Single and Coupled Nanobeam Cavities

In the coming decade in physics great effort will probably be devoted, among other things, to improving quantum storage and the development of quantum computer. To make use of quantum processes one should avoid decoherence influence of surroundings, or use specifically designed environment to modify the process considered. This is the case when an atom or a quantum dot — nanosized emitter in an active material — is located inside a medium exhibiting modified density of electromagnetic states, e.g., a photonic crystal. In fact, prospects to modify the density of states gave the major motivation to investigate photonic crystals back in the years of their inception. Still they generate large interest from the fundamental cavity quantum electrodynamics perspectives [1–3]. Photonic crystals based structures — beam splitters, cavities, slow light and logic devices — allow for a lot of diverse operations with light. Main advantages of dielectric photonic crystal components over, for instance, their plasmonic analogues are low-loss operation and low-cost production.