Spontaneous Emission by Atoms in Simple Environments

Spontaneous radiation by atoms in the presence of the planar dielectric-vacuum interface, planar dielectric waveguides and cylindrical dielectric waveguides are discussed in the frame of cavity quantum electrodynamics in full analogy with that in free space. However, quantization of the electromagnetic field should be based on the modes appropriate to the selected space structure. These quantizations are usually based on incoming waves. However, the discussion of the angular intensity pattern of spontaneous emission can be simplified if the quantization is based on outgoing modes. Using these outgoing photons the angular emission radiation pattern has been obtained from a straightforward application of the perturbative method of the quantum radiation theory. Adding a contribution of the waveguiding photons attached to the waveguides (when they are present) the total emission of the spontaneous radiation and excitation decay rates of atoms radiating in these systems have been derived