Parametric scattering in a system of quasi-two-dimensional exciton polaritons under photoexcitation near the bottom of the upper polariton branch

Cascade processes of exciton-polariton scattering in a planar semiconductor microcavity taking place under resonance pumping near the bottom of the upper polariton branch are studied theoretically. When the conservation laws allow the decay of the resonantly excited state into two modes that belong to different (the upper and lower) polariton branches, the distribution of scattering directions has the general shape of two rings that correspond to the cross sections of the lower and upper polariton dispersion surfaces by constantenergy planes. Due to the interactions between the particles, instability develops in the system of scattered modes, which is accompanied by marked inhomogeneities in the distribution of the cavity photoluminescence signal. Self-organization in such a system leads to the appearance of solutions of an essentially collective nature. As the critical (threshold) pump power is attained, macroscopic occupancy of a predominant signal mode near the bottom of the lower polariton branch sets in. The characteristics of the signal for different powers and optical polarizations of the pump are analyzed.