Interaction of orbital angular momentum light with Rydberg excitons: Modifying dipole selection rules

Annika Melissa Konzelmann, Sjard Ole Krüger, and Harald Giessen
Phys. Rev. B 100, 115308 – Published 17 September 2019
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Abstract

Orbital angular momentum (OAM) light possesses in addition to its usual helicity (s=±, depending on its circular polarization) an orbital angular momentum l. This means that in principle one can transfer more than a single quantum of during an optical transition from light to a quantum system. However, quantum objects are usually so small (typically in the nanometer range) that they only locally probe the dipolar character of the local electric field. In order to sense the complete macroscopic electric field, we utilize Rydberg excitons in the semiconductor cuprite (Cu2O), which are single quantum objects of up to micrometer size. Their interaction with focused OAM light allows for matching the focal spot size and the wave-function diameter. Here, the common dipole selection rules (Δj=±1) should be broken, and transitions of higher Δj with higher-order OAM states should become more probable. Based on group theory, we analyze in detail the optical selection rules governing this process. Then we are able to predict what kind of alternative exciton transitions (quantum number n and lexc) one would expect in absorption spectroscopy on Cu2O using different kinds of OAM light.

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  • Received 17 May 2019
  • Revised 26 August 2019
  • Corrected 6 February 2020

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.100.115308

©2019 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Condensed Matter, Materials & Applied Physics

Corrections

6 February 2020

Correction: Four references and their citations in Sec. 1 were missing and have been inserted.

Authors & Affiliations

Annika Melissa Konzelmann1, Sjard Ole Krüger2, and Harald Giessen1,*

  • 14th Physics Institute and Research Center SCoPE, University of Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 57, D-70569 Stuttgart, Germany
  • 2Institut für Physik, Universität Rostock, Albert-Einstein-Straße 23, D-18059 Rostock, Germany

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Issue

Vol. 100, Iss. 11 — 15 September 2019

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