Necklaces of $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric dimers

TL;DR

This paper investigates light propagation in cyclic arrays of $ ext{PT}$-symmetric dimers, demonstrating their potential as controllable output port replicators through theoretical analysis and finite element modeling.

Contribution

It introduces a group theoretical approach and finite element modeling to analyze $ ext{PT}$-symmetric dimer necklaces, proposing their use as controllable output port replicators.

Findings

Theoretical mode-coupling analysis supports device functionality.

Finite element simulations confirm experimental feasibility.

Devices can control light dynamics via input field manipulation.

Abstract

We study light propagation through cyclic arrays, composed by copies of a given $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric dimer, using a group theoretical approach and finite element modeling. The theoretical mode-coupling analysis suggest the use of these devices as output port replicators where the dynamics are controlled by the impinging light field. This is confirmed to good agreement with finite element propagation in an experimentally feasible necklace of passive $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric dimers constructed from lossy and lossless waveguides.