Strong coupling in a single quantum dot semiconductor microcavity system

Properties of atom-like emitters in cavities are successfully described by cavity quantum electrodynamics (cQED). We report on cavity quantum electrodynamics (cQED) experiments in a single quantum dot semiconductor system. CQED, which is a very active research field in optics and solid state physics, can be divided into a weak and a strong coupling regime. In case of weak coupling, the spontaneous emission rate of an atom-like emitter, e.g. a single quantum dot exciton, can be enhanced or reduced compared to the value in vacuum in an irreversible emission process. In contrast, a reversible energy exchange between the emitter and the cavity mode takes place when the conditions for strong coupling are fulfilled. We investigate weak as well as strong coupling in a system based on a low density In0.3Ga0.7As quantum dot layer placed as the active layer in a high quality planar AlAs/GaAs distributed Bragg reflector cavity grown by molecular beam epitaxy. Using electron beam lithography and deep plasma etching, micropillars with high Q-factors (up to 43.000 for 4 mu m diameter) were realized from the planar cavity structure. Due to the high oscillator strength of the In0.3Ga0.7As quantum dots together with a small mode volume in high finesse micropillar cavities it is possible to observe strong coupling characterized by a vacuum Rabi splitting of 140 mu eV. The fabrication of high-Q micropillar cavities as well as conditions necessary to realize strong coupling in the present system are discussed in detail.