Common atomic physics courses jump from the square and harmonic well potentials straight to the hydrogen atom. However, there is a missing link in between, the spherical well potential. Although it is included in some textbooks, the lack of an experimental backing means the problem quickly becomes mathematically complex. Here we have built an optical toy atom using the scattering of an optically levitated, evaporating water droplet. We find a greatly simplified Mie scattering spectrum composed of a series of evolving Fano resonances organized in a set of combs. The whole spectrum can be intuitively explained through an analogy to a quantum spherical well potential. This produces a model of an atom including ground and excited states, quantized angular momentum, and tunneling.
The perfect absorption of light has been traditionally achieved by layered structures whose thickness is at least λ/4n. To achieve electromagnetically thin perfect absorbers, research has focused on metallic metasurfaces which require complex nanofabrication. MoS2 is a promising material for ultra-thin perfect absorbers due to the high oscillator strength of its excitonic transitions and layered nature. However previous efforts to increase MoS2 absorption involve intricate fabrication. Our work shows enhanced absorption in monolayers, perfect absorption and exciton-polaritons in MoS2 slabs. This work simultaneously presents a simple approach to achieve perfect absorption in ultra-thin non-metallic structures and to observe cavity-free exciton-polaritons.
Strongly coupled material excitations to optical modes has shown potential to modify the material’s chemistry. The optical modes are usually given by an external cavity, such as Fabry-Pérot cavities, which may limit the scope of applications. Here we highlight the possibility of self-coupling electronic or vibrational resonances to optical modes sustained by the materials themselves. We show electronic and vibrational cavity-free polaritons in concrete examples, such as a slab of excitonic material and a spherical water droplet in vacuum. The abundance of cavity-free polaritons in simple structures points at their practical importance for polaritonic chemistry, exciton transport, and modified material properties.
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