Spin Textures of Polariton Condensates in a Tunable Microcavity with Strong Spin-Orbit Interaction

TL;DR

This paper explores the diverse spin textures in polariton condensates within tunable microcavities, revealing how spin-orbit coupling and confinement influence their polarization patterns, supported by theoretical models.

Contribution

It demonstrates the emergence of quantized spin vortices and polarization patterns in polariton condensates due to tunable spin-orbit interactions in open microcavities.

Findings

Observation of spin-vortex-like patterns and linear polarization in condensates

Dependence of spin textures on cavity confinement and spin-orbit coupling strength

Theoretical modeling confirms experimental polarization patterns

Abstract

We report an extended family of spin textures in coexisting modes of zero-dimensional polariton condensates spatially confined in tunable open microcavity structures. The coupling between photon spin and angular momentum, which is enhanced in the open cavity structures, leads to new eigenstates of the polariton condensates carrying quantised spin vortices. Depending on the strength and anisotropy of the cavity confinement potential and the strength of the spin-orbit coupling, which can be tuned via the excitonic/photonic fractions, the condensate emissions exhibit either spin-vortex-like patterns or linear polarization, in good agreement with theoretical modelling.