit, the decay rate is proportional to the projected local density of optical states, and we obtain the strong and weak confinement regimes as special cases.

U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevB.86.085304

DO - 10.1103/PhysRevB.86.085304

M3 - Journal article

SN - 2469-9950

VL - 86

SP - 085304

JO - Physical Review B

JF - Physical Review B

IS - 8

ER -