Dynamics of spin polarization in tilted polariton rings

TL;DR

This paper investigates how pseudo magnetic fields from spin-orbit coupling affect polariton condensates in ring microcavities, revealing stable polarization patterns and matching theoretical models.

Contribution

It demonstrates the influence of TE-TM splitting on spin polarization patterns in polariton rings, combining experimental observations with theoretical modeling.

Findings

Observation of a stable four-leaf polarization pattern

Identification of TE-TM splitting as the cause of the pattern

Qualitative agreement between experiment and spinor Gross-Pitaevskii simulations

Abstract

We have observed the effect of pseudo magnetic field originating from the polaritonic analog of spin-orbit coupling (TE$-$TM splitting) on a polariton condensate in a ring-shaped microcavity. The effect gives rise to a stable four-leaf pattern around the ring as seen from the linear polarization measurements of the condensate photoluminescence. This pattern is found to originate from the interplay of the cavity potential, energy relaxation, and TE-TM splitting in the ring. Our observations are compared to the dissipative one-dimensional spinor Gross-Pitaevskii equation with the TE-TM splitting energy which shows good qualitative agreement.