Spin-orbit-coupled depairing of a dipolar biexciton superfluid

We consider quantum phase transitions in a system of bright dipolar excitons which can form bound pairs (dipolar biexcitons). The biexciton energy is tuned from negative to positive values through the scattering threshold. At sufficiently large density an exciton superfluid transforms into a superfluid of biexcitons. With the average relative momenta of excitons in the pairs being beyond the light cone, the transition is accompanied by a reduction of the photoluminescence intensity. Effective magnetic fields due to the long-range exchange splitting of exciton states shift the position of the gap in the elementary excitation spectrum to a circle of degenerate minima in the k space. Closing the gap results in the formation of exciton stripes polarized linearly along the direction of their translational symmetry. In the biexciton energy vs density phase diagram the novel phase intervenes between the dark biexciton and radiative exciton superfluids. We conclude that formation of a BCS-like biexciton condensate induces correlated alignment of the effective magnetic fields and excitonic spins. We outline important differences in the predicted mechanism from the phenomenon of spin-orbit-coupled Bose-Einstein condensation.

Automated summary

The paper discusses quantum phase transitions in a system of bright dipolar excitons. It reveals that at sufficiently large density, an exciton superfluid transforms into a superfluid of biexcitons, accompanied by a reduction in photoluminescence intensity. The formation of a BCS-like biexciton condensate induces correlated alignment of the effective magnetic fields and excitonic spins, presenting important differences from the phenomenon of spin-orbit-coupled Bose-Einstein condensation.