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arXiv · 2607.03961

Spin-momentum locking of polariton edge states in honeycomb lattices

Abstract

Transverse-electric/Transverse-magnetic splitting in dielectric-mirror microcavities introduces an effective spin-orbit coupling for photons. While the bulk states remain linearly polarized, for exponentially localized edge states in a photonic lattice, this coupling induces elliptical polarization whose handedness is locked to the propagation direction, analogous to the transverse spin of evanescent electromagnetic waves. We reveal spin-momentum locking through Stokes polarimetry of zigzag edge states in a honeycomb exciton-polariton lattice. The effect persists in a stretched honeycomb supporting a photonic bandgap, where spin-polarized carrier injection enables selective lasing of either chiral edge states. Our results provide a route toward ultrafast spin-controlled unidirectional propagation in polariton systems without external magnetic fields.

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Andrea Herrero Otermin, Nicola Carlon Zambon, Dheerendra Singh, Neha Bhoria, Rimi Banerjee, Christian G. Mayer, Simon Betzold, Siddhartha Dam, Monika Emmerling, Sven Höfling, Luis Viña, Subhaskar Mandal, Carlos Antón-Solanas. 2026-07-24. Spin-momentum locking of polariton edge states in honeycomb lattices. https://arxiv.org/abs/2607.03961

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