Bound state in the continuum induced room-temperature superfluorescence
Superfluorescence is a collective emission from several quantum emitters that initially have random phases and are then synchronized through vacuum field interactions. Despite its fascinating prospects in quantum information processing, optical computing and advanced photonic devices, a key challenge in harnessing superfluorescence is alleviating its reliance on cryogenic conditions. Recently, room-temperature superfluorescence has been successfully achieved using upconverted nanoparticles and quasi two-dimensional lead halide perovskites. These approaches, however, are restricted to a few specific material designs and unsuitable for wide promotion. Here, we report a universal strategy to elevate the operating temperature of superfluorescence. We reveal that the symmetry-protected optical bound state in the continuum (BIC) can break the size limitation of superfluorescence (λ^3) and correlate distant but similar emitters without violating the selection rules, significantly accelerating synchronization process and promoting the possibility of room-temperature superfluorescence. This effect has been experimentally verified using a series of BIC metasurfaces made of different lead halide perovskites. Key features such as the quadratic increase in transient peak intensity and the reduction in pulse width and build-up time at the BIC wavelength confirm the realization of room-temperature superfluorescence that is absent in the pristine material. A theoretical model is also built to explain the experimental observations. This research demonstrates that the operating temperatures of coherent macroscopic states can be effectively improved by artificial field, paving a critical step towards constructing building blocks for optical and quantum applications.