Spontaneous coherence in systems of cavity polaritons

Polaritons in optical microcavities are bosonic quasiparticles with mixed photonic and excitonic properties, allowing for the study of general properties of bosonic gases in the wide range of densities, time scale, spatial scale and temperatures (room temperature Bose-Einstein condensation has been recently reported in GaN). In the unique microcavity lab, we are able to observe the condensation kinetics, condensate flow, topological defects and other phenomena in real time and moreover, the physical properties of the interacting quasiparticles can be tuned through sample fabrication process. Directions of worldwide research and our recent achievements will be reviewed in the seminar.