Molecules that harness light are all around us, whether as smart phone display screens or as leaves on plants. In the ERC-funded photmat project we explore the way light can be used to link molecules, through a process known as strong coupling. There is a subtlety, the light we use is virtual light, i.e. we harness fluctuations of the vacuum to link the molecules. Although the ERC funding has now ended, we continue this research through a number of other projects. In Molecular Photonic Breadboards (an EPSRC-funded project led by Graham Leggett, University of Sheffield, UK) we investigate the use of strong coupling to extend exciton transport in molecular materials. In SCOLED (an EU-funded project led by Prof Päivi Torma, Aalto University, Finland) we explore the use of strong coupling in the context of organic LEDs. We also have the pleasure of working with Prof. Felipe Herrera, Universitad de Santiago, Chile, who is with us on a Royal Society Wolfson International Fellowship.
