Polarization and phase textures in lattice plasmon condensates

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates room-temperature, ultrafast polarization textures in a plasmonic lattice Bose-Einstein condensate, combining structural engineering, strong coupling, and phase control for advanced light beam applications.

Contribution

It introduces a novel platform integrating all three main routes of polarization texture creation in a plasmonic lattice condensate with unique advantages.

Findings

Demonstrated domain wall polarization textures in a plasmonic lattice BEC

Combined lattice dipole structure with non-trivial phase for polarization control

Enabled room-temperature, sub-picosecond operation of polarization textures

Abstract

Polarization textures of light may reflect fundamental phenomena such as topological defects, and can be utilized in engineering light beams. Three main routes are applied during their creation: spontaneous appearance in phase transitions, steering by an excitation beam, or structural engineering of the medium. We present an approach that uses all three in a platform offering advantages that are not simultaneously provided in any previous system: advanced structural engineering, strong-coupling condensate with effective photonic interactions, as well as room temperature and sub-picosecond operation. We demonstrate domain wall polarization textures in a plasmonic lattice Bose-Einstein condensate, by combining the dipole structure of the lattice with a non-trivial condensate phase revealed by phase retrieval. These results open new prospects for fundamental studies of non-equilibrium condensation and sources of polarization-structured beams.