Quantum coherence in momentum space of light-matter condensates
Abstract
We show that the use of momentum-space optical interferometry, which avoids any spatial overlap between two parts of a macroscopic quantum state, presents a unique way to study coherence phenomena in polariton condensates. In this way, we address the longstanding question in quantum mechanics: "\emph{Do two components of a condensate, which have never seen each other, possess a definitive phase?}" [P. W. Anderson, \emph{Basic Notions of Condensed Matter Physics} (Benjamin, 1984)]. A positive answer to this question is experimentally obtained here for light-matter condensates, created under precise symmetry conditions, in semiconductor microcavities taking advantage of the direct relation between the angle of emission and the in-plane momentum of polaritons.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.1312.2090,
title = {Quantum coherence in momentum space of light-matter condensates},
author = {C. Antón and G. Tosi and M. D. Martín and Z. Hatzopoulos and G. Konstantinidis and P. S. Eldridge and P. G. Savvidis and C. Tejedor and L. Viña},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1312.2090},
year = {2014}
}
Comments
6 pages, 3 figures