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Exciton-lattice polaritons in multiple-quantum-well-based photonic crystals

Nature Photonics volume 3, pages 662–666 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

Coherent interaction of an ensemble of dipole active atoms or excitons with a vacuum electromagnetic field has been studied extensively since its initial conception by Dicke in 19541,2,3,4,5,6. However, when the emitters are not only periodically arranged as in refs 2 to 4, but are also placed in a periodically modulated dielectric environment, the interaction between them is carried by the electromagnetic Bloch waves of the photonic crystal7,8. Here we report the first observation of this effect using a periodic arrangement of GaAs/AlGaAs quantum wells. The formation of coherently coupled photonic-crystal excitonic-lattice polaritons manifests in our experiments through enhanced reflectivity and reconstruction of the photonic bandgap in the vicinity of the excitons. Experimental evidence of hybrid light hole–heavy hole excitonic-lattice polaritons is also presented. Coherent coupling between excitons and Bloch waves is established through comparisons of the experimental results with theory. Finally, we demonstrate the tuning of these polariton states by an electric field.

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Figure 1: Dispersion schematic.
Figure 2: Angle-dependent reflectivity.
Figure 3: Polariton dispersion.
Figure 4: Reflectivity simulations and experimental data.
Figure 5: Electric field tuning.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by United States Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) grant no. FA9550-07-1-0391.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, Queens College of the City University of New York (CUNY) Flushing, 11367, New York, USA

    David Goldberg, Lev I. Deych, Alexander A. Lisyansky, Zhou Shi & Vinod M. Menon

  2. College of Nanoscience and Engineering, University at Albany, SUNY, 255 Fuller Road, Albany, 12203, New York, USA

    Vadim Tokranov, Michael Yakimov & Serge Oktyabrsky

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  1. David Goldberg
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Correspondence to Vinod M. Menon.

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Goldberg, D., Deych, L., Lisyansky, A. et al. Exciton-lattice polaritons in multiple-quantum-well-based photonic crystals. Nature Photon 3, 662–666 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/nphoton.2009.190

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