Abstract: A method for laterally confining neutral excitons in a semiconductor layer structure (11) of a solid-state device comprises creating an inhomogeneous electric field (F) in the semiconductor layer structure (11), the electric field (F) having an in-plane field component (Fx) whose magnitude varies along at least at least one confinement direction (x) in the device plane, the magnitude of the in-plane field component (Fx) having a maximum along the confinement direction (x). In this manner a lateral confining potential (V(x)) for neutral excitons is caused around the maximum. The solid-state device (10) is irradiated with light to create neutral excitons in the semiconductor layer structure (11). The neutral excitons are laterally confined along the confinement direction (x) by the lateral confining potential (V(x)).