A fully tunable microcavity - Russell J Barbour

Optical microcavities that combine high Q-factors with a small mode volume play a vital role in modifying the interaction between light and matter. Several interesting phenomena arise when an emitter is introduced into such a cavity. These include enhancement or suppression of the spontaneous emission rate (weak coupling) and normal mode splitting (strong coupling). The majority of successful microcavity experiments have been performed on self-assembled quantum dots. For quantum dots the work-horse cavity geometries are micropillars, photonic crystals and whispering gallery devices. However these devices lack in situ spatial tuning and offer only very limited spectral tuning. In this seminar I will present the development of a miniaturized, fully tunable Fabry-Perot microcavity for quantum dot experiments. We have demonstrated unprecedented in situ control over a single quantum dot within the cavity, spatially positioning the dot at the exact anti-node of the cavity electric field. Spectral and spatial tuning of a single dot Purcell effect has been demonstrated. Finally, I will talk briefly about my work towards coupling NV- centers in a diamond nanopillar to a deformed silica microsphere at cryogenic temperature.