Cavity solitons and self organized patterns in semiconductor quantum dot microcavities

Summary form only given. We propose to use InAs Quantum Dots (QD), embedded in GaAs, as a new active material for pattern and localized structures formation. We develop a simple model for QD microresonators, including the inhomogeneous broadening of the dot emission. We show that this model predicts the observation of optical patterns and most importantly cavity solitons (CS), in focusing or defocusing regimes, and we give some indications about optimal choices of parameters. Thanks to the unique advantages of QD structures over bulk or MQW ones - quasi absence of carrier diffusion, reduced thermal effects, simpler modelling - QD materials are very promising semiconductor candidates for CS observation in passive systems.