Dynamics of the spontaneous emission of an atom into the photon-density-of-states gap: Solvable quantum-electrodynamical model

We consider the process of spontaneous emission of a two-level atom embedded into a periodic layered dielectric structure. When the resonant atomic frequency lies within the photon-density-of-states gap, of width {Γ}, the atom emits light during a time interval t{Γ}{}1 until the spontaneous emission becomes fully inhibited. We discuss the enhancing of spontaneous emission by tuning the atomic resonance with a one-mode microcavity. In the {λ}/4-shifted distributed feedback microcavities which possess the {δ}-function-like density of states, in the middle of the gap, the process of spontaneous emission has damped Rabi oscillation behavior; the damping depends on the width of the gap and the height of its walls. A profile of the density-of-states gap can be determined from the experimental data on the temporal behavior of the atomic spontaneous decay.