phononexciton

A phononexciton is a quasiparticle that arises from the strong coupling between an exciton and a phonon. An exciton is a bound state of an electron and a hole in a semiconductor, representing an excited electronic state. A phonon is a quantum of vibrational energy in a crystal lattice. When the interaction between an exciton and a phonon is sufficiently strong, their individual identities become blurred, and they form a new hybrid quasiparticle, the phononexciton.

The formation of phononexcitons is typically observed in systems where excitons are localized, such as in quantum dots or defects in bulk materials, and where the vibrational modes of the surrounding lattice are strongly coupled to the electronic excitation. This coupling can lead to a significant modification of the optical and electronic properties of the material. For instance, the energy levels of the phononexciton will be shifted compared to the bare exciton, and its radiative decay pathways can be altered. The phononexciton can absorb and emit energy, but this process involves both electronic transitions and lattice vibrations. Understanding phononexcitons is important for fields like solid-state physics, optical spectroscopy, and the development of optoelectronic devices, as their unique properties can be harnessed for novel functionalities. The study of phononexcitons often involves techniques like low-temperature photoluminescence and absorption spectroscopy.