Abstract Recent experiments demonstrate polaritons under the vibrational strong coupling (VSC) regime can modify chemical reactivity. Here, we present a complete theory of VSC-modified rate constants when coupling a single molecule to an optical cavity, where the role of photonic mode lifetime is understood. The analytic expression exhibits a sharp resonance behavior, where the maximum rate constant is reached when the cavity frequency matches the vibration frequency. The theory explains why VSC rate constant modification closely resembles the optical spectra of the vibration outside the cavity. Further, we discussed the temperature dependence of the VSC-modified rate constants. The analytic theory agrees well with the numerically exact hierarchical equations of motion (HEOM) simulations for all explored regimes. Finally, we discussed the resonance condition at the normal incidence when considering in-plane momentum inside a Fabry-Pérot cavity. 
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                            Investigating the collective nature of cavity-modified chemical kinetics under vibrational strong coupling
                        
                    
    
            Abstract In this paper, we develop quantum dynamical methods capable of treating the dynamics of chemically reacting systems in an optical cavity in the vibrationally strong-coupling (VSC) limit at finite temperatures and in the presence of a dissipative solvent in both the few and many molecule limits. In the context of two simple models, we demonstrate how reactivity in thecollectiveVSC regime does not exhibit altered rate behavior in equilibrium but may exhibit resonant cavity modification of reactivity when the system is explicitly out of equilibrium. Our results suggest experimental protocols that may be used to modify reactivity in the collective regime and point to features not included in the models studied, which demand further scrutiny. 
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                            - Award ID(s):
- 2245592
- PAR ID:
- 10499570
- Publisher / Repository:
- De Gruyter
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Nanophotonics
- Edition / Version:
- 1
- Volume:
- 0
- Issue:
- 0
- ISSN:
- 2192-8606
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 2733
- Subject(s) / Keyword(s):
- polaritons vibrational strong coupling quantum light–matter interactions collective cavity-modified chemical dynamics
- Format(s):
- Medium: X Other: pdf A
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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