Two-dimensional coulomb plasmon-excitons: relaxation of excitations

A theory is developed for the relaxation of two-dimensional non-radiative (Coulomb) plasmon-excitons in thin closely located layers of a metal and a semiconductor. In the framework of classical electrodynamics, the equations of motion are formulated for the polarization waves of non-radiative plasmons and excitons with taking into account the Coulomb coupling and the near-field of external polarization. In the model of coupled harmonic oscillators represented by the polarization fields of excitations, the problem of relaxation is solved for Coulomb plasmons, excitons and plasmon-excitons. It is shown that the two dispersion branches of normal plasmon-exciton modes undergo anticrossing (mutual repulsion) at the resonance between plasmon and exciton. With dissipative damping and power interchange between the excitations taken into account, the process of plasmon-exciton relaxation depending on time is investigated. The theory displays the principal analogies between dynamics of plasmon-excitons and of excitations in other objects of linear vibration theory, such as mechanical oscillators, resonant electric chains, etc.