No Arabic abstract
This work presents a theoretical investigation of an active diffraction grating of the Parity-Time (PT) symmetric architecture. The analytical study of the free-space mode propagation in the grating structure indicates the unique bifurcation property due to the PT-symmetry modulation. It is shown that both the gain/loss contrast and the lattice constant parameters are critical factors to modulate the photonic system in between the PT-symmetry to the symmetry-broken phases. Furthermore, numerical simulations via the Rigorous Coupled-Wave Analysis (RCWA) method discover the existence of a unique Spectral Singularity (SS) phenomenon in this PT grating structure which is corresponding to a non-trivial single-mode and near-zero bandwidth photonic resonant emission. Also, the guiding procedure for fulfilling SS modes is found to be related to the unique formation of the scattering matrix applied in the PT-symmetric diffraction gratings. This theoretical work takes a fresh look into the active PT-symmetric diffraction gratings focusing on the discovery of new free-space emission modes rather than the commonly studied unidirectional properties, which could contribute to the development of novel low-threshold and super-coherent laser devices.
Passive parity-time-symmetric medium provides a feasible scheme to investigate non-Hermitian systems experimentally. Here, we design a passive PT-symmetric acoustic grating with a period equal to exact PT-symmetric medium. This treatment enhances the diffraction ability of a passive PT-symmetric grating with more compact modulation. Above all, it eliminates the first-order disturbance of previous design in diffraction grating. Additional cavities and small leaked holes on top plate in a 2D waveguide are used to construct a parity-time-symmetric potential. The combining between additional cavities and leaked holes makes it possible to modulate the real and imaginary parts of refractive index simultaneously. When the real and imaginary parts of refractive index are balanced in modulation, asymmetric diffraction can be observed between a pair of oblique incident waves. This demonstration provides a feasible way to construct passive parity-time-symmetric acoustic medium. It opens new possibilities for further investigation of acoustic wave control in non-Hermitian systems.
Non-Hermitian Hamiltonians play an important role in many branches of physics, from quantum mechanics to acoustics. In particular, the realization of PT, and more recently -- anti-PT symmetries in optical systems has proved to be of great value from both the fundamental as well as the practical perspectives. Here, we study theoretically and demonstrate experimentally a novel anyonic-PT symmetry in a coupled lasers system. This is achieved using complex coupling -- of mixed dispersive and dissipative nature, which allows unprecedented control on the location in parameter space where the symmetry and symmetry-breaking occur. Moreover, our method allows us to realize the more familiar special cases of PT and anti-PT symmetries using the same physical system. In a more general perspective, we present and experimentally validate a new relation between laser synchronization and the symmetry of the underlying non-Hermitian Hamiltonian.
We experimentally characterize the positions of the diffraction maxima of a phase grating on a screen, for laser light at oblique incidence (so-called off-plane diffraction or conical diffraction). We discuss the general case of off-plane diffraction geometries and derive basic equations for the positions of the diffraction maxima, in particular for their angular dependence. In contrast to previously reported work [Jetty et al., Am. J. Phys. 80, 972 (2012)], our reasoning is solely based on energy- and momentum conservation. We find good agreement of our theoretical prediction with the experiment. A detailed discussion of the diffraction maxima positions, the number of diffraction orders, and the diffraction efficiencies is provided. We assess the feasibility of an experimental test of the phenomenon for neutron matter waves.
The nonlinear dynamics of a balanced parity-time symmetric optical microring arrangement are analytically investigated. By considering gain and loss saturation effects, the pertinent conservation laws are explicitly obtained in the Stokes domain-thus establishing integrability. Our analysis indicates the existence of two regimes of oscillatory dynamics and frequency locking, both of which are analogous to those expected in linear parity-time symmetric systems. Unlike other saturable parity time symmetric systems considered before, the model studied in this work first operates in the symmetric regime and then enters the broken parity-time phase.
The recently-developed notion of parity-time (PT) symmetry in optical systems with a controlled gain-loss interplay has spawned an intriguing way of achieving optical behaviors that are presently unattainable with standard arrangements. In most experimental studies so far, however, the implementations rely highly on the advances of nanotechnologies and sophisticated fabrication techniques to synthesize solid-state materials. Here, we report the first experimental demonstration of optical anti-PT symmetry, a counterpart of conventional PT symmetry, in a warm atomic-vapor cell. By exploiting rapid coherence transport via flying atoms, our scheme illustrates essential features of anti-PT symmetry with an unprecedented precision on phase-transition threshold, and substantially reduces experimental complexity and cost. This result represents a significant advance in non-Hermitian optics by bridging a firm connection with the field of atomic, molecular and optical physics, where novel phenomena and applications in quantum and nonlinear optics aided by (anti-)PT symmetry could be anticipated.