Fundamental quantum optics in structured reservoirs

Abstract

We review basic quantum electrodynamics and quantum optics aspects in microstructures that exhibit a gap in the spectrum of the electromagnetic radiation they support, known as photonic crystals. After a brief sketch of the properties of such materials we discuss the behaviour of few-level atoms or collections thereof with transition frequencies inside and in the vicinity of the gap. The discussion is cast in terms of a unified formalism which facilitates the comparison with standard cavity-atom physics.