Microwave-optical coupling via Rydberg excitons in cuprous oxide

Abstract

We report exciton-mediated coupling between microwave and optical fields in cuprous oxide (Cu2O) at low temperatures. Rydberg excitonic states with principal quantum number up to n=12 were observed at 4 K using both one-photon (absorption) and two-photon (second harmonic generation) spectroscopy. Near resonance with an excitonic state, the addition of a microwave field significantly changed the absorption line shape, and added sidebands at the microwave frequency to the coherent second harmonic. Both effects showed a complex dependence on n and angular momentum l. All of these features are in semiquantitative agreement with a model based on intraband electric dipole transitions between Rydberg exciton states. With a simple microwave antenna we already reach a regime where the microwave coupling (Rabi frequency) is comparable to the nonradiatively broadened linewidth of the Rydberg excitons. The results provide an additional way to manipulate excitonic states, and open up the possibility of a cryogenic microwave to optical transducer based on Rydberg excitons.