Controlling the polarization state of confined photon modes in photonic wires by a magnetic field

We analyze theoretically the evolution of confined photonic modes in laterally structured one-dimensional semiconductor microcavities (photonic wires) in a magnetic field. We show that with the increase of magnetic field the polarization state of the confined photonic modes in photonic wires can be changed from linear to circular, due to the interaction of confined photons with Zeeman split-off optically active excitons in the QW layer (resonant interaction) or in microcavity bulk (off-resonant interaction). This effect may be of potential interest for optoelectronics.