Computing eigenfrequency sensitivities near exceptional points

<sec> We theoretically and experimentally demonstrate the anisotropic exceptional points (EPs) in the cavity magnonics system where magnons in a one millimeter-diameter yttrium iron garnet (YIG) sphere are coherently coupled with the microwave photons in a three-dimensional microwave cavity. The damping nature makes the cavity magnonics system inherently non-Hermitian. By solving the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of non-Hermitian Hamiltonian, a series of interesting and essential characteristics of the system can be obtained. Therefore, non-Hermitian physics has received more and more attention in both theory and experiment communities. Among them, exceptional points correspond to the non-Hermitian system’s degenerate states where the eigenvalues of the non-Hermitian system are identical, and the eigenvectors are parallel. The coupled cavity photon-magnon system has high tunability of coupling strength and cavity external damping rate, which is very suitable for studying EPs -related physics.</sec><sec> Exceptional points (EPs) are crucial in all kinds of non-Hermitian physical systems, which have both fundamental and applicational importance. For instance, it can be used for sensitive detection by monitoring spectrum splitting of degenerate modes when a perturbation to be sensed occurs. The EPs can be anisotropic, which means that it has a different function relation when the system approaches the EPs along different parameter paths of the system. In this paper, by carefully designing the parameter space, we observe the anisotropic exceptional point in the coupled cavity photon-magnon system. It shows the linear and square-root behavior when the EPs are approached from different directions in the parameter space. One of the parameters is the position of the YIG sphere in the cavity, which determines the coherent coupling strength between the cavity mode and the magnon mode. Another parameter is the number of the gasket between the cavity signal loading port and the cavity external surface, which determines the external damping rate of the cavity mode. Both of these parameters can be easily and accurately adjusted experimentally.</sec><sec> Our study paves the way for exploring anisotropic EPs based sensing technologies and more non-Hermitian related physics in the cavity magnonics system.</sec>

Exceptional points (EPs) in photonics are associated with non-Hermitian Hamiltonians with energy gain or loss, a notable example is EPs in parity-time symmetric Hamiltonians. We show that, counterintuitively, actual energy gain or loss is not required to generate this type of non-Hermitian degeneracy, since the eigenvalue of the optical Hamiltonian is the mode's propagation constant and not the energy. This is demonstrated by a simple three-layer insulator-metal-insulator (I-M-I) plasmonic waveguide, the eigenmodes of which are known to experience degeneracy at a certain point in the parametric space suggested to be used for rainbow trapping. We identify this point to be, in fact, an EP with the coalescence of the eigenmodes, despite the system having neither parity nor time symmetry. Furthermore, we demonstrate the manifestation of a third-order EP, which is generated by merging two separate EPs in the parametric space of the I-M-I waveguide. The presented results reveal unconventional properties of the Hamiltonian of a simple plasmonic waveguide and provide an insight into the nature of EPs in non-Hermitian plasmonic systems in general, suggesting the possibility of accessing even higher-order EP regimes in simple photonic structures without the need for optical gain or loss.

We investigate the optical exceptional points (EPs) in the graphene incorporated multilayer metamaterial manifesting Fano resonance. The system is non-Hermitian and possesses EPs where both the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of the Hamiltonian coalesce. In the aid of Fano resonance, the reflection may reach minimum approaching to zero, resulting in the degeneration of both eigenvalues and eigenvectors and thus the emergence of EPs. The transmission and reflection of light through the metamaterial change sharply by varying slightly the incident wavelength and chemical potential of graphene in the parameter space when encircling the EPs. In addition, the unidirectional invisibility can be achieved at EPs. The study paves a way to precisely controlling the transmission and reflection through metamaterials and may find applications in optoelectronic switches, modulators, absorbers, and optical sensors.

An exceptional point (EP) is a point in the parameter space of an open quantum system in which the two eigenstates of the effectively non-Hermitian system coalesce and a topological effect can be observed. In this work we use the properties of the energy eigenvalues near the EP at three different points in order to find the exact EP location in the parameter space. This method does not require the two parameters of the system to be grouped as a single complex parameter, so it can easily be applied to Floquet operators. Finally, it is shown that by applying the Hellmann–Feynman theorem, the EP position can be obtained from a single point. The benefits of using the 3-point approach or the 1-point approach are discussed. These simple techniques may be of use in the search for new EPs in various physical systems. To demonstrate the utility of the method, we find an EP for an H+2 molecule driven by a monochromatic laser and for a laser-driven Gaussian potential.

