polaritons

Polaritons are hybrid particles formed when light (photons) interacts strongly with matter, like electrons or atoms, within a material. This coupling creates a new, combined state that shares properties of both light and matter—light's ability to travel quickly and matter's interaction capabilities. Think of polaritons as a dance between photons and particles inside a material, resulting in unique behaviors that can be harnessed for applications like advanced lasers or quantum technologies. They are important for understanding light-matter interactions at a fundamental level and developing innovative optical devices.