Realizing arbitrary trapping potentials for light via direct laser writing of mirror surface profiles(a)Contribution to the Focus Issue Turbulent Regimes in Bose-Einstein Condensates edited by Alessandra Lanotte, Iacopo Carusotto and Alberto Bramati. (23rd June 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kurtscheid, Christian; Dung, David; Redmann, Andreas; Busley, Erik; Klaers, Jan; Vewinger, Frank; Schmitt, Julian; Weitz, Martin
• Is Part Of: Europhysics letters. Volume 130:Number 5(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-06-23
• Subjects: 42.50.-p -- 42.50.Dv -- 42.82.Cr; Physics -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 530.05
• DOI: 10.1209/0295-5075/130/54001
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0295-5075

Abstract

Abstract: The versatility of quantum gas experiments greatly benefits from the ability to apply variable potentials. Here we describe a method which allows the preparation of potential structures for microcavity photons via spatially selective deformation of optical resonator geometries with a heat-induced mirror surface microstructuring technique. We investigate the thermalization of a two-dimensional photon gas in a dye-filled microcavity composed of the custom surface-structured mirrors at wavelength-scale separation. Specifically, we describe measurements of the spatial redistribution of thermal photons in a coupled double-ridge structure, where photons form a Bose-Einstein condensate in a spatially split ground state, as a function of different pumping geometries.