# Pseudo-drag of a polariton superfluid

## TL;DR

This paper explores how electric currents can influence polariton superfluid condensates, enabling control over their quantum states and inducing circular electric currents through a novel light-matter interaction mechanism.

## Contribution

It introduces a mechanism where electric currents control polariton condensates via stimulated relaxation, revealing new ways to manipulate light-matter quasiparticles in solid-state systems.

## Key findings

- Electric current can control the state of polariton superfluid condensates.
- Stimulated relaxation favors moving condensate formation with minimal threshold.
- Electric currents induce circular currents in micropillar cavities under optical pumping.

## Abstract

The drag of half-light half-mater quasiparticles, exciton-polaritons, by an electric current is a peculiar mechanism of light-matter interaction in solids. While an ideal superfluid is protected from being dragged by its zero viscosity, here we argue that the state of the superfluid polariton condensate formed by a non-resonant optical pumping can be controlled by the electric current. The proposed mechanism is based on the stimulated relaxation of moving uncondensed excitons dragged by the electric current. The stimulated relaxation process favors the formation of a moving condensate in a quantum state that is characterised by the lowest condensation threshold. We also show that the electron-mediated inelastic scattering of the reservoir excitons to the condensate leads to the transfer of a non-zero mean momentum to the electron gas thus contributing to the electric current. We predict the generation of circular electric currents in a micropillar cavity in the presence of a nonresonant laser pumping at normal incidence.