Phys.org July 6, 2023
Molecular polaritons are hybrid light-matter states that emerge when a molecular transition strongly interacts with photons in a resonator. At optical frequencies, this interaction unlocks a way to explore and control new chemical phenomena at the nanoscale. However achieving such control at ultrafast timescales is challenging as it requires a deep understanding of the dynamics of the collectively coupled molecular excitation and the light modes. An international team of researchers (Germany, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Luxembourg) investigated the dynamics of collective polariton states, realized by coupling molecular photoswitches to optically anisotropic plasmonic nanoantennas. Pump-probe experiments revealed an ultrafast collapse of polaritons to pure molecular transition triggered by femtosecond-pulse excitation at room temperature. Through a synergistic combination of experiments and quantum mechanical modelling, they showed that the response of the system was governed by intramolecular dynamics, occurring one order of magnitude faster with respect to the uncoupled excited molecule relaxation to the ground state… read more. Open Access TECHNICAL ARTICLE
Hybrid system consisting of photo-switchable molecules and aluminum nanoellipse. Credit: Nature Communications volume 14, Article number: 3875 (2023)