Non-Hermitian systems display remarkable response effects that directly reflect a variety of distinct spectral scenarios, such as exceptional points where the eigensystem becomes defective. However, present frameworks treat the different scenarios as separate cases, following the singular mathematical change between different spectral decompositions from one scenario to another. This not only complicates the coherent description near the spectral singularities where the response qualitatively changes, but also impedes the application to practical systems, as the determination of these decompositions is manifestly ill conditioned. Here we develop a general response theory of non-Hermitian systems that uniformly applies across all spectral scenarios. We unravel this response by formulating a uniform expansion of the spectral quantization condition, as well as a uniform expansion of the Green's function, where both expansions exclusively involve directly calculable data from the Hamiltonian. These data smoothly vary with external parameters and energy as spectral singularities are approached and attained, and nevertheless capture the qualitative differences of the response in these scenarios. We furthermore present two direct applications of this framework. First, in the context of the quantization condition, we determine the precise conditions for spectral degeneracies of geometric multiplicity greater than unity, as well as the perturbative behavior around these cases. Second, in the context of the Green's function, we formulate a hierarchy of spectral response strengths that varies continuously across all parameter space, and thereby also reliably determines the response strength of exceptional points. Finally, we join both themes and demonstrate, both generally and in concrete examples, that the previously inaccessible scenarios of higher geometric multiplicity result in unique variants of the super-Lorentzian response. Our approach widens the scope of non-Hermitian response theory to capture all spectral scenarios on an equal and uniform footing, identifies the exact mechanisms that lead to the qualitative changes of physical signatures, and renders non-Hermitian response theory fully applicable to numerical descriptions of practical systems. Published by the American Physical Society 2025

Observation of an exceptional point with an LR-shunted resonator

In this paper, we present a theory on the formation of exceptional points (EPs) of resonance states in two-dimensional periodic structures. Exceptional points are spectral degeneracies that may occur in non-Hermitian systems for some values of the system parameters. At an EP, two or more eigenfunctions coalesce and their eigenvalues coincide. Due to the local behavior of the eigenvalues and eigenfunction at and near the EPs, they have found important applications in sensing, lasing, unidirectional operations, etc. In this work, we employ the Dirichlet-to-Neumann (DtN) maps and mode matching methods to study EPs of resonance states on two different periodic structures; namely, a slab with a periodic array of circular holes and a slab with two-segment piece-wise constant periodic permittivity. The study reveals that a family of EPs exist continuously as the periodic structures tend to a uniform slab. Furthermore, the EP path continues to exist below the light line and eventually ends at a point that can be accurately determined.

The adiabatic theorem, a corollary of the Schrödinger equation, manifests itself in a profoundly different way in non-Hermitian arrangements, resulting in counterintuitive state transfer schemes that have no counterpart in closed quantum systems. In particular, the dynamical encirclement of exceptional points (EPs) in parameter space has been shown to lead to a chiral phase accumulation, non-adiabatic jumps and topological mode conversion1-8. Recent theoretical studies, however, have shown that contrary to previously established demonstrations, this behaviour is not strictly a result of winding around a non-Hermitian degeneracy9. Instead, it seems to be mostly attributed to the non-trivial landscape of the Riemann surfaces, sometimes because of the presence of an EP in the vicinity9-11. Here, in an effort to bring this counterintuitive aspect of non-Hermitian systems to light and confirm this hypothesis, we provide a set of experiments to directly observe the field evolution and chiral state conversion in an EP-excluding cycle in a slowly varying non-Hermitian system. To do so, a versatile yet unique fibre-based photonic emulator is realized that utilizes the polarization degrees of freedom in a quasi-common-path single-ring arrangement. Our observations may open up new avenues for light manipulation and state conversion, as well as providing a foundation for understanding the intricacies of the adiabatic theorem in non-Hermitian systems.

