Pushing Photons with Electrons: Observation of the Polariton Drag Effect

We show the direct effect of free electrons colliding with polaritons, changing their momentum. The result of this interaction of the electrons with the polaritons is a change in the angle of emission of the photons from our cavity structure. Because the experiment is a photon-in, photon-out system, this is equivalent to optical beam steering of photons using a direct electrical current. The effect is asymmetric, significantly slowing down the polaritons when they move oppositely to the electrons, while the polariton momentum only slightly increases when the electrons move in the same direction. We present a theoretical model which describes this effect.