Giant Rabi splitting in metal/semiconductor nanohybrids

We present strong coupling regime between localized plasmon in lithographed nanoparticles and excitons in an organic semiconductor. The lithographed nanoparticles allow a very good control of the particle size and environment, thereby avoiding a large inhomogeneous broadening of the plasmonic resonances which could partially mask the plasmon/exciton hybridization. The nanoparticles diameter ranges from 100 to 200 nm. A giant Rabi splitting energy of 450 meV is obtained, and typical behaviors of mixed states, i.e. anticrossing of their energies and crossing of their linewidths, are observed. Three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain simulations and coupled oscillator calculations are used to analyze and corroborate the experimental results.