Strong-coupling of quantum dots in microcavities

We show that strong-coupling (SC) of light and matter as it is realized with quantum dots (QDs) in microcavities differs substantially from the paradigm of atoms in optical cavities. The type of pumping used in semiconductors yields new criteria to achieve SC, with situations where the pump hinders, or on the contrary, favours it. We analyze one of the seminal experimental observation of SC of a QD in a pillar microcavity [Reithmaier et al., Nature (2004)] as an illustration of our main statements.