Spiraling vortices in exciton-polariton condensates

TL;DR

This paper reports the discovery of spiraling vortex patterns in driven-dissipative exciton-polariton condensates, revealing their dependence on pump intensity and polariton mass, and demonstrating complex vortex interactions and trajectories.

Contribution

It introduces the novel phenomenon of spiraling vortices in non-equilibrium exciton-polariton condensates and characterizes their behavior under different pump intensities.

Findings

Spiraling vortices follow circular trajectories with diameters inversely proportional to polariton mass.

Rotation periods of vortices are independent of polariton mass.

Higher pump intensities lead to complex vortex trajectories resembling Spirograph patterns.

Abstract

We introduce the phenomenon of spiraling vortices in driven-dissipative (non-equilibrium) exciton-polariton condensates excited by a non-resonant pump beam. At suitable low pump intensities, these vortices are shown to spiral along circular trajectories whose diameter is inversely proportional to the effective mass of the polaritons, while the rotation period is mass independent. Both diameter and rotation period are inversely proportional to the pump intensity. Stable spiraling patterns in the form of complexes of multiple mutually-interacting vortices are also found. At elevated pump intensities, which create a stronger homogeneous background, we observe more complex vortex trajectories resembling Spirograph patterns.