Drag effects in a system of electrons and microcavity polaritons

Journal Article · Wed Sep 15 00:00:00 EDT 2010 · Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVB.82.125307· OSTI ID:21421425

Berman, Oleg L ^[1]; Kezerashvili, Roman Ya ^[2]; Lozovik, Yurii E ^[3]

---

1. Physics Department, New York City College of Technology, City University of New York, Brooklyn, New York 11201 (United States)
2. Physics Department, New York City College of Technology, The City University of New York, Brooklyn, New York 11201 (United States)
3. Institute of Spectroscopy, Russian Academy of Sciences, 142190 Troitsk, Moscow Region (Russian Federation)

The theory of the drag effects in the system of spatially separated electrons and excitons in coupled quantum wells (QWs) embedded in an optical microcavity is developed. It is shown that at low temperature an electron current induces the polariton flow, therefore, a transport of photons along the cavity. However, the electron current dragged by the polariton flow is strongly suppressed below polariton superfluid transition temperature and hence, the strong suppression of the induced electron current indicates the superfluidity of polaritons. Therefore, the transport properties of polaritons can be investigated by measuring the current or voltage in the electron subsystem. At high temperatures, we study the exciton-electron drag effects. At high-temperatures regime, from one hand, the existence of the electric current in an electron QW induces the exciton flow in the other QW, from the other hand, the electron current in one QW induces the exciton flow in the other QW via the drag of excitons by the electrons. The drag coefficients for the polariton-electron systems are calculated and analyzed. We discuss the possible experimental observation of the drag effects in the system of electrons and microcavity polaritons, that also allow to observe the cavity polaritons superfluidity.

• OSTI ID: 21421425
• Journal Information: Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics, Vol. 82, Issue 12; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevB.82.125307; (c) 2010 The American Physical Society; ISSN 1098-0121
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
ELECTRONS
EXCITONS
PHOTONS
POLARONS
QUANTUM WELLS
SUPERFLUIDITY
TRANSITION TEMPERATURE
BOSONS
CURRENTS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
FERMIONS
LEPTONS
MASSLESS PARTICLES
NANOSTRUCTURES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
QUASI PARTICLES
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES