Project Details
Projekt
Trapping of zero-dimensional polaritons in sub-micron regions in a microcavity
Subject Area
Experimental Condensed Matter Physics
Optics, Quantum Optics and Physics of Atoms, Molecules and Plasmas
Optics, Quantum Optics and Physics of Atoms, Molecules and Plasmas
Term
from 2016 to 2020
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 280523588
Several of the most striking quantum effects which appear in a dilute gas of bosons at extremely low temperatures, e.g. Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) and superfluidity, have been successfully demonstrated in solid state systems at much higher temperatures over the past few years. These exciting findings, which can be further exploited in various applications like ultralow threshold lasers and single-photon light-sources, rely on exciton polaritons (half-matter, half-light quasi-particles) strongly confined in an optical microcavity. Due to structure imperfections, a disordered potential is often observed in planar microcavities, leading to spatially confined polaritons exhibiting intriguing properties. However the randomness, both in their sizes and positions, prohibits further studies on the highly confined polaritons, or, zero-dimensional polaritons. This project focuses on the deliberate creation and trapping of zero-dimensional polaritons in volumes comparable to their optical wavelength, by introducing adiabatic photonic wells in conventional planar microcavities (US Patent App. 13/792,514). The aim is to observe the quantum blockade, in both semiconductor and organic systems, for zero-dimensional polaritons confined in submicron regions, where the system can only accommodate a single polariton at a time. Thanks to the unique design strategy, it is possible to further exploit the coupling between neighbouring polaritons, thus one can envision an array and even multiplexing of zero-dimensional polariton cells. If successful our research may encourage both experimental and theoretical pursuit of the so called polariton quantum dot and polariton photonic molecule.
DFG Programme
Research Grants
