Direct evidence of reduced dynamic scattering in the lower polariton of a semiconductor microcavity

The temperature dependent linewidths of homogeneously broadened GaAs/AlxGa1 - xAs microcavity polaritons are investigated. The linewidths of the lower, middle, and upper polariton resonances are measured directly from reflection spectra at normal incidence (k(parallel to) = 0). The Linewidth of the lower polariton is found to be smaller than the linewidths of the middle and upper polaritons at all investigated temperatures ranging from 11 to 100 K, The results clearly show the reduction of dynamic scattering processes in the lower polariton compared to the middle and upper polaritons, in agreement with theoretical predictions in literature. A non trivial temperature dependence of the linewidth is found and its physical origin is discussed.