Mobile Exceptional Points Generate Momentum-Space Switching Domains

TL;DR

This paper explores how mobile exceptional points in non-Hermitian systems create momentum-space switching domains, leading to new topological phenomena and potential applications in photonic structures.

Contribution

It introduces a band-permutation invariant and demonstrates how EP motion induces global band switching, advancing the understanding of non-Hermitian topological effects.

Findings

Mobile EPs generate momentum-space switching domains.

Switching domains expand with increased modulation strength.

Photonic crystal experiments confirm theoretical predictions.

Abstract

Exceptional points (EPs), non-Hermitian degeneracies where both eigenvalues and eigenvectors coalesce, play a central role in the topology of non-Hermitian spectra. Recent advances have enabled the controlled creation and manipulation of EPs in a wide range of physical systems, raising the question of what new band topology emerges when EPs become mobile under cyclic modulation. Here we show that mobile EPs generate momentum-space switching domains that partition the Brillouin zone into regions with distinct band-switching behavior. Using a minimal two-band lattice model, we introduce a band-permutation invariant that determines whether eigenmodes exchange after one modulation cycle. The boundaries between switching regions arise from the projection of EP trajectories in an extended parameter space combining crystal momentum and the modulation parameter. As the modulation strength increases, the switching domains expand and eventually cover the entire Brillouin zone, resulting in global band switching. The predicted switching-domain structure is further demonstrated in a photonic crystal with lossy materials. These results open a new avenue within non-Hermitian topology by enabling the engineering of EP-driven phenomena through their controlled motion.