Pursuing complex optical energy through Exceptional Points of Degeneracy (EPDs)

TL;DR

This paper explores how exceptional points of degeneracy in a pseudo-Hermitian photonic system enable control of optical energy without active media, advancing waveguide design and quantum mechanics understanding.

Contribution

It introduces a novel method of engineering dispersion at exceptional points using PT-symmetry in photonic crystals, enabling active waveguides without active materials.

Findings

Achieved optical energy control at exceptional points in photonic structures.

Demonstrated broadening of quantum mechanics understanding through EDPs.

Potential applications in low-threshold lasers and optical switching.

Abstract

We exploit balancing the complex optical energy between scattering and guiding states at contrived exceptional points of degeneracy in order to form an active waveguide without utilizing an active medium. This study reports peculiar engineering of first-order dispersion on a pseudo-Hermitian Hamiltonian system in which distributed Bragg grating tracks 0^th order of scattering phase-shift. This is owing to the EDPs instigated by means of 1D perturbing PT-symmetries in a planar photonic crystal. The coalescence of Bloch eigenstates occurs due to reverse amalgamation of modulated two-terminal optical component whose gain and loss parameters depends on the direction of the light path. Then, we employed a 1D binary superlattice around a defect that undergoes both states, physical equilibrium (in the bound layer) and non-equilibrium (in unbound layer), in chronological order. Then, recoupling optical energy to the underlying bound region compromises scattering phase-shift in each sequence. This achievement is not only broadening the understanding of revolutionized quantum mechanics but also benefits technological principles of steering localization with high Q-factors that are in huge demands of designing low-threshold switching, optical tweezers, lasing and various types of optical elements in photonic integrated circuits.