Squeezed state generation in photonic crystal microcavities.

The feasibility of using a parametric down-conversion process to generate squeezed electromagnetic states in three dimensional photonic crystal microcavity structures is investigated for the first time. The spectrum of the squeezed light is theoretically calculated by using an open cavity quantum mechanical formalism. The cavity communicates with two main channels, which model vertical radiation losses and coupling into a single-mode waveguide respectively. The amount of squeezing is determined by the correlation functions relating the field quadratures of light coupled into the waveguide. All of the relevant model parameters are realistically estimated for structures made in Al0.3Ga0.7As, using finite-difference time-domain simulations. Squeezing up to approximately 30% below the shot noise level is predicted for 10 mW average power, 80 MHz repetition, 500 ps excitation pulses using in a [111] oriented wafer.