Actively tuned and spatially trapped polaritons

Abstract

We report active tuning of the polariton resonance of quantum well excitons in a semiconductor microcavity using applied stress. Starting with the quantum well exciton energy higher than the cavity photon mode, we use stress to reduce the exciton energy and bring it into resonance with the photon mode. At the point of zero detuning, line narrowing and strong increase of the photoluminescence are seen. By the same means, we create an in-plane harmonic potential for the polaritons, which allows trapping, potentially making Bose-Einstein condensation of polaritons analogous to trapped atoms possible. We demonstrate drift of the polaritons into this trap.

Phonon-Induced Polariton Superlattices

“…The enhanced coherence has motivated basic investigations of micro-optical parametric oscillators [4] as well as ultrafast optical amplifiers [5]. Successful tuning of MC polaritons, without changing their dimensionality, has been demonstrated using static electric [6] and strain fields [7]. Conversely, the static reduction of polariton dimensionality using lithographically defined structuring has also been reported [8][9][10][11].…”

Excitonic Polaritons in Semiconductor Micropillars

“…This produces a shallower confinement than for micropillars but the polariton energy spectrum is clearly discretized. Another approach is to create a trap in real space by applying a local stress, with a tip pushing on the back side of a cavity sample [29]. In this case, polariton trapping has been observed in this local energy minimum, but the energy spectrum remains a quasi-continuum.…”

Compactons and bistability in exciton-polariton condensates

“…Triggered by a series of remarkable experiments, [1][2][3][4] during the last decade one observes a rapidly growing interest in the study of highly populated (macroscopic) exciton-polariton states, which are also identified as quasiparticle Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs). 5,6 Unlike the atomic BECs, the condensates emerging from the interaction of light and matter are nonconservative and exist due to the intense energy exchange with the laser pump beam, balanced by relatively strong losses of excitons and photons arising, for example, due to material and cavity imperfections.…”