Dynamically encircling an exceptional point (EP) of a non-Hermitian system, in which the parameters are continuously varied around the EP, offers direction dependent conversion into orthogonal eigenstates that is robust to input state variation. The requirement for adiabatic conditions in the encircling, equating to very slow modulation in parameter space about the EP, ultimately results in long path lengths. This proves a strong limitation on the use of passive materials for mode conversion in such systems, as including loss becomes necessary. Thus, in passive converters, output of the converted mode will have very small intensity and be difficult to integrate into larger systems. Here we experimentally demonstrate chiral conversion into orthogonal supermodes by dynamic encirclement of an EP in an active, nonlinear system of two coupled waveguides. The introduction of gain allows for sufficiently adiabatic systems with control of output intensity, equaling or amplifying that of the input signal. This work paves the way for further use of active media in chiral mode converters, as well as the fabrication of semiconductor lasers with direction dependent mode output, more suitable for integration into larger systems.

Exceptional points (EPs) in non-Hermitian systems offer a remarkably strong response to weak perturbations, but the nonorthogonal nature of the corresponding eigenvectors causes noise to diverge, hindering EPs practical application. Here, we report a twelve-fold enhancement of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in magnetic field sensing enabled by a third-order EP of coherent perfect absorption (CPA EP3) in a passive cavity magnonic system. This non-Hermitian magnonic platform comprises two identical yttrium iron garnet (YIG) spheres coherently coupled to a cavity mode, in which the CPA EP3 is realized by engineering the three-mode loss to form a pseudo-Hermitian absorption Hamiltonian. By independently tailoring the absorption EP apart from the resonance EP, the system circumvents the noise divergence caused by eigenbasis collapse. Notably, we harness the sensitivity of the minimum output intensity near CPA to perturbations, yielding a seventy-fold SNR improvement and a 400-fold increase in responsivity compared with non-CPA system. A comprehensive noise analysis over one hundred repeated measurements confirms the suppression of frequency noise near the CPA EP3. This demonstrates that our scheme not only avoids the noise divergence plaguing conventional higher-order EP sensors but also provides a general strategy to exploit both CPA and EP for SNR enhancement in passive non-Hermitian systems.

Radiative emission experienced by a subwavelength particle near a resonant cavity is typically characterized by the well-known Purcell factor figure of merit. In recent work, we presented a generalization of Purcell enhancement that applies to situations involving exceptional points (EP)---spectral singularities in non-Hermitian systems where two or more eigenvectors and their corresponding complex eigenvalues coalesce, leading to a non-diagonalizable, defective Hamiltonian. EPs are attended by many intriguing physical effects and have been studied in various contexts, including lasers, atomic and molecular systems, photonic crystals, parity-time symmetric lattices, and optomechanical resonators. Thus far, the main focus of these works has been on analyzing the impact of second-order exceptional points on scattering from eternally incident light, e.g. for unidirectional transmission. An important but little explored property of EPs related to light-matter interactions is their ability to modify and enhance the local density of states (LDOS). Recently, we showed that EPs can modify the spontaneous emission rate or Purcell factor of narrow-band emitters embedded in resonant cavities. In this talk, we show that EPs can have an even greater impact on nonlinear optical processes like frequency conversion. In particular, we derive a general formula quantifying radiative emission from a subwavelength emitter in the vicinity of a triply resonant χ(2) cavity that supports an EP near the emission frequency and a bright mode at the second harmonic. We show that the resulting frequency up-conversion process can be enhanced by up to two orders of magnitude compared to nondegenerate scenarios and that, in contrast to the recently predicted spontaneous-emission enhancements, nonlinear EP enhancements can persist even when considering spatial distributions of broadband emitters, provided that the cavity satisfies special nonlinear selection rules. This is demonstrated via a two-dimensional proof-of-concept PhC designed to partially fulfill the various criteria needed to approach the derived bounds on the maximum achievable up-conversion efficiencies. Along these lines, we show that similar enhancements can arise in quantum systems consisting of single and multi-level atoms embedded in photonic cavities. Our predictions suggest an indirect but practically relevant route to experimentally observe the impact of EPs on spontaneous emission and related light–matter interactions, with implications to quantum information science.

