Temporal mode switching during polariton condensation

Multimode behavior plays a key role in a wide range of nonlinear optical phenomena. Multiple exciton-polariton modes can attain macroscopic population as observed in time-integrated measurements. Recent theory work has shown that, rather than being simultaneously in many modes, the population may temporally switch between the modes. However, the origin and the dynamics of multimode condensation has not been experimentally addressed. Here, we study the dynamics of exciton-polariton condensation into multiple modes of Gaussian defect microcavities filled with ladder type polymer gain material methyl-substituted ladder-type poly(p-phenylene) MeLPPP. We deploy a second-order cumulant model to simulate the dynamics of the system and find picosecond-timescale switching between condensate modes. By interferometric measurements we reveal the experimental signatures of such mode competition behaviour.