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Real-space collapse of a polariton condensate

Author

Listed:
  • L. Dominici

    (CNR NANOTEC—Istituto di Nanotecnologia)

  • M. Petrov

    (Spin Optics Laboratory, Saint Petersburg State University)

  • M. Matuszewski

    (Institute of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences)

  • D. Ballarini

    (CNR NANOTEC—Istituto di Nanotecnologia)

  • M. De Giorgi

    (CNR NANOTEC—Istituto di Nanotecnologia)

  • D. Colas

    (Física Teorica de la Materia Condensada, UAM)

  • E. Cancellieri

    (University of Sheffield
    Laboratoire Kastler Brossel)

  • B. Silva Fernández

    (CNR NANOTEC—Istituto di Nanotecnologia
    Física Teorica de la Materia Condensada, UAM)

  • A. Bramati

    (Laboratoire Kastler Brossel)

  • G. Gigli

    (CNR NANOTEC—Istituto di Nanotecnologia
    Università del Salento)

  • A. Kavokin

    (Spin Optics Laboratory, Saint Petersburg State University
    CNR-SPIN, Tor Vergata
    Physics and Astronomy, University of Southampton)

  • F. Laussy

    (Física Teorica de la Materia Condensada, UAM
    Russian Quantum Center)

  • D. Sanvitto

    (CNR NANOTEC—Istituto di Nanotecnologia)

Abstract

Microcavity polaritons are two-dimensional bosonic fluids with strong nonlinearities, composed of coupled photonic and electronic excitations. In their condensed form, they display quantum hydrodynamic features similar to atomic Bose–Einstein condensates, such as long-range coherence, superfluidity and quantized vorticity. Here we report the unique phenomenology that is observed when a pulse of light impacts the polariton vacuum: the fluid which is suddenly created does not splash but instead coheres into a very bright spot. The real-space collapse into a sharp peak is at odd with the repulsive interactions of polaritons and their positive mass, suggesting that an unconventional mechanism is at play. Our modelling devises a possible explanation in the self-trapping due to a local heating of the crystal lattice, that can be described as a collective polaron formed by a polariton condensate. These observations hint at the polariton fluid dynamics in conditions of extreme intensities and ultrafast times.

Suggested Citation

  • L. Dominici & M. Petrov & M. Matuszewski & D. Ballarini & M. De Giorgi & D. Colas & E. Cancellieri & B. Silva Fernández & A. Bramati & G. Gigli & A. Kavokin & F. Laussy & D. Sanvitto, 2015. "Real-space collapse of a polariton condensate," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 6(1), pages 1-9, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:6:y:2015:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms9993
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms9993
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