Floquet parity-time symmetry in integrated photonics

Floquet parity-time symmetry in integrated photonics

31 January 2024 | Weijie Liu, Quancheng Liu, Xiang Ni, Yuechen Jia, Klaus Ziegler, Andrea Alù & Feng Chen
This article introduces a novel approach to parity-time (PT) symmetry in integrated photonics by leveraging Floquet PT-symmetry. In conventional PT-symmetric systems, maintaining balance between gain and loss is challenging, but Floquet PT-symmetry, which involves periodically flipping the gain/loss distribution in time, allows for more flexible control over the PT-symmetry phase and exceptional points (EPs). The study demonstrates this concept in an integrated photonic waveguide platform, where time is replaced by propagation direction. The researchers experimentally show spontaneous PT-symmetry breaking at low gain/loss levels and efficient control of amplification and suppression through excitation ports. The work highlights the advantages of Floquet PT-symmetry in practical integrated photonic settings, enabling the observation of PT-symmetric phenomena and their extreme features for applications in nanophotonics and light control. The study explores the interplay between gain and loss in PT-symmetric systems, which has been extensively studied in both fundamental research and advanced technologies. PT-symmetry, originally from open quantum systems, has found applications in classical wave physics, leading to various counterintuitive phenomena. The paper discusses different experimental platforms, including electronics, acoustics, and matter waves, that have been used to demonstrate PT-symmetric wave phenomena. The authors propose a new method using periodic spatial modulation of loss in an integrated waveguide configuration to realize Floquet PT-symmetry. This approach enables unprecedented control over phase transitions and effective amplification regimes in non-Hermitian photonics. The study demonstrates that by properly tailoring the Floquet period, PT-symmetry phase transitions with adjustable gain/loss levels can be achieved. The system also shows extreme control over the response through excitation ports, allowing real-time switching between suppression and amplification regimes. The findings open exciting possibilities for advanced manipulation and control of light propagation in integrated photonics and nanophotonics. The experimental results confirm the theoretical predictions, showing that the Floquet PT-symmetric system can achieve maximum signal amplification at small non-Hermiticity parameters. The study provides a practical platform for observing PT-symmetric phenomena and leveraging their extreme features.This article introduces a novel approach to parity-time (PT) symmetry in integrated photonics by leveraging Floquet PT-symmetry. In conventional PT-symmetric systems, maintaining balance between gain and loss is challenging, but Floquet PT-symmetry, which involves periodically flipping the gain/loss distribution in time, allows for more flexible control over the PT-symmetry phase and exceptional points (EPs). The study demonstrates this concept in an integrated photonic waveguide platform, where time is replaced by propagation direction. The researchers experimentally show spontaneous PT-symmetry breaking at low gain/loss levels and efficient control of amplification and suppression through excitation ports. The work highlights the advantages of Floquet PT-symmetry in practical integrated photonic settings, enabling the observation of PT-symmetric phenomena and their extreme features for applications in nanophotonics and light control. The study explores the interplay between gain and loss in PT-symmetric systems, which has been extensively studied in both fundamental research and advanced technologies. PT-symmetry, originally from open quantum systems, has found applications in classical wave physics, leading to various counterintuitive phenomena. The paper discusses different experimental platforms, including electronics, acoustics, and matter waves, that have been used to demonstrate PT-symmetric wave phenomena. The authors propose a new method using periodic spatial modulation of loss in an integrated waveguide configuration to realize Floquet PT-symmetry. This approach enables unprecedented control over phase transitions and effective amplification regimes in non-Hermitian photonics. The study demonstrates that by properly tailoring the Floquet period, PT-symmetry phase transitions with adjustable gain/loss levels can be achieved. The system also shows extreme control over the response through excitation ports, allowing real-time switching between suppression and amplification regimes. The findings open exciting possibilities for advanced manipulation and control of light propagation in integrated photonics and nanophotonics. The experimental results confirm the theoretical predictions, showing that the Floquet PT-symmetric system can achieve maximum signal amplification at small non-Hermiticity parameters. The study provides a practical platform for observing PT-symmetric phenomena and leveraging their extreme features.
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[slides and audio] Floquet parity-time symmetry in integrated photonics