Polariton propagation in high quality semiconductors: Microscopic theory and experiment versus additional boundary conditions

Linear exciton-polariton propagation in semiconductors is analyzed using a microscopic theory. Numerical results are compared with various approximation schemes based on additional boundary conditions, and with phase-amplitude linear spectroscopy experiments in high-quality GaAs. A simultaneous description of the measured amplitude and phase of the transmitted electric field is only possible with the full model.