Exciton–polariton condensates with flat bands in a two-dimensional kagome lattice

Abstract

Microcavity exciton–polariton condensates, as coherent matter waves, have provided a great opportunity to investigate hydrodynamic vortex properties, superfluidity and low-energy quantum state dynamics. Recently, exciton condensates were trapped in various artificial periodic potential geometries: one-dimensional (1D), 2D square, triangular and hexagonal lattices. The 2D kagome lattice, which has been of interest for many decades, exhibits spin frustration, giving rise to magnetic phase order in real materials. In particular, flat bands in the 2D kagome lattice are physically interesting in that localized states in the real space are formed. Here, we realize exciton–polariton condensates in a 2D kagome lattice potential and examine their photoluminescence properties. Above quantum degeneracy threshold values, we observe meta-stable condensation in high-energy bands; the third band exhibits a signature of weaker dispersive band structures, a flat band. We perform a single-particle band structure calculation to compare measured band structures.