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Title: Hydrodynamic nucleation of vortices and solitons in a resonantly excited polariton superfluid

Journal Article · · Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics
;  [1];  [2]
  1. Laboratoire Materiaux et Phenomenes Quantiques, Universite Paris Diderot-Paris 7 and CNRS, UMR 7162, F-75205 Paris Cedex 13 (France)
  2. INO-CNR BEC Center and Dipartimento di Fisica, Universita di Trento, I-38123 Povo (Italy)

We present a theoretical study of the hydrodynamic properties of exciton-polaritons in a semiconductor microcavity under a resonant laser excitation. The effect of a spatially extended defect on the superfluid flow is investigated as a function of the flow speed. The processes that are responsible for the nucleation of vortices and solitons in the wake of the defect are characterized, as well as the regimes where the superfluid flow remains unperturbed. Specific features due to the nonequilibrium nature of the polariton fluid are pointed out. For the present case of a resonant polariton excitation, an effective way to create, trap, and control arrays of vortices is proposed.

OSTI ID:
21538281
Journal Information:
Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics, Vol. 83, Issue 14; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevB.83.144513; (c) 2011 American Institute of Physics; ISSN 1098-0121
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English