Coherence signatures and density-dependent interaction in a dynamical exciton-polariton condensate

Abstract

We report on pump-power-dependent emission features of a nonthermalized and interacting dynamical condensate of exciton polaritons. The system based on a planar AlAs/AlGaAs microcavity sample with twelve GaAs quantum wells in the active region is investigated comprehensively by measuring the energy-momentum dispersion characteristics, the spatial coherence, and the photon statistics under resonant, fs-pulsed optical excitation at high momentum. We observe a significant polariton-population-dependent modification of the emission signatures above the quantum degeneracy. The nonequilibrium polariton condensate is confirmed by its polaritonic energy-momentum dispersion as well as excitation-power-dependent coherence properties and its photon statistics, being different from that of an ideal coherent state. The polaritonic condensate is characterized by a spatial coherence length of up to 4 \ensuremath{\mu}m and a super-Poissonian photon statistic of the emitted light well above threshold. Results obtained in second-order photon autocorrelation measurements in momentum-space resolved spectroscopy indicate polariton repulsive interaction throughout the condensate and a spatial coherence length being shorter than the condensate extension of 20--30 \ensuremath{\mu}m.