Tunable Magnetic Alignment between Trapped Exciton-Polariton Condensates

Stochastic Single-Shot Polarization Pinning of Polariton Condensate at High Temperatures

We resolve single-shot polariton condensate polarization dynamics, revealing a high degree of circular polarization persistent up to T=170  K. The statistical analysis of pulse-to-pulse polariton condensate polarization elucidates the stochastic nature of the polarization pinning process, which is strongly dependent on the pump laser intensity and polarization. Our experiments show that by spatial trapping and isolating condensates from their noisy environment it is possible to form strongly spin-polarized polariton condensates at high temperatures, offering a promising route to the realization of polariton spin lattices for quantum simulations.

Spontaneously coherent orbital coupling of counterrotating exciton polaritons in annular perovskite microcavities

Exciton-polariton condensation is regarded as a spontaneous macroscopic quantum phenomenon with phase ordering and collective coherence. By engineering artificial annular potential landscapes in halide perovskite semiconductor microcavities, we experimentally and theoretically demonstrate the room-temperature spontaneous formation of a coherent superposition of exciton-polariton orbital states with symmetric petal-shaped patterns in real space, resulting from symmetry breaking due to the anisotropic effective potential of the birefringent perovskite crystals. The lobe numbers of such petal-shaped polariton condensates can be precisely controlled by tuning the annular potential geometry. These petal-shaped condensates form in multiple orbital states, carrying locked alternating π phase shifts and vortex-antivortex superposition cores, arising from the coupling of counterrotating exciton-polaritons in the confined circular waveguide. Our geometrically patterned microcavity exhibits promise for realizing room-temperature topological polaritonic devices and optical polaritonic switches based on periodic annular potentials.

Polariton condensate trapping by parametric pair scattering

Spatially confined, trapped polariton condensates have been shown to exhibit strong stochastic on-site spin polarization and in longer polariton condensate chains, distance controlled ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic spin couplings. Until now, little is known, on how such polariton condensates spatially separated from their exciton reservoirs are trapped and formed. Here, we investigate the properties and formation dynamics of two main families of polariton condensates, those overlapping with the pump reservoir and those in confined geometries, under pulsed nonresonant excitation. The observed reduction in polariton condensation threshold and energy blueshift in trapped case is attributed to exciton reservoir-condensate spatial separation, whereas time-resolved photoluminescence measurements, reveal distinct relaxation and condensate formation dynamics with pair parametric scattering process being the dominant relaxation mechanism in trapped geometry.

Optical Josephson oscillation achieved by two coupled exciton-polariton condensates

Two coupled exciton-polariton condensates (EPCs) in a double-well photonic potential are suggested to form the optical Josephson oscillation (JO) whose dependences on the pump arrangement, the potential geometry, and the exciton-photon detuning are studied through the Gross-Pitaevskii equations. When the pump detuning is slightly positive with respect to the polariton energy and the phase difference between the two EPCs is near π/2 (both are controlled by the pump beams), the system demonstrates the optical JO. The optical JO tunneling strength (J) depends on the distance (d) and barrier (Λ) between the two wells, for which an empirical formula is fitted, i.e., J≈0.42exp⁡(-d Λ/18.4) with the energy and length units in meV and μm. Since the double-well potential adopted is general, this fitting relation can show a guidance in practice for designing the optical devices based on the optical JO.

Polariton-Polariton Interactions Revealed in a One-dimensional Whispering Gallery Microcavity

Coulomb interactions are essential to the dynamics and optical properties of exciton-polaritons. Here, we report an experimental observation of polariton-polariton interactions far beyond theory in a one-dimensional whispering gallery microcavity. Based on the unique half-light half-matter nature, we were able to clarify the effects of excitons, quantum confinement, and nonthermalized polariton distribution in the measurements of the polaritonic interactions. Spectacularly, our position-scan and power-scan investigations both revealed that the polariton-polariton interaction strength is up to 2 orders of magnitude larger than theoretical predictions. These results suggest that polaritonic interactions are far more complicated than the expectation and should be re-examined in polariton physics and devices involving polaritonic interactions.

Dynamics of excited-state condensate for optically confined exciton-polaritons

We report experimental studies on the dynamics of excited-state condensate for exciton-polaritons confined in an optically generated trap. The three-dimensionally confined trap was realized by imposing two optical barriers onto a one-dimensional ZnO whispering gallery microcavity. Experimentally, we characterized the confined polariton condensate by varying the trap width and the barrier height. Theoretically, we calculated the spatial overlap between the polariton wavefunction and the excitonic reservoir. Direct comparison of these results verified that such polariton-reservoir overlap was responsible for the observed excited-state polariton condensate.

Spatiotemporal Spin Noise Spectroscopy

We report on the potential of a new spin noise spectroscopy approach by demonstrating all-optical probing of spatiotemporal spin fluctuations. This is achieved by homodyne mixing of a spatially phase-modulated local oscillator with spin-flip scattered light, from which the frequency and wave vector dependence of the spin noise power is unveiled. As a first application of the method we measure the spatiotemporal spin noise in weakly n-doped CdTe layers, from which the electron spin diffusion constant and spin relaxation rates are determined. The absence of spatial spin correlations is also shown for this particular system.

