# Bright yet dark: how strong coupling quenches exciton-polariton radiation

## TL;DR

This paper develops a theoretical framework that reveals how strong exciton-photon coupling can suppress polariton radiation through destructive interference, enabling the creation of long-lived polaritonic states with potential applications in quantum technologies.

## Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive model that surpasses the coupled oscillator approximation by capturing collective exciton-photon interactions and their impact on polariton radiative decay.

## Key findings

- Strong coupling can suppress polariton radiation via destructive interference.
- Polariton bound states in the continuum with infinite radiative lifetime are possible.
- The model provides new design principles for long-lived polaritons.

## Abstract

Understanding the radiative decay of exciton-polaritons is essential for achieving long-lived polaritons - a key prerequisite for enhancing nonlinear and quantum polaritonic effects. However, conventional wisdom - the coupled oscillator model - often oversimplifies polariton radiation as independent emissions from uncoupled excitonic and photonic resonances, overlooking the role of strong exciton-photon coupling in reshaping their radiative behavior. In this work, we present a theoretical framework that goes beyond the conventional coupled oscillator model by fully accounting for the collective and coherent nature of exciton-photon interactions. We demonstrate that these interactions can strongly suppress polariton radiation via destructive interference - both within the excitonic ensemble and between excitonic and photonic radiation channels - giving rise to polaritonic bound states in the continuum with infinitely long radiative lifetimes. Our approach offers a unified description of polariton radiative decay and establishes new design principles for engineering long-lived exciton-polaritons with tailored radiation properties, opening new avenues for nonlinear, topological, and quantum polaritonic applications.