Controllable switching based on vortex–antivortex pairs in exciton–polariton condensates

Abstract Vortex–antivortex pairs hold significant prospect for applications in high-capacity optical communications, multiparticle manipulations, and data processing systems. In this work, based on vortex–antivortex pairs, we explore a straightforward method to produce a 1–4 optical switch in a polariton condensate with a C-shaped potential. The switch, seeded by a degenerate state containing two vortex–antivortex pairs, can selectively target four objective states: two orthogonal states with a single vortex–antivortex pair and two concentric vortices with opposite circulations. All these topological states are stable states with the application of a single incoherent pump, while the switch is activated by an additional coherent control pulse.