Reflection and absorption spectra from microcavities with resonant Bragg quantum wells

We have studied theoretically the optical properties of microcavities with multiple quantum wells in the central layer. The calculations have been performed both numerically, on the basis of the transfer-matrix method, and analytically, in the classical electrodynamic approach. Special attention has been paid to resonant Bragg multiple quantum wells sandwiched between nonresonant distributed Bragg reflectors. In this case the Rabi splitting of the exciton-polariton branches has been shown to increase in proportion to the square root of the well number. We have generalized the theory to calculate oblique-incidence reflection and absorption spectra in microcavities and to describe angle-dependent anticrossing between the photon and the exciton resonances. The fine structure of exciton-polaritons has been analyzed in particular cases for both s- and p-polarized modes. (C) 1996 Optical Society of America.