Plasmon Squeezing in Single-Molecule Junctions

• Published in: Nano letters 2022-12, Vol.22 (23), p.9418-9423
• Main Authors: Nian, Lei-Lei, Wang, Tao, Lü, Jing-Tao
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1530-6984; 1530-6992
• DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.2c03371

Scanning tunneling microscope (STM)-induced luminescence provides an ideal platform for electrical generation and the atomic-scale manipulation of nonclassical states of light. However, despite its extreme importance in quantum technologies, squeezed light emission with reduced quantum fluctuations has hitherto not been demonstrated in such a platform. Here, we theoretically predict that the emitted light from the plasmon mode can be squeezed in an STM single molecular junction subject to an external laser drive. Going beyond the traditional paradigm that generates squeezing with the quadratic interaction of photons, our prediction explores the molecular coherence involved in an anharmonic energy spectrum of a coupled plasmon–molecule–exciton system. Furthermore, we show that, by selectively exciting the energy ladder, the squeezed plasmon can show either sub- or super-Poissonian statistical properties. We also demonstrate that, following the same principle, the molecular excitonic mode can be squeezed simultaneously.