Abstract

The quantum theory of the spontaneous emission (SpE) in the optical microscopic cavity (microcavity) is reported we believe for the first time^.1,2 The forms of the modes propagating orthogonally to the mirrors and previously studied by Ley and Loudon³ are here generalized to cover all spatial directions. Microcavity field quantization leads to the expressions of the SpE probabilities Γ_||, Γ_⊥ for dipoles parallel and orthogonal to the mirrors, respectively. These are computer calculated for some experimentally significant cases involving both metal and dielectric multilayer-mirror coatings.

© 1990 Optical Society of America