Aperiodic photonic devices to enhance the light-matter interaction

What is it about?

Thanks to recent technological advances, we are able to confine light in highly engineered optical cavities that enhance the light-matter interaction. These cavities grant access to otherwise elusive quantum mechanical effects, allow enhanced spectroscopic measurements and the realization of efficient classical and quantum light devices. An alternative to highly engineered photonic band-gap devices is represented by non-periodic bio-inspired systems that are characterized by the presence of disordered and/or aperiodic order. Aperiodic systems have been object of intensive research activities in the last decade, showing their potential in sensing, light emission, photo-detection, non-linear optics, and imaging.

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Photo by Sigmund on Unsplash

Photo by Sigmund on Unsplash

Why is it important?

In our work, we demonstrate, for the first time, that aperiodic nano-photonic devices allow observing cavity quantum electrodynamics effects with strong modifications of the decay dynamics of quantum dot emitters. Our experimental work, combined with rigorous multiple scattering theory, shows that aperiodic systems represent a novel platform for on-chip devices in III-V materials, at near-infrared wavelengths, thus opening alternative routes for enhancing the light-matter interaction in photonic devices that also support optical angular momentum control of the emitted light.

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