Robust platform for engineering pure-quantum-state transitions in polariton condensates

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates a robust platform for creating and controlling pure-quantum-state polariton condensates in optical traps, enabling ultrafast state transitions with potential applications in quantum technologies.

Contribution

It reveals that polariton wavefunctions always form in the uppermost confined state and introduces a tunable, ultrafast control method for quantum-state transitions in polariton condensates.

Findings

Polariton condensates always occupy the uppermost confined state.

Ultrafast transitions between states with different symmetries are achieved.

The platform is promising for quantum circuitry and processing.

Abstract

We report on pure-quantum-state polariton condensates in optical annular traps. The study of the underlying mechanism reveals that the polariton wavefunction always coalesces in a single pure-quantum-state that, counter-intuitively, is always the uppermost confined state with the highest overlap to the exciton reservoir. The tunability of such states combined with the short polariton lifetime allows for ultrafast transitions between coherent mesoscopic wavefunctions of distinctly different symmetries rendering optically confined polariton condensates a promising platform for applications such as many-body quantum circuitry and continuous-variable quantum processing.