Polariton-Based Room Temperature Quantum Phototransistors

Strong light-matter coupling is a quantum process in which light and matter are coupled together, generating hybridized states. This is similar to the notion of molecular hybridization, but one of the components is light. Here, we utilized the idea and prepared quantum phototransistors using donor-acceptor combinations that can transfer energy via Rabi oscillations. As a prototype experiment, we used a cyanine J-aggregate (TDBC; donor) and MoS2 monolayer (acceptor) in a field effect transistor cavity and studied the photoresponsivity. The energy migrates through the newly formed polaritonic ladder, and the relative efficiency of the device is nearly seven-fold at the ON resonance. Further, the photon mixing fraction is calculated for each independent device and correlated with energy transfer efficiency. In the strongly coupled system, newly formed polaritonic states reshuffle the probability function. A theoretical model based on the time dependent Schrödinger equation is also used to interpret the results. Here, the entangled light-matter states act as a strong channel for funnelling the energy to the MoS2 monolayer, thereby boosting its ability to show the highest photoresponsivity at ON-resonance. These experimental findings and the proposed model suggest novel applications of strong light-matter coupling in quantum materials.