Nonlinear dynamics of the coupled exciton-cavity system In recent years the linear emission dynamics of microcavities containing an optical absorber has been a subject of intense research. For strong coupling between the cavity and the absorber, the spectrum of the coupled system shows two peaks and the linear dynamics of the coupled system is dominated by pronounced oscillations at the normal mode frequency.1 Yet, the uniqueness of the coupled absorber-cavity system cannot be concluded from its linear dynamics. Optical Society of America