title: Effects of spin-dependent interactions on polarization of bright polariton solitons.
abstract: We report on the spin properties of bright polariton solitons supported by an external pump to compensate losses. We observe robust circularly polarized solitons when a circularly polarized pump is applied, a result attributed to phase synchronization between nondegenerate TE and TM polarized polariton modes at high momenta. For the case of a linearly polarized pump, either σ+ or σ- circularly polarized bright solitons can be switched on in a controlled way by a σ+ or σ- writing beam, respectively. This feature arises directly from the widely differing interaction strengths between co- and cross-circularly polarized polaritons. In the case of orthogonally linearly polarized pump and writing beams, the soliton emission on average is found to be unpolarized, suggesting strong spatial evolution of the soliton polarization. The observed results are in agreement with theory, which predicts stable circularly polarized solitons and unstable linearly polarized solitons.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S3 7RH, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sich
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S3 7RH, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fras
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S3 7RH, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Chana
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S3 7RH, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Skolnick
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S3 7RH, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: D N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Krizhanovskii
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Gorbach
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hartley
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: D V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Skryabin
authors.affiliation: Institute of Solid State Physics RAS, Chernogolovka, 142432, Russia.
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Gavrilov
authors.affiliation: Paul-Drude-Institut für Festkörperelektronik, 10117 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Cerda-Méndez
authors.affiliation: Paul-Drude-Institut für Festkörperelektronik, 10117 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Biermann
authors.affiliation: Paul-Drude-Institut für Festkörperelektronik, 10117 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hey
authors.affiliation: Paul-Drude-Institut für Festkörperelektronik, 10117 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: P V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Santos