Quantum Optics
The small mode volumes of
photonic crystal nanocavities enable the strong interaction of light
with atoms and quantum dots. This enables these cavities to be used for
quantum mechanical experiments, for example to demonstrate strong
coupling between the atom-like quantum dots and optical cavities. In our
2004 Nature article, we describe the first solid state demonstration of
strong coupling by using our photonic crystal structures. Vacuum Rabi
splitting, a strong signature of strong coupling, was measured in these
devices and this opens up the
opportunities of constructing miniaturized
entangled systems and, ultimately, may represent one
of the first steps
towards building compact quantum encryption and computation systems. In
other papers covering quantum optics, we describe three-dimensional
optical cavities and the introduction of quantum dots into ultra-high Q
resonators. Part of this work resulted in the demonstration of
low-threshold lasers with threshold powers below 10 femto-Joules.
