Abstract
Solid-state cavity quantum electrodynamics is a rapidly advancing field, which explores the frontiers of light–matter coupling. Metal-based approaches are of particular interest in this field, as they carry the potential to squeeze optical modes to spaces significantly below the diffraction limit. Transition metal dichalcogenides are ideally suited as the active material in cavity quantum electrodynamics, as they interact strongly with light at the ultimate monolayer limit. Here, we implement a Tamm-plasmon-polariton structure and study the coupling to a monolayer of WSe2, hosting highly stable excitons. Exciton-polariton formation at room temperature is manifested in the characteristic energy–momentum dispersion relation studied in photoluminescence, featuring an anti-crossing between the exciton and photon modes with a Rabi-splitting of 23.5 meV. Creating polaritonic quasiparticles in monolithic, compact architectures with atomic monolayers under ambient conditions is a crucial step towards the exploration of nonlinearities, macroscopic coherence and advanced spinor physics with novel, low-mass bosons.
Highlights
Solid-state cavity quantum electrodynamics is a rapidly advancing field, which explores the frontiers of light–matter coupling
Two-dimensional atomic crystals of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs), compounds of a MX2 stoichiometry (M being a transition metal, X a chalcogenide), seem to be much more promising[1,2,3,4,5,6], as monolayers of some TMDCs have a direct bandgap on the order of 1.6–2.1 eV2,7
Polariton formation can be observed in the strong light–matter coupling regime, which becomes accessible in high quality, or ultra-compact photonic structures, such as dielectric microcavities or plasmonic architectures with embedded emitters comprising large oscillator strengths[13,14]
Summary
Solid-state cavity quantum electrodynamics is a rapidly advancing field, which explores the frontiers of light–matter coupling. Once the light–matter coupling strength in such a system exceeds dissipation and dephasing, the hybridization of light and matter excitations leads to the formation of exciton-polaritons[13] These composite quasiparticles have very appealing physical properties. Polaritons can travel over macroscopic distances at high speed (B1% of the speed of light15) and, due to the inherited matter component, interactions between polaritons are notable This puts them in the focus of nonlinear optics, collective bosonic phenomena and integrated photonics. To demonstrate strong coupling at ambient conditions, we have embedded a WSe2 monolayer in a compact Tamm-plasmon photonic microstructure[19,20] composed of a dielectric distributed Bragg reflector (DBR), a polymer layer and a thin gold cap. Our experimental findings are supported by modelling our device in a coupled oscillator framework, showing an excellent agreement between theory and experiment
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
