The collective response of macroscopic quantum states under perturbation is widely used to study quantum correlations and cooperative properties, such as defect-induced quantum vortices in Bose–Einstein condensates and the non-destructive scattering of impurities in superfluids. Superfluorescence (SF), as a collective effect rooted in dipole–dipole cooperation through virtual photon exchange, leads to the macroscopic dipole moment (MDM) in high-density dipole ensembles. However, the perturbation response of the MDM in SF systems remains unknown. Echo-like behavior is observed in a cooperative exciton ensemble under a controllable perturbation, corresponding to an initial collapse followed by a revival of the MDM. Such a dynamic response could refer to a phase transition between the macroscopic coherence regime and the incoherent classical state on a time scale of 10 ps. The echo-like behavior is absent above 100 K due to the instability of MDM in a strongly dephased exciton ensemble. Experimentally, the MDM response to perturbations is shown to be controlled by the amplitude and injection time of the perturbations.

Based on the transverse second-harmonic generation (TSHG) effect, we demonstrate a method for in-situ modal inspection of nonlinear micro/nanowaveguides. Pumping lights are equally split and coupled into two ends of a single CdS nanobelt (NB). As pumping light counter-propagates along the NB, transverse second-harmonic (TSH) interference patterns are observed. The influence of multimode interaction on the TSHG effect is discussed in detail. Using fast Fourier transform, TSH interference patterns are analyzed, indicating the existence of at least four modes inside the NB. Experimental beat lengths are found to be in agreement with calculated results.