Strong Coupling of Exciton-Photon Polaritons in Metal-Dielectric Optical Resonators

Metal dielectric optical resonators (MDORs) are thin film devices composed of stacked layers of metal or metal-alloy mirrors and dielectric spacers. Depending on the thick- ness of these MDOR cavities, the resonant modes of photons within the cavity can be tuned throughout the visible spectrum of light, and beyond. This project utilizes these principles to explore the consequences of the addition of organic dye molecules to the dielectric interior of the cavity. By selecting dye candidates with superior optical properties conducive to the preservation of cavity modes over long time scales, a state known as “strong coupling” is achieved, where dye molecules in the excited state interact with and couple to the photonic states of the cavity. This strongly coupled state is indicated by changes to the resonant modes of the cavity, taking the form of “Rabi splitting” of angle-resolved cavity modes around the energy at which the organic dye molecules absorb. Strong coupling in MDORs is desirable for the potential future demonstration of long-range resonance energy transfer across micron-scale distances within MDOR devices.