arXiv subjects

S. Bouchoule

Publications and source records attributed to S. Bouchoule.

11 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Mode-locking instability and multiple soliton formation in GaN polariton waveguide cavities

We study the emergence of multi-soliton regimes in 1D ridge polariton waveguides of two different lengths. We show that by varying the position of the gain, which in out-of-equilibrium polariton systems is provided by the pumping laser and its associated excitonic reservoir, it is possible to tune the regime of soliton formation between single and multiple solitons. This soliton dynamics can be quantitatively reproduced by solving the Gross-Pitaevskii equations of the coupled exciton-photon system, which show that the soliton splitting mechanism is governed by the exciton reservoir dynamics.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Soliton formation in a bound state in the continuum GaN waveguide polariton laser

We study polaritonic bound states in the continuum (BIC) created in GaN waveguides. The existence of symmetry-protected BICs is confirmed by the suppression of light emission and the observation of a polarization vortex in momentum space. Upon increasing the pumping, polariton population accumulates at the BIC and we observe polariton lasing from the blueshifted BIC states. The assessment of the polariton BIC emission energy and of its real and momentum space wavefunctions as a function of pumping power, i.e. of polariton density, indicates the formation of a bright soliton above the lasing threshold. Soliton formation at the BIC is induced by the combination of negative mass BIC and of repulsive polariton-polariton and polariton-reservoir interactions.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2024

Soliton formation in an exciton-polariton condensate at a bound state in the continuum

Bound states in the continuum (BIC) are of special interest in photonics due to their theoretically infinite radiative lifetime. Here, we design a structure composed of a GaN layer with guided exciton-polaritons and a TiO$_2$ 1D photonic crystal slab. The photonic BIC hosted by the photonic crystal slab couples with the excitons of GaN to form a polaritonic BIC with a negative mass. This allows condensation to be reached with a low threshold in a structure suitable for electrical injection, paving the way for room-temperature polariton microdevices. We study in detail how the repulsive interaction between exciton-polaritons affects the condensate distribution in reciprocal space and, consequently, the condensate's overlap with the BIC resonance and, therefore, the condensate lifetime. We study an intrinsic contribution related to the formation of a bright soliton and the extrinsic contribution related to the interaction with an excitonic reservoir induced by spatially focused non-resonant pumping. We then study the peculiar dynamics of the condensation process in a BIC state for interacting particles using Boltzmann equations and hybrid Boltzmann-Gross Pitaevskii equations. We find optimal conditions allowing one to benefit from the long lifetime of the BIC for polariton condensation in a real structure.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2023

Mode-locked GaN waveguide polariton laser

So far, exciton-polariton (polariton) lasers were mostly single mode lasers based on microcavities. Despite the large repulsive polariton-polariton interaction, pulsed mode-locked polariton laser was never reported. Here, we use a $60 \ \mu m-$long GaN-based waveguide surrounded by distributed Bragg reflectors forming a multi-mode horizontal cavity. We demonstrate experimentally and theoretically a polariton mode-locked micro-laser operating in the blue-UV, at room temperature, with a 300$\ GHz$ repetition rate and 100$\ fs$-long pulses. The mode locking is demonstrated by the compensation (linearization) of the mode dispersion by the self-phase modulation induced by the polariton-polariton interaction. It is also supported by the observation in experiment and theory of the typical envelope frequency profile of a bright soliton.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2020

Strong coupling of exciton-polaritons in a bulk GaN planar waveguide: quantifiying the coupling strength

We investigate the demonstration and quantification of the strong coupling between excitons and guided photons in a GaN slab waveguide. The dispersions of waveguide polaritons are measured from T=6~K to 300~K through gratings. They are carefully analyzed within four models based on different assumptions, in order to assess the strong coupling regime. We prove that the guided photons and excitons are strongly coupled at all investigated temperatures, with a small $(11 \%)$ dependence on the temperature. However the values of the Rabi splitting strongly vary among the four models: the "coupled oscillator" model over-estimates the coupling; the analytical "Elliott-Tanguy" model precisely describes the dielectric susceptibility of GaN near the excitonic transition, leading to a Rabi splitting equal to $82 \pm 10 \ meV$ for TE0 modes; the experimental ellipsometry-based model leads to smaller values of $55 \pm 6 \ meV.$ We evidence that for waveguides including active layers with large oscillator strengths, as required for room-temperature polaritonic devices, a strong bending of the modes dispersion is not necessarily the signature of the strong-coupling, which requires for its reliable assessment a precise analysis of the material dielectric susceptibility.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2019

