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Half-solitons in a polariton quantum fluid behave like magnetic monopoles

R. Hivet,H. Flayac,D. Solnyshkov,D. Tanese,T. Boulier,D. Andreoli,E. Giacobino,J. Bloch,A. Bramati,G. Malpuech,A. Amo

Published 2012 in Nature Physics

ABSTRACT

An analogue of a magnetic monopole is now observed in a condensed state of light–matter hybrid particles known as cavity polaritons. Spin-phase excitations of the polariton fluid are accelerated along the cavity under the influence of a magnetic field—just as if they were single magnetic charges. Magnetic monopoles1 are point-like sources of magnetic field, never observed as fundamental particles. This has triggered the search for monopole analogues in the form of emergent particles in the solid state, with recent observations in spin-ice crystals2,3,4 and one-dimensional ferromagnetic nanowires5. Alternatively, topological excitations of spinor Bose–Einstein condensates have been predicted to demonstrate monopole textures6,7,8. Here we show the formation of monopole analogues in an exciton–polariton spinor condensate hitting a defect potential in a semiconductor microcavity. Oblique dark solitons are nucleated in the wake of the defect9,10 in the presence of an effective magnetic field acting on the polariton pseudo-spin11. The field splits the integer soliton into a pair of oblique half-solitons12 of opposite magnetic charge, subject to opposite effective magnetic forces. These mixed spin-phase excitations thus behave like one-dimensional monopoles13. Our results open the way to the generation of stable magnetic currents in photonic quantum fluids.

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