Ultrafast dynamics via coherent exciton-plasmon coupling in quantum dot-metallic nanoparticle systems

Abstract

When a quantum dot is in the vicinity of a metallic nanoparticle and is driven by a laser field, quantum coherence can renormalize the plasmon field of the metallic nanoparticle, forming a coherent-plasmonic field (CP field). We demonstrate that for a given form of variation of this laser field with time, the CP field around the metallic nanoparticle can offer different forms of ultrafast field dynamics, depending on the location. In other words, we show the coherent exciton-plasmon coupling in such a system allows it to act as coherent nanoantenna capable of generation position-dependent coherent-plasmonic dynamics, designating each location around the metallic nanoparticle with characteristic time-position coordinates. These investigations are carried out by demonstrating that the coherent dynamics responsible for these effects can persist in the presence of the ultrafast polarization dephasing of the quantum dots. This highlights the prospect of generation and preservation of quantum coherence effects in hybrid quantum dot-metallic nanoparticle systems at elevated temperatures. Therefore, even when the decoherence times of the quantum dots are of the order of several hundreds of femtoseconds, as observed at room temperature, such coherent dynamics can remain quite distinct and observable.