Published online by Cambridge University Press: 20 July 2012
We propose to use Purcell effect emerged at slow light regions in photonic crystal waveguide (PC-WG) modes for controlling the relaxation time of excited carriers in QDs. Straight GaAs PC-WGs including InAs-QDs with various lattice constants of PC were prepared in order to control the wavelength of the slow light in the PC-WG modes. PL measurements of the PC-WGs indicated enhancements of emission from QDs at the localized wavelength of slow light regions due to the Purcell effect. The enhanced emission peak wavelength was continuously shifted with the PC lattice constant. These results suggest that the PC-WG can be utilized to modify the spontaneous emission rate and carrier relaxation time of the embedded QD. This modification can be applied and useful for various QD-based optical devices as well as our proposed all-optical switching device based on PC-WG/QD.