Quantum Optics Phenomena in Synthetic Opal Photonic Crystals

Abstract

Optical phenomena in materials with a space modulation of dielectric constant at distances close to the light wavelengths (so called photonic band-gap structures or photonic crystals) are of a great interest now because of the existence of band gaps in their photonic band structure (Bykov, 1972; Yablonovitch, 1987; John, 1987). These band gaps represent frequency regions where electromagnetic waves are forbidden, irrespective of the spatial propagation directions. Inside the band gaps, the photon density of states is equal to zero and so the emission of light sources embedded in these crystals should be inhibited in these spectral regions (Vats et al., 2002). Since the time the effect is predicted, many experiments have been devoted to studies of spontaneous emission of molecules embedded in photonic crystals (Gaponenko et al., 1999; Gorelik, 2007). Typical structures of photonic crystals and calculations of corresponding photonic band structures are presented in a book by Prof. Joannopoulos (Joannopoulos et al., 2008). Besides the emission inhibition effect, a number of new optical phenomena in 3D photonic crystals, interesting from the applied point of view, are under intensive study now. The main research directions are the following:  Effects of light localisation (John, 1987; Kaliteevskii et al., 2005; Vignolini et al., 2008).  Radiation of photonic crystals filled with organic (rhodamine 6G, 1,8-naphthoylene1’,2’-benzimidazole, stilbene) and inorganic (ZnO, ZnS, rare-earth ions Eu3+, Tb3+, Er3+) luminophores near by the edges of photonic band-gap (Gaponenko et al., 1999; Aliev et al., 2002; Emel’chenko et al., 2005; Li et al., 2007).  Radiation of CdTe, CdSe/ZnS quantum dots in photonic crystal volume (Gruzintsev et al., 2009; Ambrozevich et al., 2009).  Quantum optics phenomena in nano-structured materials based on photonic crystals and nonlinear optical substances (Lin & Vuckovic, 2010).  Effects of the radiation field amplification in photonic crystals (Lin & Vuckovic, 2010).  Increase of solar cells efficiency with the use of photonic crystals (Florescu et al., 2007).