For a single semiconductor quantum dot embedded in a microcavity, we theoretically and experimentally investigate phonon-assisted transitions between excitons and the cavity mode. Within the framework of the independent boson model we find that such transitions can be very efficient, even for relatively large exciton-cavity detunings of several millielectron volts. Furthermore, we predict a strong detuning asymmetry for the exciton lifetime that vanishes for elevated lattice temperature. Our findings are corroborated by experiment, which turns out to be in good quantitative and qualitative agreement with theory.
@article{arxiv.0910.3749,
title = {Phonon-assisted transitions from quantum dot excitons to cavity photons},
author = {Ulrich Hohenester and Arne Laucht and Michael Kaniber and Norman Hauke and Abbas Mohtashami and Marek Seliger and Jonathan J. Finley},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:0910.3749},
year = {2009}
}