Observation of non-Hermitian degeneracies in a chaotic exciton-polariton billiard

dc.contributor.authorGao, Tiejun
dc.contributor.authorEstrecho, Eliezer (Eli)
dc.contributor.authorBliokh, Konstantin
dc.contributor.authorLiew, T.C.H.
dc.contributor.authorFraser, Michael
dc.contributor.authorBrodbeck, Sebastian
dc.contributor.authorKamp, Martin
dc.contributor.authorSchneider, Christian
dc.contributor.authorHofling, Sven
dc.contributor.authorYamamoto, Y.
dc.contributor.authorNori, Franco
dc.contributor.authorTruscott, Andrew
dc.contributor.authorDall, Robert
dc.contributor.authorOstrovskaya, Elena
dc.contributor.authorKivshar, Yuri
dc.date.accessioned2016-06-14T23:20:20Z
dc.date.issued2015
dc.date.updated2016-06-14T08:48:14Z
dc.description.abstractExciton-polaritons are hybrid light-matter quasiparticles formed by strongly interacting photons and excitons (electron-hole pairs) in semiconductor microcavities. They have emerged as a robust solid-state platform for next-generation optoelectronic applications as well as for fundamental studies of quantum many-body physics. Importantly, exciton-polaritons are a profoundly open (that is, non-Hermitian) quantum system, which requires constant pumping of energy and continuously decays, releasing coherent radiation. Thus, the exciton-polaritons always exist in a balanced potential landscape of gain and loss. However, the inherent non-Hermitian nature of this potential has so far been largely ignored in exciton-polariton physics. Here we demonstrate that non-Hermiticity dramatically modifies the structure of modes and spectral degeneracies in exciton-polariton systems, and, therefore, will affect their quantum transport, localization and dynamical properties. Using a spatially structured optical pump, we create a chaotic exciton-polariton billiard-a two-dimensional area enclosed by a curved potential barrier. Eigenmodes of this billiard exhibit multiple non-Hermitian spectral degeneracies, known as exceptional points. Such points can cause remarkable wave phenomena, such as unidirectional transport, anomalous lasing/absorption and chiral modes. By varying parameters of the billiard, we observe crossing and anti-crossing of energy levels and reveal the non-trivial topological modal structure exclusive to non-Hermitian systems. We also observe mode switching and a topological Berry phase for a parameter loop encircling the exceptional point. Our findings pave the way to studies of non-Hermitian quantum dynamics of exciton-polaritons, which may uncover novel operating principles for polariton-based devices.
dc.identifier.issn0028-0836
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1885/103329
dc.publisherMacmillan Publishers Ltd
dc.sourceNature
dc.titleObservation of non-Hermitian degeneracies in a chaotic exciton-polariton billiard
dc.typeJournal article
local.bibliographicCitation.issue7574
local.bibliographicCitation.lastpage558
local.bibliographicCitation.startpage554
local.contributor.affiliationGao, Tiejun, College of Engineering and Computer Science, ANU
local.contributor.affiliationEstrecho, Eliezer (Eli), College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, ANU
local.contributor.affiliationBliokh, Konstantin, College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, ANU
local.contributor.affiliationLiew, T.C.H., Nanyang Technological University
local.contributor.affiliationFraser, Michael, College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, ANU
local.contributor.affiliationBrodbeck, Sebastian , Technische Physik and Wilhelm-Conrad-Röntgen Research Center for Complex Material Systems
local.contributor.affiliationKamp, Martin, University of Wurzburg
local.contributor.affiliationSchneider, Christian, Technische Physik and Wilhelm-Conrad-Röntgen Research Center for Complex Material Systems
local.contributor.affiliationHofling, Sven, Universitat Wurzburg
local.contributor.affiliationYamamoto, Y., Japan Science and Technology Agency
local.contributor.affiliationNori, Franco, University of Michigan
local.contributor.affiliationKivshar, Yuri, College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, ANU
local.contributor.affiliationTruscott, Andrew, College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, ANU
local.contributor.affiliationDall, Robert, College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, ANU
local.contributor.affiliationOstrovskaya, Elena, College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, ANU
local.contributor.authoremailu4933469@anu.edu.au
local.contributor.authoruidGao, Tiejun, u4933469
local.contributor.authoruidEstrecho, Eliezer (Eli), u5644644
local.contributor.authoruidBliokh, Konstantin, u4572145
local.contributor.authoruidFraser, Michael, u2524674
local.contributor.authoruidKivshar, Yuri, u9307695
local.contributor.authoruidTruscott, Andrew, u4040705
local.contributor.authoruidDall, Robert, u9901796
local.contributor.authoruidOstrovskaya, Elena, u9510052
local.description.embargo2037-12-31
local.description.notesImported from ARIES
local.identifier.absfor020501 - Classical and Physical Optics
local.identifier.absseo970102 - Expanding Knowledge in the Physical Sciences
local.identifier.ariespublicationU3488905xPUB6556
local.identifier.citationvolume526
local.identifier.doi10.1038/nature15522
local.identifier.scopusID2-s2.0-84944750173
local.identifier.uidSubmittedByU3488905
local.type.statusPublished Version

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