Photonic crystal nanocavities are used to enhance photoluminescence from single-walled carbon nanotubes. Micelle-encapsulated nanotubes are deposited on nanocavities within Si photonic crystal slabs and confocal microscopy is used to characterize the devices. Photoluminescence spectra and images reveal nanotube emission coupled to nanocavity modes. The cavity modes can be tuned throughout the emission wavelengths of carbon nanotubes, demonstrating the ability to enhance photoluminescence from a variety of chiralities.

Single-walled carbon nanotubes have advantages as a nanoscale light source compatible with silicon photonics because they show room-temperature luminescence at telecom-wavelengths and can be directly synthesized on silicon substrates. Here we demonstrate integration of individual light-emitting carbon nanotubes with silicon microdisk resonators. Photons emitted from nanotubes are efficiently coupled to whispering gallery modes, circulating within the disks and lighting up their perimeters. Furthermore, we control such emission by tuning the excitation wavelength in and out of resonance with higher order modes in the same disk. Our results open up the possibilities of using nanotube emitters embedded in photonic circuits that are individually addressable through spectral double resonance.