Tunable magnetic alignment between trapped exciton-polariton condensates

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates tunable magnetic correlations between trapped exciton-polariton condensates, showing a transition from antiferromagnetic to ferromagnetic states and enabling fast optical switching, with implications for polariton lattice systems.

Contribution

It introduces real-time control of spin states in coupled polariton condensates, revealing tunable magnetic alignment and switching capabilities.

Findings

Observation of crossover from antiferromagnetic to ferromagnetic states

Real-time optical switching of condensates

Explanation based on spin bifurcations and Josephson coupling

Abstract

Tunable spin correlations are found to arise between two neighboring trapped exciton-polariton condensates which spin-polarize spontaneously. We observe a crossover from an antiferromagnetic- to a ferromagnetic pair state by reducing the coupling barrier in real-time using control of the imprinted pattern of pump light. Fast optical switching of both condensates is then achieved by resonantly but weakly triggering only a single condensate. These effects can be explained as the competition between spin bifurcations and spin-preserving Josephson coupling between the two condensates, and open the way to polariton Bose-Hubbard ladders.