Thermodynamic Paradox and Non-Hermitian Topological Singularities

TL;DR

This paper investigates the thermodynamic paradox in nonreciprocal electromagnetic systems, revealing that nonlocal effects, rather than dissipation alone, resolve field singularities and connect topology with thermodynamic consistency.

Contribution

It demonstrates that nonlocal effects are essential to eliminate singularities in nonreciprocal cavities, linking nonlocality, topology, and thermodynamics in photonic systems.

Findings

Material dissipation cannot fully regularize mode singularities.

Nonlocal effects suppress short-wavelength responses and remove singularities.

Nonlocality is fundamental to resolving the thermodynamic paradox.

Abstract

Unidirectional modes in magnetically biased electromagnetic systems have long been associated with a thermodynamic paradox: the absence of counter-propagating channels may produce field "hotspots" that can act as unphysical sinks of thermal radiation. Here we revisit this problem and show that, surprisingly, material dissipation alone cannot fully regularize the singular behavior of the normal modes of a nonreciprocal cavity. We demonstrate that the paradox is resolved by nonlocal effects, which suppress the material response at short wavelengths and eliminate field singularities altogether. Our analysis reveals a fundamental link between nonlocality, topology, and thermodynamic consistency, showing that real-space singularities and ill-defined topologies go hand in hand, even in strongly dissipative platforms. These findings clarify the physical origin of the paradox and establish nonlocality as a natural and robust mechanism for its resolution, opening new avenues to explore the intertwined roles of topology and nonlocality in passive nonreciprocal photonics.