# Realization of all-optical vortex switching in exciton-polariton condensates

## TL;DR

This paper demonstrates a practical method for controlling and switching localized vortices in exciton-polariton condensates using optical techniques, enabling potential applications in data storage and information processing.

## Contribution

It introduces a simple, robust approach for optically controlling and switching vortex states in exciton-polariton condensates, advancing their use in information technology.

## Key findings

- Successful optical control and switching of vortex states
- Detection of vortex states via emitted light's orbital angular momentum
- Potential for practical vortex-based information processing

## Abstract

Vortices are topological objects representing the circular motion of a fluid. With their additional degree of freedom, the 'vorticity', they have been widely investigated in many physical systems and different materials for fundamental interest and for applications in data storage and information processing. Vortices have also been observed in non-equilibrium exciton-polariton condensates in planar semiconductor microcavities. There they appear spontaneously or can be created and pinned in space using ring-shaped optical excitation profiles. However, using the vortex state for information processing not only requires creation of a vortex but also efficient control over the vortex after its creation. Here we demonstrate a simple approach to control and switch a localized polariton vortex between opposite states. In our scheme, both the optical control of vorticity and its detection through the orbital angular momentum of the emitted light are implemented in a robust and practical manner.