Switching control of spontaneous emission by polarized atoms in two-dimensional photonic crystals

We calculate the lifetime distribution function of an assembly of polarized atoms in two-dimensional (2D) photonic crystals (PCs) at different polarization orientations of atomic dipole moments. We reveal a switching effect of atomic spontaneous emission (SE) and find a significant change of atomic lifetime, up to a factor of 33, by tuning the polarized orientation of the atoms. These observations suggest that the tuning of the polarized orientation of atoms provides a new way for the effective control of atomic SE processes in 2D PCs.