Spontaneous Emission of a Two-Level Atom in Chiral Photonic Structures

Abstract

The spontaneous emission spectrum of a two-level atom in a one-dimensional (1D) anisotropic photonic crystal with symmetry of double helix is investigated using Laplace transform. Properties of spectrum of the radiation modes are discussed in detail under different values of detuning of atomic resonant frequency from a band-edge. Since spontaneous emission is proportional to the density of states (DOS), it is suppressed within the reflection band, corresponding to vanishing of the DOS. However, it is enhanced at the band edge. Therefore, spontaneous emission spectrum of the system is influenced at the edge of the stop band rather than at its centre.