Non-Hermitian Photonic Lattices: tutorial

TL;DR

This tutorial introduces the fundamental concepts, design principles, and potential future directions of non-Hermitian photonic lattices, highlighting their unique properties and topological features in photonics.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of non-Hermitian photonic lattices, including their Hamiltonians, symmetries, topological aspects, and realization platforms, serving as a foundational guide.

Findings

Overview of non-Hermitian lattice Hamiltonians and bandstructures

Discussion of non-Hermitian lattice symmetries and topological properties

Survey of photonic platforms for implementing non-Hermitian lattices

Abstract

Non-Hermitian photonic lattices combine the peculiar consequences of energy non-conservation with the physics of bandstructures, giving rise to a variety of exotic properties not found in conventional materials or photonic metamaterials. In this tutorial, we introduce the key concepts in the design and implementation of non-Hermitian photonic lattices, including the general features of non-Hermitian lattice Hamiltonians and their bandstructures, the role of non-Hermitian lattice symmetries, and the topological chracterization of non-Hermitian bandstructures. We survey several important non-Hermitian lattice designs, as well as the photonic platforms on which they can be realized. Finally, we discuss the possibilities for future developments in the field.