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POLARITONS

Where two quantum fluids meet

Nature Photonics volume 13, pages 441–442 (2019)Cite this article

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Josephson vortices are observed at the boundary between two exciton-polariton condensates, with lasers used to create the required local phase twist. The finding opens new opportunities for exploring fundamental physics and engineering novel quantum devices.

Where the Pacific and Atlantic oceans meet in the Gulf of Alaska, a surprising and eye-opening phenomenon occurs: seemingly, they do not mix but instead a barrier is created at the boundary of two classical fluids. This remarkable behaviour is caused by the distinct temperature, density and salinity properties of the two waters. However, even more exotic and fascinating phenomena can arise when two quantum fluids propagate and meet in a nonlinear medium. Now writing in Nature Photonics, European scientists report the direct capture of beautiful quantum signatures that occur at the twisted boundary of two exciton-polariton condensates that are in antiphase1.

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Fig. 1: Two resonant phase-controlling lasers (red and blue) locally imprint phase on two exciton-polariton condensates with a phase difference of π.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Quantum Computing, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

    Taehyun Yoon & Na Young Kim

  2. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

    Taehyun Yoon & Na Young Kim

Authors
  1. Taehyun Yoon
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  2. Na Young Kim
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Correspondence to Na Young Kim.

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Yoon, T., Kim, N.Y. Where two quantum fluids meet. Nat. Photonics 13, 441–442 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41566-019-0473-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41566-019-0473-8

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