We study the mixing and degeneracy of two unbound energy eigenstates (resonances) in a two coupled channel model of scattering and reactions. We derive the necessary and sufficient conditions for existence of an exceptional point in the extended spectrum of bound and resonance energy eigenvalues in this model and show that these are not the same as in the single channel case. When these conditions are satisfied, in the complex energy plane, the two simple resonance poles of the scattering matrix merge into one double pole at the exceptional point. In parameter space, the surface of the eigenenergies has a branch point of square root type and branch cuts in its real and imaginary parts that start at the exceptional point and extend in opposite directions. The rich phenomenology of crossings and anticrossings of energies and widths of the doublet of unbound states, as well as the changes of identity of the poles of the scattering matrix observed when one control parameter is varied while the other is kept constant, is fully explained in terms of sections of the eigenenergy surfaces.

This study investigates the dynamics of two-qubit systems in open quantum environments, with a focus on the influence of exceptional points (EPs) and phase angle on entanglement dynamics. Two-qubit systems are pivotal in quantum information science, as they are the simplest system that reveals quantum entanglement, a crucial resource for quantum computing and communication. The research explores the effects of coupling, spontaneous emission, and environment on two-qubit states, specifically the $X$-states, within the framework of the Gorini–Kossakowski–Sudarshan–Lindblad (GKSL) or Lindblad master equation. EPs are unique to non-Hermitian systems. They affect the system’s dynamics significantly when the system approaches EP. Analytical and numerical analyses reveal that third-order EPs occur at specific parameters for two-qubit system, leading to critical changes in eigenvalues and eigenvectors of the Liouvillian superoperator. The study demonstrates that EPs can enhance or suppress entanglement. The concurrence, a quantitative measure of entanglement, peaks around the EPs under certain initial conditions. Furthermore, the impact of phase angle, $\theta$, that parameterizes the relative phase of maximally entangled states is analyzed. For initial states labeled as $\rho_\Psi(\theta,p)$ in this thesis, the phase angle significantly influences concurrence evolution, enabling tunability of entanglement dynamics. In contrast, for other class of initial states labeled as $\rho_\Phi(\theta,p)$, concurrence exhibits phase invariance, ensuring stability across the variations in $\theta$. Besides this, the analysis shows that the maximum concurrence occurs around EP for some states, the phase angle can also be tuned to increase the concurrence for some initial states. These findings highlight the importance of both EPs and phase angle in optimizing entanglement generation and control. This research offers valuable insights into the interplay between non-Hermitian physics and quantum entanglement, paving the way for advancements in quantum technologies. The outcomes provide possible practical implications in the field of quantum computation.

Parity-time (PT)-symmetric Hamiltonians have widespread significance in non-Hermitian physics. A PT-symmetric Hamiltonian can exhibit distinct phases with either real or complex eigenspectrum, while the transition points in between, the so-called exceptional points, give rise to a host of critical behaviors that holds great promise for applications. For spatially periodic non-Hermitian systems, PT symmetries are commonly characterized and observed in line with the Bloch band theory, with exceptional points dwelling in the Brillouin zone. Here, in nonunitary quantum walks of single photons, we uncover a novel family of exceptional points beyond this common wisdom. These "non-Bloch exceptional points" originate from the accumulation of bulk eigenstates near boundaries, known as the non-Hermitian skin effect, and inhabit a generalized Brillouin zone. Our finding opens the avenue toward a generalized PT-symmetry framework, and reveals the intriguing interplay between PT symmetry and non-Hermitian skin effect.

The peculiar properties of the exceptional point (EP) in a non-Hermitian metasurface have attracted tremendous attention in many fields: optics, acoustics, photonics, quantum computing, and biomedicine, among others. The integration of terahertz spectroscopy's high-resolution and non-destructive attributes with perturbation-induced frequency shift responses near the EP demonstrates well the potential applications of EP sensing in various detection scenarios. Herein, we propose a non-Hermitian terahertz metasurface design with a unit cell composed of metallic elements (a strip and a split ring) and a conductivity-tunable vanadium oxide (VO2) strip. By tuning the geometrical parameters and modulating the VO2 conductivity, we systematically investigate the dynamic responses of the metasurface at the EP. Importantly, a metasurface-based refractive index sensing scheme using EP is demonstrated via the frequency shift and temperature variation after EP reconfiguration. Our work on sensing using EP could facilitate the design of tunable on-chip optical sensors for the terahertz range.