Polariton Chemistry: Molecules in Cavities

Understand the emerging field of polariton chemistry with this accessible introduction

Polaritons are hybrid excitations formed when confined electromagnetic modes form strong couplings with dipole active transitions in a dielectric medium. They have long been a fixture of research in inorganic semiconductor optics but have recently also been taken up as an object of study in molecular science, where their prospective applications are many. The tunability of their molecular properties and processes have given rise to an interdisciplinary field of polariton chemistry, with important potential ramifications for a huge range of fields.

Polariton Chemistry provides a pedagogical overview of this research subject, in which optical cavities are used to control the physiochemical properties and dynamics of molecular systems. The book emphasizes the interdisciplinary nature of this burgeoning field and the need for a shared language and set of fundamentals across many research disciplines. With no existing rival in the current literature, it’s a must-own for researchers in almost any of the physical sciences.

Polariton Chemistry readers will also find:

• Analysis of prospective applications including long-range excitation energy transfer, enhanced charge conductivity, and more
• Detailed discussion of topics including single molecule strong light-matter coupling, ultrastrong light-matter coupling, and many more
• Coverage of key theoretical and experimental techniques

Polariton Chemistry is ideal for any scientist in the fields of physical chemistry, materials science, photonics, quantum optics, and engineering.

Joel Yuen-Zhou, PhD, is Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of California, San Diego. His research focuses on the theoretical description of interactions between light and molecular matter in the weak, strong, and ultrastrong coupling regimes. His pioneering work on polariton chemistry has been awarded with the NSF Early Career, the DOE Early Career, and the ACS Open Eye awards.

Noel C. Giebink, PhD, is Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Michigan. His research focuses broadly on optoelectronic and photonic devices based on organic materials, with applications in solar energy conversion, solid-state lighting, lasers, and nonlinear optics. He is a senior member of the IEEE and National Academy of Inventors and is a recipient of the DARPA YFA, AFOSR YIP, and NSF CAREER awards.

Raphael F. Ribeiro, PhD, is Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry at Emory University, Atlanta since 2020. He is a recipient of a Young Investigator Award by the Physical Chemistry Division of the American Chemical Society and a Chancellor’s Research Excellence Scholarship for Postdoctoral Scholars awarded by the University of California, San Diego. His research is focused on theoretical models and simulation of equilibrium and non-equilibrium chemical dynamics in mesoscopic materials.