Correlating Double-Cone Polariton Dynamics with Local Femtosecond Laser Modifications in Ultrashort-Pulse-Stimulated Crystals

Strong similarities for relativistic electrons stimulated from electron beams and electron clouds are merging the boundary of wave-particle duality of electrons, one of which being superposition is Cherenkov radiations. Recent theoretical investigations into quantum Cherenkov effects for cone-shape particles have hypothesized electron-spin flip transitions in bound- and free-electron systems like bulk silica and graphene. However, experimental validation of these predictions remains outstanding. Here, analogous phenomena of polariton-version quantum Cherenkov radiations observed by broadband femtosecond pump-probe experiments is reported, and demonstrate double-cone emission processes involving of Cherenkov-type phonon polaritons (PhPs) and plasmon-PhPs in ultrashort-pulse-stimulated ferroelectric crystals and graphene, respectively. Through component analysis of double-cone polariton emissions using an empirical quantum dynamics model, the initial polariton dynamics are restored by time translation corrections. The resulting quantum wave packets of PhPs are found to be correlated with femtosecond-laser-induced modifications inside ferroelectric lithium niobates, achieving a PhP threshold criterion for ultrasmooth femtosecond laser nanofabrication.