Abstract

After publication of our first use of the optical microscopic cavity (microcavity) in the investigation of anomalous effects in spontaneous emission (SpE),¹ a controversy arose based on truly very qualitative arguments: whether a dielectric-multilayer structure can provide an efficient vacuum-confinement effect.² In view of the scientific relevance of these SpE results, the current interest in semiconductor multilayers, and the computational complexity of the problem, we believe that this question cannot be dealt with by simple guesswork; it deserves a far less superficial answer.

© 1990 Optical Society of America