Coherent control of exciton polaritons in a semiconductor microcavity

Abstract

We report on the dynamics of resonantly excited lower branch polariton states in a semiconductor quantum microcavity. We show that both the spin orientation and the density of polaritons can be coherently manipulated. The measurements of the optical dephasing time ${T}_{2}$ and the decay time ${T}_{1}$ of the radiant states as a function of the cavity detuning and the lattice temperature give further insights into the relaxation mechanisms of cavity polaritons.