Critical velocity in resonantly driven polariton superfluids

TL;DR

This paper investigates the critical velocity at which a resonantly driven polariton superfluid transitions to turbulence when flowing against an obstacle, combining analytical estimates with numerical simulations.

Contribution

It provides the first analytical estimates of the critical velocity in polariton superfluids considering pump parameters, validated by numerical results.

Findings

Critical velocity depends on pump amplitude and energy detuning.

Analytical estimates align well with numerical simulations.

Transition from elliptic to hyperbolic operator characterizes turbulence onset.

Abstract

We study the necessary condition under which a resonantly driven exciton polariton superfluid flowing against an obstacle can generate turbulence. The value of the critical velocity is well estimated by the transition from elliptic to hyperbolic of an operator following ideas developed by Frisch, Pomeau, Rica for a superfluid flow around an obstacle, though the nature of equations governing the polariton superfluid is quite different. We find analytical estimates depending on the pump amplitude and on the pump energy detuning, quite consistent with our numerical computations.