Experimental evidence for inhomogeneous pumping and energy-dependent effects in photon Bose-Einstein condensation
File(s)Phys. Rev. A_91_3_2015.pdf (772.06 KB)
Published version
Author(s)
Nyman, RA
Marelic, J
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Light thermalized at room temperature in an optically pumped, dye-filled microcavity resembles a model system of noninteracting Bose-Einstein condensation in the presence of dissipation. We have experimentally investigated some of the steady-state properties of this unusual state of light and found features which do not match the available theoretical descriptions. We have seen that the critical pump power for condensation depends on the pump beam geometry, being lower for smaller pump beams. Far below threshold, both intracavity photon number and thermalized photon cloud size depend on pump beam size, with optimal coupling when the pump beam matches the thermalized cloud size. We also note that the critical pump power for condensation depends on the cavity cutoff wavelength and longitudinal mode number, which suggests that energy-dependent thermalization and loss mechanisms are important.
Date Issued
2015-03-12
Citation
Physical Review A, 2015, 91 (3)
ISSN
1094-1622
Publisher
American Physical Society
Journal / Book Title
Physical Review A
Volume
91
Issue
3
Copyright Statement
© the Authors 2015. This article is available under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article’s title, journal citation, and DOI.
License URL
Identifier
033813
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
033813