Competition between horizontal and vertical polariton lasing in planar microcavities

Planar microcavities filled with active materials containing excitonic resonances host radiative exciton-polariton (polariton) modes with in-plane wave vectors within the light cone. They also host at least one mode guided in the cavity plane by total internal reflection and which is not radiatively coupled to the vacuum modes except through defects or sample edges. We show that polariton lasing mediated by polariton stimulated scattering can occur concomitantly in both types of modes in a microcavity. By adjusting the detuning between the exciton and the radiative photon mode one can favor polariton lasing either in the radiative or in the guided modes. Our results suggest that the competition between these two types of polariton lasing modes may have played a role in many previous observations of polariton lasing and polariton Bose Einstein condensation.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2018

Edge-emitting polariton laser and amplifier based on a ZnO waveguide

We demonstrate edge-emitting exciton-polariton (polariton) lasing from 5 to 300 K and amplification of non-radiative guided polariton modes within ZnO waveguides. The mode dispersion below and above the lasing threshold is directly measured using gratings present on top of the sample, fully demonstrating the polaritonic nature of the lasing modes. The threshold is found to be similar to that of radiative polarions in planar ZnO microcavities. These results open broad perspectives for guided polaritonics by allowing an easier and more straightforward implementation of polariton integrated circuits exploiting fast propagating polaritons.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2015

Polariton condensation phase diagram in wide bandgap planar microcavities: GaN versus ZnO

GaN and ZnO microcavities have been grown on patterned silicon substrate. Thanks to a common platform these microcavities share similar photonic properties with large quality factors and low photonic disorder which gives the possibility to determine the optimal spot diameter and to realize a complete comparative phase diagram study. Both systems have been investigated under the same experimental condition. Experimental results are well reproduced by simulation using Boltzmann equations. Lower polariton lasing threshold has been measured at low temperature in the ZnO microcavity as expected due to a larger Rabi splitting. However the threshold is strongly impacted by LO phonons through phonon-assisted polariton relaxation. We observe and discuss this effect as a function of temperature and detuning. Finally the polariton lasing threshold at room temperature is quite similar in both microcavities. This study highlights polariton relaxation mechanism and their importance for threshold optimization.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2014

Patterned silicon substrates: a common platform for room temperature GaN and ZnO polariton lasers

A new platform for fabricating polariton lasers operating at room temperature is introduced: nitride-based distributed Bragg reflectors epitaxially grown on patterned silicon substrates. The patterning allows for an enhanced strain relaxation thereby enabling to stack a large number of crack-free AlN/AlGaN pairs and achieve cavity quality factors of several thousands with a large spatial homogeneity. GaN and ZnO active regions are epitaxially grown thereon and the cavities are completed with top dielectric Bragg reflectors. The two structures display strong-coupling and polariton lasing at room temperature and constitute an intermediate step in the way towards integrated polariton devices.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2011

LO-phonon assisted polariton lasing in a ZnO based microcavity

Polariton relaxation mechanisms are analysed experimentally and theoretically in a ZnO-based polariton laser. A minimum lasing threshold is obtained when the energy difference between the exciton reservoir and the bottom of the lower polariton branch is resonant with the LO phonon energy. Tuning off this resonance increases the threshold, and exciton-exciton scattering processes become involved in the polariton relaxation. These observations are qualitatively reproduced by simulations based on the numerical solution of the semi-classical Boltzmann equations.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2011

Fabrication and Optical Properties of a Fully Hybrid Epitaxial ZnO-Based Microcavity in the Strong Coupling Regime

In order to achieve polariton lasing at room temperature, a new fabrication methodology for planar microcavities is proposed: a ZnO-based microcavity in which the active region is epitaxially grown on an AlGaN/AlN/Si substrate and in which two dielectric mirrors are used. This approach allows as to simultaneously obtain a high-quality active layer together with a high photonic confinement as demonstrated through macro-, and micro-photoluminescence (μ-PL) and reflectivity experiments. A quality factor of 675 and a maximum PL emission at k=0 are evidenced thanks to μ-PL, revealing an efficient polaritonic relaxation even at low excitation power.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