Photonic-well microcavities for spontaneous emission control

We present a simple structure that can be readily fabricated through standard nanofabrication technology and can permit the control of spontaneous emission. Its emission control properties are based on the photonic bandgap displayed by a planar Fabry-P\'erot cavity for an in-plane polarization. Coplanar juxtaposition of Fabry-P\'erot cavities with different photonic band gaps produces confinement of the field in the narrow-gap part of the structure and gives rise to a ``photonic well'' in which spontaneous emission can be enhanced. Semiconductor microcavities with metallic mirrors and strained-layer quantum well emitters are promising candidates for relatively efficient photonic-well structures. {} 1996 The American Physical Society.