Dynamics of formation and decay of coherence in a polariton condensate

TL;DR

This paper investigates how microcavity polariton condensates form and decay, revealing that coherence peaks after maximum particle number due to competition between thermal and coherent fractions.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the dynamics of coherence formation and decay in polariton condensates, highlighting the non-trivial relationship between particle number and coherence.

Findings

Coherence peaks after maximum particle number.

Coherence is influenced by the competition between thermal and coherent fractions.

Interactions are negligible in the coherence dynamics.

Abstract

We study the dynamics of formation and decay of a condensate of microcavity polaritons. We investigate the relationship between the number of particles, the emission's linewidth and its degree of linear polarization which serves as the order parameter. Tracking the condensate's formation, we show that, even when interactions are negligible, coherence is not determined only by occupation of the ground state. As a result of the competition between the coherent and thermal fractions of the condensate, the highest coherence is obtained some time after the particle number has reached its maximum.