Theory of Bose-Einstein condensation and superfluidity of two-dimensional polaritons in an in-plane harmonic potential

Journal Article · Tue Apr 15 04:00:00 EDT 2008 · Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVB.77.155317· OSTI ID:21143282

Berman, Oleg L ^[1]; Lozovik, Yurii E ^[2]; Snoke, David W ^[3]

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1. Physics Department, New York City College of Technology of the City University of New York, 300 Jay Street, Brooklyn, New York 11201 (United States)
2. Institute of Spectroscopy, Russian Academy of Sciences, Troitsk, Moscow Region 142190 (Russian Federation)
3. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pittsburgh, 3941 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260 (United States)

Recent experiments have shown that it is possible to create an in-plane harmonic potential trap for a two-dimensional (2D) gas of exciton polaritons in a microcavity structure, and evidence has been reported of Bose-Einstein condensation of polaritons accumulated in this type of trap. We present here the theory of Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) and superfluidity of the exciton polaritons in a harmonic potential trap. Along the way, we determine a general method for defining the superfluid fraction in a 2D trap, in terms of angular momentum representation. We show that in the continuum limit, as the trap becomes shallower, the superfluid fraction approaches the 2D Kosterlitz-Thouless limit, while the condensate fraction approaches zero, as expected.

• OSTI ID: 21143282
• Journal Information: Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics, Journal Name: Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics Journal Issue: 15 Vol. 77; ISSN 1098-0121
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ANGULAR MOMENTUM
BOSE-EINSTEIN CONDENSATION
CONDENSATES
EXCITONS
HARMONIC POTENTIAL
POLARONS
SUPERFLUIDITY
TRAPS
TWO-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS