Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 25, 2026

10:37
Spatial Separation of Molecular Conformers and Clusters
Published on: January 9, 2014
8.8K
Near-UV Tunable Polaritons from Magic-Size Clusters.
Aleesha George1, River B Carson2, Daniel J Gracias2
1Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14850, United States.
ACS Nano
|April 22, 2025
Summary
CdS magic-size clusters (MSCs) enable strong light-matter coupling for UV polaritons. This breakthrough offers tunable, stable optoelectronic devices with applications in materials engineering.
Area of Science:
- Condensed matter physics
- Materials science
- Quantum optics
Background:
- Strong light-matter coupling forms polaritons, enabling advanced applications.
- Existing exciton-polariton systems struggle to reach the UV spectrum.
- Challenges include finding materials with high oscillator strengths, exciton binding energies, and device stability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate CdS magic-size clusters (MSCs) as a viable material for UV polaritons.
- To achieve room-temperature strong coupling in a solution-processed system.
- To explore the potential for stable, tunable UV polaritonic devices.
Main Methods:
- Solution processing of CdS MSCs within metallic Fabry-Perot cavities.
- Characterization of strong coupling via Rabi splitting measurements.
- Analysis of polariton emission across the near-UV spectrum.
Main Results:
- Room-temperature strong coupling achieved in CdS MSCs.
- Rabi splitting up to 390 meV observed, demonstrating significant light-matter interaction.
- Polariton emission observed from 3.07 eV (403 nm) to 3.64 eV (340 nm).
- Normalized Rabi splitting comparable to visible-light systems and superior to existing UV systems.
Conclusions:
- CdS MSCs offer a promising platform for UV polaritonics.
- The system exhibits tunable polariton emission in the near-UV range.
- This work paves the way for developing stable, high-performance UV polaritonic devices.
Related Concept Videos
Colors and Magnetism
Color in Coordination Complexes
When atoms or molecules absorb light at the proper frequency, their electrons are excited to higher-energy orbitals. For many main group atoms and molecules, the absorbed photons are in the ultraviolet range of the electromagnetic spectrum, which cannot be detected by the human eye. For coordination compounds, the energy difference between the d orbitals often allows photons in the visible range to be absorbed and emitted, which is seen as colors by the human eye.
When atoms or molecules absorb light at the proper frequency, their electrons are excited to higher-energy orbitals. For many main group atoms and molecules, the absorbed photons are in the ultraviolet range of the electromagnetic spectrum, which cannot be detected by the human eye. For coordination compounds, the energy difference between the d orbitals often allows photons in the visible range to be absorbed and emitted, which is seen as colors by the human eye.
Orders of Magnitude
The order of magnitude of a number is the power of 10 that most closely approximates it. Thus, the order of magnitude estimates the scale (or size) of its value. To find the order of magnitude of a number, take the base-10 logarithm of the number and round it to the nearest integer. Then the order of magnitude of the number is simply the resulting power of 10.
The order of magnitude is simply a way of rounding numbers consistently to the nearest power of 10. This makes doing rough mental math...
The order of magnitude is simply a way of rounding numbers consistently to the nearest power of 10. This makes doing rough mental math...
Detection of Black Holes
Although black holes were theoretically postulated in the 1920s, they remained outside the domain of observational astronomy until the 1970s.
Their closest cousins are neutron stars, which are composed almost entirely of neutrons packed against each other, making them extremely dense. A neutron star has the same mass as the Sun but its diameter is only a few kilometers. Therefore, the escape velocity from their surface is close to the speed of light.
Not until the 1960s, when the first neutron...
Their closest cousins are neutron stars, which are composed almost entirely of neutrons packed against each other, making them extremely dense. A neutron star has the same mass as the Sun but its diameter is only a few kilometers. Therefore, the escape velocity from their surface is close to the speed of light.
Not until the 1960s, when the first neutron...
Radical Reactivity: Steric Effects
The presence of electron-donating, electron-withdrawing, or conjugating groups adjacent to a radical center, imparts electronic stabilization to the radicals. Examples of such electronically-stabilized radicals are triphenylmethyl, tetramethylpiperidine‐N‐oxide, and 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl. These radicals are remarkably stable and are known as persistent radicals. Some of the persistent radicals can even be isolated and purified.
Along with electronic factors, steric factors also account...
Along with electronic factors, steric factors also account...
Super-resolution Fluorescence Microscopy
Super-resolution fluorescence microscopy (SRFM) provides a better resolution than conventional fluorescence microscopy by reducing the point spread function (PSF). PSF is the light intensity distribution from a point that causes it to appear blurred. Due to PSF, each fluorescing point appears bigger than its actual size, and it is the PSF interference of nearby fluorophores that causes the blurred image. Various approaches to achieving higher resolution through SRFM have recently been developed.
Other Unique Bacteria
Magnetic bacteria exhibit a directed movement called magnetotaxis, driven by structures called magnetosomes. These magnetosomes consist of chains of magnetic particles made of either magnetite (Fe₃O₄) or greigite (Fe₃S₄) and are organized in a linear conformation by a protein scaffold within invaginations of the cell membrane. The bacteria align along the north–south magnetic field lines, much like a compass needle. They are typically microaerophilic or anaerobic and are commonly found near the...

