Abstract-Terahertz Excitation of a Coherent Λ-Type Three-Level System of Exciton-Polariton Modes in a Quantum-Well Microcavity

J. L. Tomaino¹, A. D. Jameson¹, Yun-Shik Lee^1,*, G. Khitrova², H. M. Gibbs², A. C. Klettke³, M. Kira³, and S. W. Koch^3 
1Department of Physics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331, USA
²Optical Sciences Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, USA
³Department of Physics and Material Sciences Center, Philipps-University, 35032 Marburg, Germany

http://prl.aps.org/abstract/PRL/v108/i26/e267402

Interactions of few-cycle terahertz pulses with the induced optical polarization in a quantum-well microcavity reveal that the lower and higher exciton-polariton modes together with the optically forbidden 2p-exciton state form a unique Λ-type three-level system. Pronounced nonlinearities are observed via time-resolved strong-terahertz and weak-optical excitation spectroscopy and explained with a fully microscopic theory. The results show that the terahertz pulses strongly couple the exciton-polariton states to the 2p-exciton state while no resonant transition between the two polariton levels is observed.

© 2012 American Physical Society

URL:

http://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevLett.108.267402

DOI:

10.1103/PhysRevLett.108.267402

PACS:

78.67.De, 42.55.Sa, 71.35.Cc, 78.47.jb