Room-temperature polariton supersolids

Abstract

Exploring exotic quantum phases of matter at room temperature represents a frontier challenge in modern physics. The supersolid phase, uniquely merging crystalline order with frictionless superfluid flow, stands among the most intriguing macroscopic quantum phenomena. However, all previous demonstrations of supersolidity, whether in ultracold atomic gases or III-V semiconductor-based polariton systems, have been strictly confined to cryogenic temperatures. Here, we report the observation of room-temperature supersolids in photonic-crystal polariton condensates. By integrating a room-temperature-stable perovskite semiconductor with a dispersion-engineered photonic-crystal waveguide, we create a polariton condensate with multi-mode dispersion landscapes and pronounced parametric nonlinearities. Above a critical condensation density, the interacting condensates spontaneously break continuous translational symmetry, creating a non-rigid supersolid phase that simultaneously exhibits emergent crystalline order and global quantum coherence. This work establishes a room-temperature platform for investigating quantum hydrodynamics and developing coherent quantum simulation devices.