Negative-mass exciton polaritons induced by dissipative light-matter coupling in an atomically thin semiconductor

M. Wurdack (), T. Yun, M. Katzer, A. G. Truscott, A. Knorr, M. Selig, E. A. Ostrovskaya () and E. Estrecho ()
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M. Wurdack: The Australian National University
T. Yun: The Australian National University
M. Katzer: Technische Universität Berlin
A. G. Truscott: The Australian National University
A. Knorr: Technische Universität Berlin
M. Selig: Technische Universität Berlin
E. A. Ostrovskaya: The Australian National University
E. Estrecho: The Australian National University

Nature Communications, 2023, vol. 14, issue 1, 1-7

Abstract: Abstract Dispersion engineering is a powerful and versatile tool that can vary the speed of light signals and induce negative-mass effects in the dynamics of particles and quasiparticles. Here, we show that dissipative coupling between bound electron-hole pairs (excitons) and photons in an optical microcavity can lead to the formation of exciton polaritons with an inverted dispersion of the lower polariton branch and hence, a negative mass. We perform direct measurements of the anomalous dispersion in atomically thin (monolayer) WS2 crystals embedded in planar microcavities and demonstrate that the propagation direction of the negative-mass polaritons is opposite to their momentum. Our study introduces the concept of non-Hermitian dispersion engineering for exciton polaritons and opens a pathway for realising new phases of quantum matter in a solid state.

Date: 2023
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36618-6

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