Controlled spin pattern formation in multistable cavity-polariton systems
S. S. Gavrilov, V. D. Kulakovskii
Institute of Solid State Physics, RAS, 142432 Chernogolovka, Russia
Abstract
Theoretical studies are performed of planar cavity-polariton
systems under resonant optical excitation. We show that if the
cavity is spatially anisotropic, the polariton spin is highly
sensitive to the pump polarization direction, which can be used to
modulate the circular polarization of the output light. In
particular, when the right- and left-circular components of the
incident wave have equal intensities and mutually opposite angular
momenta, the pump has strictly linear yet angle-dependent
polarization and as such brings about a periodic angular variation
of the polariton spin. Free motion of polaritons is the other
factor determining the shape of the cavity-field distribution. Such
externally driven and highly tunable spin patterns represent a
counterpart of spin shaping in nonresonantly excited Bose-Einstein
condensates of cavity polaritons.