Nonlinear infrared polaritonic interaction between cavities mediated by molecular vibrations at ultrafast time scale

Realizing nonlinear interactions between spatially separated particles can advance molecular science and technology, including remote catalysis of chemical reactions, ultrafast processing of information in infrared (IR) photonic circuitry, and advanced platforms for quantum simulations with increased complexity. Here, we achieved nonlinear interactions at ultrafast time scale between polaritons contained in spatially adjacent cavities in the mid-IR regime, altering polaritons in one cavity by pumping polaritons in an adjacent one. This was done by strong coupling molecular vibrational modes with photon modes, a process that combines characteristics of both photon delocalization and molecular nonlinearity. The dual photon/molecule character of polaritons enables delocalized nonlinearity—a property that neither molecular nor cavity mode would have alone.

EXPRESS: Burmese Amber Compared Using Micro-Attenuated Total Reflection Infrared Spectroscopy and Ultraviolet Imaging

The Attenuated Total Reflection (ATR) technique coupled with a microscope allows analysis of specimens without any preparation, spatially correlated with the specimen’s morphology. These characteristics make micro-ATR systems very useful for studying gemstones and in particular amber samples. Indeed, in this report the micro-ATR technique was used to characterize three Burmite samples, as case studies. Particularly, focusing the ATR crystal spot on the amber surface where a difference in the UV reaction was previously detected, thereby relative differences in the IR spectrum could be analyzed. Here we present a methodology combining the UV imaging technique with the micro-ATR/FTIR analyses, in order to correlate the fluorescence information with the molecular vibrational modes of amber and their relative spatial distribution. Finally, this work is intended as an initial methodology study and part of the amber characterization project, focused on characterizing the Burmese Amber collection of the Peretti Museum Foundation, from several disciplines (i.e. Palaeoentomology, vibrational spectroscopy, neutron tomography, etc).