Quantum mechanics

Metallurgy

Materials science

Coupling (piping)

Excitation

Acoustics

Atomic orbital

Lattice (music)

Polariton

Physics

Exciton

Condensed matter physics

Exciton-polaritons

Electron

Spin–orbit interaction

Physical Review Letters

We study exciton polaritons in a two-dimensional Lieb lattice of micropillars. The energy spectrum of the system features two flat bands formed from S and P_{x,y} photonic orbitals, into which we trigger bosonic condensation under high power excitation. The symmetry of the orbital wave functions combined with photonic spin-orbit coupling gives rise to emission patterns with pseudospin texture in the flat band condensates. Our Letter shows the potential of polariton lattices for emulating flat band Hamiltonians with spin-orbit coupling, orbital degrees of freedom, and interactions.

Exciton Polaritons in a Two-Dimensional Lieb Lattice with Spin-Orbit Coupling