skip to main content
US FlagAn official website of the United States government
dot gov icon
Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
https lock icon
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( lock ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.


Title: Universal route for the emergence of exceptional points in PT-symmetric metamaterials with unfolding spectral symmetries
Abstract We introduce a class of parity-time symmetric elastodynamic metamaterials (Ed-MetaMater) whose Hermitian counterpart exhibits unfolding (fractal) spectral symmetries. Our study reveals a scale-free formation of exceptional points in those Ed-MetaMaters whose density is dictated by the fractal dimension of their Hermitian spectra. We demonstrate this scale-free EP-formation in a quasi-periodic Aubry-Harper Ed-MetaMater, a geometric H-tree-fractal Ed-MetaMater, and an aperiodic Fibonacci Ed-MetaMater—each having a specific fractal spectrum—using finite element models and establish a universal route for EP-formation via a coupled mode theory model with controllable fractal spectrum. This universality may enable the rational design of novel Ed-MetaMater for hypersensitive sensing and elastic wave control.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
1925543 1925530
PAR ID:
10326686
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ;
Date Published:
Journal Name:
New Journal of Physics
Volume:
23
Issue:
6
ISSN:
1367-2630
Page Range / eLocation ID:
063079
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
More Like this
  1. Abstract Recent progress in non-Hermitian physics and the notion of exceptional point (EP) degeneracies in elastodynamics have led to the development of novel metamaterials for the control of elastic wave propagation, hypersensitive sensors, and actuators. The emergence of EPs in a parity-time symmetric system relies on judiciously engineered balanced gain and loss mechanisms. Creating gain requires complex circuits and amplification mechanisms, making engineering applications challenging. Here, we report strategies to achieve EPs in passive non-Hermitian elastodynamic systems with differential loss derived from viscoelastic materials. We compare different viscoelastic material models and show that the EP emerges only when the frequency-dependent loss-tangent of the viscoelastic material remains nearly constant in the frequency range of operation. This type of loss tangent occurs in materials that undergo stress-relaxation over a broad spectrum of relaxation times, for example, materials that follow the Kelvin–Voigt fractional derivative (KVFD) model. Using dynamic mechanical analysis, we show that a few common viscoelastic elastomers, such as polydimethylsiloxane and polyurethane rubber, follow the KVFD behavior such that the loss tangent becomes almost constant after a particular frequency. The material models we present and the demonstration of the potential of a widely available material system in creating EPs pave the way for developing non-Hermitian metamaterials with hypersensitivity to perturbations or enhanced emissivity. 
    more » « less
  2. Abstract We study the elastodynamics of a periodic metastructure incorporating a defect pair that enforces a parity-time (PT) symmetry due to judiciously engineered imaginary impedance elements—one having energy amplification (gain) and the other having an equivalent attenuation (loss) mechanism. We show that their presence affects the initial band structure of the periodic Hermitian metastructure and leads to the formation of numerous exceptional points (EPs) which are mainly located at the band edges where the local density of modes is higher. The spatial location of the PT-symmetric defect serves as an additional control over the number of emerging EPs in the corresponding spectra as well as the critical non-Hermitian (gain/loss) strength required to create the first EP—a specific defect location minimizes the critical non-Hermitian strength. We use both finite element and coupled-mode-theory-based models to investigate these metastructures and use a time-independent second-order perturbation theory to further demonstrate the influence of the size of the metastructure and the PT-symmetric defect location on the minimum non-Hermitian strength required to create the first EP in a band. Our findings motivate feasible designs for the experimental realization of EPs in elastodynamic metastructures. 
    more » « less
  3. Ring laser gyroscopes (RLGs) based on non-Hermitian exceptional points (EPs) have garnered much recent interest due to their exceptional sensitivity. Such gyroscopes typically consist of two-ring laser resonators, one with loss and one with an equal amount of optical gain. The coupling strength between these ring resonators is a key parameter determining the sensitivity of EP-based RLGs. Here we explore how the exceptional sensitivity demonstrated in this coupled dimer may be further enhanced by adding more dimers in an array. Specifically, we propose two types of ring laser gyroscope lattice arrays, each composed ofNcoupled dimers arrayed serially or concentrically with periodic boundary conditions, that guide counter-propagating photons in a rotating frame. Using coupled mode theory, we show that these lattice gyroscopes exhibit an enhanced effective coupling rate between the gain and loss resonators at the EP, thereby producing greater sensitivity to the angular rotation rate than their constituent dimers. This work paves the way toward EP-based RLGs with the necessary sensitivity for GPS-free navigation. 
    more » « less
  4. Abstract We construct localized beams in a non-Hermitian Glauber Fock (NGF) lattice of coupled waveguides and show that they can propagate over a long distance withalmost no diffraction. We specifically obtain the diffraction-free beams in a finite NGF lattice at the exceptional point (EP) by using the exact eigenstates of the semi-infinite unidirectional NGF lattice. We provide a numerical approach to finding other lattices that are capable of supporting non-diffracting beams at EPs. 
    more » « less
  5. Abstract Recent studies on exceptional points (EPs) in non-Hermitian optical systems have revealed unique traits, including unidirectional invisibility, chiral mode switching and laser self-termination. In systems featuring gain/loss components, EPs are commonly accessed below the lasing threshold, i.e., in the linear regime. In this work, we experimentally demonstrate that EP singularities in coupled semiconductor nanolasers can be accessed above the lasing threshold, where they become branch points of a nonlinear dynamical system. Contrary to the common belief that unavoidable cavity detuning impedes the formation of EPs, here we demonstrate that such detuning is necessary for compensating the carrier-induced frequency shift, hence restoring the EP. Furthermore, we find that the pump imbalance at lasing EPs varies with the total pump power, enabling their continuous tracking. This work uncovers the unstable nature of EPs above laser threshold in coupled semiconductor lasers, offering promising opportunities for the realization of self-pulsing nanolaser devices and frequency combs. 
    more » « less