The optical hybridization of the electronic states in strongly coupled
molecule-cavity systems have revealed unique properties such as lasing, room
temperature polariton condensation, and the modification of excited electronic
landscapes involved in molecular isomerization. Here we show that molecular
vibrational modes of the electronic ground state can also be coherently coupled
with a micro-cavity mode at room temperature, given the low vibrational thermal
occupation factors associated with molecular vibrations, and the collective
coupling of a large ensemble of molecules immersed within the cavity mode
volume. This enables the enhancement of the collective Rabi-exchange rate with
respect to the single oscillator coupling strength. The possibility of inducing
large shifts in the vibrational frequency of selected molecular bonds should
have immediate consequences for chemistry.Comment: 22 pages, 6 figures (including Supplementary Information file
