Three-Dimensional Kardar--Parisi--Zhang Scaling in Polariton Condensates
arXiv:2607.28106
The authors propose a three‑dimensional exciton‑polariton crystal as a platform to observe KPZ universality in three spatial dimensions, deriving an effective 3+1‑dimensional KPZ equation for the condensate phase and confirming the expected scaling exponents through numerical simulations.
Abstract
Kardar--Parisi--Zhang (KPZ) universality provides an example of macroscopic scaling generated by microscopic violation of detailed balance. While one- and two-dimensional realizations have been explored in driven condensates and growing interfaces, demonstrating KPZ scaling in three spatial dimensions remains a major challenge. Here we propose a three-dimensional exciton-polariton crystal as a platform for observation of 3D KPZ universality. Starting from a stochastic driven-dissipative Gross-Pitaevskii equation for a condensate formed in a three-dimensional photonic-crystal lower-polariton band, we eliminate the massive density and reservoir modes and obtain an effective -dimensional KPZ equation for the condensate phase. Numerical simulations of both the KPZ equation and the full driven-dissipative polariton model show an intermediate-asymptotic regime in which the first-order coherence obeys $-\ln |\gone(0,Ît)|\propto |Ît|^{2β}$ and $-\ln |\gone(Îr,0)|\propto |Îr|^{2Ï}$, with exponents consistent with the KPZ benchmarks , . Our results identify three-dimensional polariton crystals as a controllable quantum fluid route to higher-dimensional nonequilibrium universality.