Kinetics of the polariton condensate formation in a microcavity

The second-order coherence formation in the condensate of polaritons in a semiconductor microcavity is studied. The finite lifetime of polaritons allows to neglect the polariton-polariton interaction at low occupations of the polariton condensate, and the initial stage of condensate formation can be analyzed analytically. Then I discuss the decisive role of polariton-polariton repulsion and other nonlinearities in the suppression of the amplitude fluctuation of the order parameter and the second-order coherence build-up. (© 2004 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)