Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

arXiv:1001.3698 · Physical Review Letters

Gain-Induced Trapping of Microcavity Exciton Polariton Condensates

Georgios Roumpos, Wolfgang H. Nitsche, Sven Höfling, A. Forchel, Y. Yamamoto

Published Mar 26, 2010• 99 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

We have performed real and momentum space spectroscopy of exciton polariton condensates in a GaAs-based microcavity under nonresonant excitation with an intensity-stabilized laser. An effective trapping mechanism is revealed, which is due to the stimulated scattering gain inside the finite excitation spot combined with the short lifetime. We observe several quantized modes while the lowest state shows Heisenberg-limited real and momentum space distributions. The experimental findings are qualitatively reproduced by an open dissipative Gross-Pitaevskii equation model.

DOI
10.1103/physrevlett.104.126403

Related papers

Spontaneous condensation of exciton polaritons in the single-shot regime

Eliezer Estrecho, Tingge Gao, Nataliya Bobrovska +9 more

Bose-Einstein condensate of exciton polaritons in a semiconductor microcavity is a macroscopically populated coherent quantum state subject to concurrent pumping and decay. Debates about the fundamental nature of the condensed phase in this open quantum system still persist. Here, we gain a new insight into the spontaneous condensation process by imaging long-lifetime exciton polaritons in a high-quality inorganic microcavity in the single-shot optical excitation regime, without averaging over multiple condensate realisations. In this highly non-stationary regime, a condensate is strongly influenced by the `hot' incoherent reservoir, and reservoir depletion is critical for the transition to the ground energy and momentum state. Condensates formed by more photonic exciton polaritons exhibit dramatic reservoir-induced density filamentation and shot-to-shot fluctuations. In contrast, condensates of more excitonic quasiparticles display smooth density and are second-order coherent. Our observations show that the single-shot measurements offer a unique opportunity to study formation of macroscopic phase coherence during a quantum phase transition in a solid state system.

arXiv:1705.00469•May 1, 2017•0 citations

Condensation of Semiconductor Microcavity Exciton Polaritons

Hui Deng, Gregor Weihs, Charles Santori +2 more

A phase transition from a classical thermal mixed state to a quantum-mechanical pure state of exciton polaritons is observed in a GaAs multiple quantum-well microcavity from the decrease of the second-order coherence function. Supporting evidence is obtained from the observation of a nonlinear threshold behavior in the pump-intensity dependence of the emission, a polariton-like dispersion relation above threshold, and a decrease of the relaxation time into the lower polariton state. The condensation of microcavity exciton polaritons is confirmed.

Science•Oct 3, 2002•890 citations

Stimulated Emission of Excitons into Polaritons in a Semiconductor Microcavity Post

F. Tassone, Y. Yamamoto

Three-dimensional confinement of microcavity polaritons in a small post structure can be used to produce quasi-discrete polariton modes. For sufficiently small structures, the lowest confined polariton mode becomes well isolated from the other states. We consider the exciton–exciton scattering dynamics in the micropost system, and injection of moderate amount of excitons. We show that exciton–exciton scattering provides sufficient gain to produce stimulated emission of excitons into confined polaritons, well before collapse of the Rabi splitting. We also study the statistical properties of this matter laser, and beside usual Poisson statistics and linewidth reduction above threshold, we also find a linewidth increase very far above threshold, which is peculiar of this system, and shows strong similarities to properties of some proposed atomic laser systems.

physica status solidi (a)•Mar 1, 2000•4 citations

Transient spectroscopy of near-condensate modes in the system of exciton polaritons in a semiconductor microcavity

Sergei S. Gavrilov, Sergey I. Novikov, V. D. Kulakovskiĭ +3 more

A transient spectroscopy technique for studying near-condensate modes of exciton polaritons in high-quality-factor planar semiconductor microcavities is proposed. It is demonstrated that, under the conditions of coherent external pumping, the transition to the upper steady state of an optically bistable condensate is accompanied by the excitation of near-condensate modes. They manifest themselves in the appearance of transient oscillations of the polariton intensity as the system switches to the upper branch of the S-shaped bistable pump dependence of the intensity. Analysis of the time-resolved spectra of these oscillations provides information on interactions in the system and the evolution of the exciton-polariton condensate density.

Journal of Experimental and Theoretical Physics Letters•Jan 1, 2015•5 citations

On the mechanism of the maintenance of Rabi oscillations in the system of exciton polaritons in a microcavity

Sevak Demirchyan, Igor Yu. Chestnov, Sergei M Arakelyan +2 more

A physical mechanism of the implementation of undamped Rabi oscillations in the system of exciton polaritons in a semiconductor microcavity in the presence of nonresonant pumping has been proposed. Various mechanisms of the stimulated scattering of excitons from the reservoir have been considered. It has been shown that undamped oscillations of the population of the photon component of the condensate can be caused by the feeding of a coherent Rabi oscillator owing to the pair scattering of excitons from the reservoir to the ground state. The effect should be observed in spite of a more intense relaxation of polaritons of the upper branch observed experimentally.

