Slow Light in Artificial Hybrid Molecules

TL;DR

This paper theoretically investigates hybrid semiconductor-metal molecules, revealing how exciton-plasmon coupling induces slow light effects and non-absorption features, with properties tunable by nanoparticle spacing.

Contribution

It introduces a theoretical analysis of slow light phenomena in hybrid molecules, highlighting the role of exciton-plasmon interactions and nanoparticle distance control.

Findings

Non-absorption hole appears at probe spectrum due to coherent population oscillation.

Slow light effect causes significant changes in refractive index.

Exciton-plasmon coupling strength and slow light effects depend on nanoparticle spacing.

Abstract

The optical properties of hybrid molecules composed of semiconductor and metal nanoparticles with a weak probe in a strong pump field are investigated theoretically. Excitons in such a hybrid molecule demonstrate novel optical properties due to the coupling between exciton and plasmon. It is shown that a non-absorption hole induced by coherent population oscillation appears at the absorption spectrum of the probe field and there exists slow light effect resulting in the great change of the refractive index. The numerical results indicate that with the different center-to-center distance between the two nanopaticles the slow light effects are greatly modified in terms of exciton-plasmon couplings.