Comment on “Non-Polaritonic Effects in Cavity-Modified Photochemistry”: On the Importance of Experimental Details

Abstract

Recently, an article by Barnes and co-workers reported an in-depth experimental re-evaluation of the earlier work on photoisomerization reactions inside optical cavities under conditions of strong light-matter coupling. That earlier work, which constituted the first demonstration of ‘polaritonic chemistry’, associated cavity-induced modifications of photoisomerization rates with the emergence of strong light-matter coupling (and the formation of polaritonic states). Barnes and co-workers instead found that cavity-induced changes in light absorption can account for changes in the photochemical reaction rates. While Barnes and co-workers correctly highlight the importance of controlling irradi..