Journal of Experimental and Theoretical Physics Letters•Jan 1, 2016•3 citations

Lasing and squeezing of composite bosons in a semiconductor microcavity

F. Tassone, Y. Yamamoto

We consider a semiconductor microcavity etched into a small post structure in which the polariton modes become quantized. When moderate amounts of excitons are injected, large gain for the lowest confined polariton results from exciton-exciton scattering. We show that gain is sufficient to compensate for typical losses of GaAs structures, and stimulated emission of the confined polariton is eventually achieved at an exciton density below that where Rabi splitting collapses. We study the dependence of the threshold exciton density on post size, polariton loss rate and lattice temperature. We study the polariton statistics, and show that far above threshold, typical transition from super-Poissonian to Poissonian statistics is preserved. Exciton-exciton interaction produces a self-phase modulation, resulting in enhanced frequency noise, and into a net increase of the emission linewidth far above threshold. We show how to produce a number-squeezed state using correlation between frequency and number noise. A numerical example of a realistic structure is also analyzed in detail.

Physical Review A•Nov 13, 2000•64 citations
We have performed real and momentum space spectroscopy of exciton polariton condensates in a GaAs-based microcavity under nonresonant excitation with an intensity-stabilized laser. An effective trapping mechanism is revealed, which is due to the stimulated scattering gain inside the finite excitation spot combined with the short lifetime. We observe several quantized modes while the lowest state shows Heisenberg-limited real and momentum space distributions. The experimental findings are qualitatively reproduced by an open dissipative Gross-Pitaevskii equation model.
Bose-Einstein condensate of exciton polaritons in a semiconductor microcavity is a macroscopically populated coherent quantum state subject to concurrent pumping and decay. Debates about the fundamental nature of the condensed phase in this open quantum system still persist. Here, we gain a new insight into the spontaneous condensation process by imaging long-lifetime exciton polaritons in a high-quality inorganic microcavity in the single-shot optical excitation regime, without averaging over multiple condensate realisations. In this highly non-stationary regime, a condensate is strongly influenced by the `hot' incoherent reservoir, and reservoir depletion is critical for the transition to the ground energy and momentum state. Condensates formed by more photonic exciton polaritons exhibit dramatic reservoir-induced density filamentation and shot-to-shot fluctuations. In contrast, condensates of more excitonic quasiparticles display smooth density and are second-order coherent. Our observations show that the single-shot measurements offer a unique opportunity to study formation of macroscopic phase coherence during a quantum phase transition in a solid state system.
A phase transition from a classical thermal mixed state to a quantum-mechanical pure state of exciton polaritons is observed in a GaAs multiple quantum-well microcavity from the decrease of the second-order coherence function. Supporting evidence is obtained from the observation of a nonlinear threshold behavior in the pump-intensity dependence of the emission, a polariton-like dispersion relation above threshold, and a decrease of the relaxation time into the lower polariton state. The condensation of microcavity exciton polaritons is confirmed.
Three-dimensional confinement of microcavity polaritons in a small post structure can be used to produce quasi-discrete polariton modes. For sufficiently small structures, the lowest confined polariton mode becomes well isolated from the other states. We consider the exciton–exciton scattering dynamics in the micropost system, and injection of moderate amount of excitons. We show that exciton–exciton scattering provides sufficient gain to produce stimulated emission of excitons into confined polaritons, well before collapse of the Rabi splitting. We also study the statistical properties of this matter laser, and beside usual Poisson statistics and linewidth reduction above threshold, we also find a linewidth increase very far above threshold, which is peculiar of this system, and shows strong similarities to properties of some proposed atomic laser systems.
A transient spectroscopy technique for studying near-condensate modes of exciton polaritons in high-quality-factor planar semiconductor microcavities is proposed. It is demonstrated that, under the conditions of coherent external pumping, the transition to the upper steady state of an optically bistable condensate is accompanied by the excitation of near-condensate modes. They manifest themselves in the appearance of transient oscillations of the polariton intensity as the system switches to the upper branch of the S-shaped bistable pump dependence of the intensity. Analysis of the time-resolved spectra of these oscillations provides information on interactions in the system and the evolution of the exciton-polariton condensate density.
A physical mechanism of the implementation of undamped Rabi oscillations in the system of exciton polaritons in a semiconductor microcavity in the presence of nonresonant pumping has been proposed. Various mechanisms of the stimulated scattering of excitons from the reservoir have been considered. It has been shown that undamped oscillations of the population of the photon component of the condensate can be caused by the feeding of a coherent Rabi oscillator owing to the pair scattering of excitons from the reservoir to the ground state. The effect should be observed in spite of a more intense relaxation of polaritons of the upper branch observed experimentally.
We consider a semiconductor microcavity etched into a small post structure in which the polariton modes become quantized. When moderate amounts of excitons are injected, large gain for the lowest confined polariton results from exciton-exciton scattering. We show that gain is sufficient to compensate for typical losses of GaAs structures, and stimulated emission of the confined polariton is eventually achieved at an exciton density below that where Rabi splitting collapses. We study the dependence of the threshold exciton density on post size, polariton loss rate and lattice temperature. We study the polariton statistics, and show that far above threshold, typical transition from super-Poissonian to Poissonian statistics is preserved. Exciton-exciton interaction produces a self-phase modulation, resulting in enhanced frequency noise, and into a net increase of the emission linewidth far above threshold. We show how to produce a number-squeezed state using correlation between frequency and number noise. A numerical example of a realistic structure is also analyzed in detail.