Photoluminescence modification by high-order photonic band with abnormal dispersion in ZnO inverse opal

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that abnormal dispersion in high-order photonic bands of ZnO inverse opals can significantly enhance and control spontaneous emission properties, including directionality and polarization.

Contribution

It provides a detailed theoretical and experimental analysis showing how high-order photonic bands with abnormal dispersion influence emission enhancement in ZnO inverse opals.

Findings

Enhanced spontaneous emission observed

Emission exhibits good directionality and linear polarization

Abnormal dispersion causes the emission modification

Abstract

We measured the angle- and polarization-resolved reflection and photoluminescence spectra of ZnO inverse opals. Significant enhancement of spontaneous emission is observed. The enhanced emission not only has good directionality but also can be linearly polarized. A detailed theoretical analysis and numerical simulation reveal that such enhancement is caused by the abnormal dispersion of a high-order photonic band. The frozen mode at a stationary inflection point of a dispersion curve can strongly modify the intensity, directionality and polarization of spontaneous emission.