Simulating Ising and n-State Planar Potts Models and External Fields with Nonequilibrium Condensates

Classical spin models with discrete or continuous degrees of freedom arise in many studies of complex physical systems. A wide class of hard real-life optimization problems can be formulated as a minimization of a spin Hamiltonian. Here we show how to simulate the discrete Ising and n-state planar Potts models with or without external fields using the physical gain-dissipative platforms with continuous phases, such as lasers and various nonequilibrium Bose-Einstein condensates. The underlying operational principle originates from a combination of resonant and nonresonant pumping. Our results lay grounds for the physical simulations of a broad range of Hamiltonians with complex interactions that can vary in time and space and with combined symmetries.

Controlled Ordering of Topological Charges in an Exciton-Polariton Chain

We demonstrate, experimentally and theoretically, controlled loading of an exciton-polariton vortex chain into a 1D array of trapping potentials. Switching between two types of vortex chains, with topological charges of the same or alternating signs, is achieved by appropriately shaping an off-resonant pump beam that drives the system to the regime of bosonic condensation. In analogy to spin chains, these vortex sequences realize either a "ferromagnetic" or an "antiferromagnetic" order, whereby the role of spin is played by the orbital angular momentum. The ferromagnetic ordering of vortices is associated with the formation of a persistent chiral current. Our results pave the way for the controlled creation of nontrivial distributions of orbital angular momentum and topological order in a periodic exciton-polariton system.

Generation of Quantized Polaritons below the Condensation Threshold

Exciton polaritons in high quality semiconductor microcavities can travel long macroscopic distances (>100  μm) due to their ultralight effective mass. The polaritons are repelled from optically pumped exciton reservoirs where they are formed; however, their spatial dynamics is not as expected for pointlike particles. Instead we show polaritons emitted into waveguides travel orthogonally to the repulsive potential gradient and can only be explained if they are emitted as macroscopic delocalized quantum particles, even before they form Bose condensates.

Hybrid organic-inorganic polariton laser

Organic materials exhibit exceptional room temperature light emitting characteristics and enormous exciton oscillator strength, however, their low charge carrier mobility prevent their use in high-performance applications such as electrically pumped lasers. In this context, ultralow threshold polariton lasers, whose operation relies on Bose-Einstein condensation of polaritons – part-light part-matter quasiparticles, are highly advantageous since the requirement for high carrier injection no longer holds. Polariton lasers have been successfully implemented using inorganic materials owing to their excellent electrical properties, however, in most cases their relatively small exciton binding energies limit their operation temperature. It has been suggested that combining organic and inorganic semiconductors in a hybrid microcavity, exploiting resonant interactions between these materials would permit to dramatically enhance optical nonlinearities and operation temperature. Here, we obtain cavity mediated hybridization of GaAs and J-aggregate excitons in the strong coupling regime under electrical injection of carriers as well as polariton lasing up to 200 K under non-resonant optical pumping. Our demonstration paves the way towards realization of hybrid organic-inorganic microcavities which utilise the organic component for sustaining high temperature polariton condensation and efficient electrical injection through inorganic structure.

Spontaneous Polariton Currents in Periodic Lateral Chains

We predict spontaneous generation of superfluid polariton currents in planar microcavities with lateral periodic modulation of both the potential and decay rate. A spontaneous breaking of spatial inversion symmetry of a polariton condensate emerges at a critical pumping, and the current direction is stochastically chosen. We analyze the stability of the current with respect to the fluctuations of the condensate. A peculiar spatial current domain structure emerges, where the current direction is switched at the domain walls, and the characteristic domain size and lifetime scale with the pumping power.

Spin Order and Phase Transitions in Chains of Polariton Condensates

We demonstrate that multiply coupled spinor polariton condensates can be optically tuned through a sequence of spin-ordered phases by changing the coupling strength between nearest neighbors. For closed four-condensate chains these phases span from ferromagnetic (FM) to antiferromagnetic (AFM), separated by an unexpected crossover phase. This crossover phase is composed of alternating FM-AFM bonds. For larger eight-condensate chains, we show the critical role of spatial inhomogeneities and demonstrate a scheme to overcome them and prepare any desired spin state. Our observations thus demonstrate a fully controllable nonequilibrium spin lattice.

Effects of the non-parabolic kinetic energy on non-equilibrium polariton condensates

In the study of non-equilibrium polariton condensates it is usually assumed that the dispersion relation of polaritons is parabolic in nature. We show that considering the true non-parabolic kinetic energy of polaritons leads to significant changes in the behaviour of the condensate due to the curvature of the dispersion relation and the possibility of transfer of energy to high wavenumber components in the condensate spatial profile. We present explicit solutions for plane waves and linear excitations, and identify the differences in the theoretical predictions between the parabolic and non-parabolic mean-field models, showing the possibility of symmetry breaking in the latter. We then consider the evolution of wavepackets and show that self-localisation effects may be observed due to the curvature of the dispersion relation. Finally, we revisit the dynamics of dark soliton trains and show that additional localized density excitations may emerge in the dynamics due to the excitation of high frequency components, mimicking the appearance of near-bright solitary waves over short timescales.

Cellular automata in photonic cavity arrays

We propose theoretically a photonic Turing machine based on cellular automata in arrays of nonlinear cavities coupled with artificial gauge fields. The state of the system is recorded making use of the bistability of driven cavities, in which losses are fully compensated by an external continuous drive. The sequential update of the automaton layers is achieved automatically, by the local switching of bistable states, without requiring any additional synchronization or temporal control.