PT-symmetric quantum oscillator in an optical cavity

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that an optical cavity with off-axis pumping can simulate a $ ext{PT}$-symmetric quantum harmonic oscillator, enabling experimental study of non-Hermitian quantum dynamics and coherent state propagation.

Contribution

It introduces an optical cavity setup that emulates a $ ext{PT}$-symmetric quantum oscillator, bridging theoretical models and experimental investigation.

Findings

Optical cavity dynamics mimic $ ext{PT}$-symmetric quantum harmonic oscillator.

Experimental system allows investigation of non-Hermitian coherent states.

Provides a platform for studying non-Hermitian quantum phenomena.

Abstract

The quantum harmonic oscillator with parity-time ($\mathcal{PT}$) symmetry, obtained from the ordinary (Hermitian) quantum harmonic oscillator by an imaginary displacement of the spatial coordinate, provides an important and exactly-solvable model to investigate non-Hermitian extension of the Ehrenfest theorem. Here it is shown that transverse light dynamics in an optical resonator with off-axis longitudinal pumping can emulate a $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric quantum harmonic oscillator, providing an experimentally accessible system to investigate non-Hermitian coherent state propagation.