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Abstract The classical properties of thermal light fields were instrumental in shaping our early understanding of light. Before the invention of the laser, thermal light was used to investigate the wave-particle duality of light. The subsequent formulation of the quantum theory of electromagnetic radiation later confirmed the classical nature of thermal light fields. Here, we fragment a pseudothermal field into its multiparticle constituents to demonstrate that it can host multiphoton dynamics mediated by either classical or quantum properties of coherence. This is shown in a forty-particle system through a process of scattering mediated by twisted paths endowed with orbital angular momentum. This platform enables accurate projections of the scattered pseudothermal system into isolated multiphoton subsystems governed by quantum dynamics. Interestingly, the isolated multiphoton subsystems exhibiting quantum coherence produce interference patterns previously attributed to entangled optical systems. As such, our work unveils novel mechanisms to isolate quantum systems from classical fields. This possibility opens new paradigms in quantum physics with enormous implications for the development of robust quantum technologies. 

Non-Hermitian systems have attracted significant interest because of their intriguing properties, including exceptional points (EPs), where eigenvalues and the corresponding eigenstates coalesce. In particular, quantum systems with EPs exhibit an enhanced sensitivity to external perturbations, which increases with the order of the EP. Therefore, higher-order EPs hold significant potential for advanced sensing applications, but they are challenging to achieve due to stringent symmetry requirements. In this work, we study the dynamics of a generalized lossy waveguide beam splitter with asymmetric coupling by introducing non-reciprocity as a tunable parameter to achieve higher-order EPs even without dissipation. Moreover, we analyze the evolution of NOON-states under activated non-reciprocity, highlighting its impact on quantum systems. Our results open new pathways for realizing higher-order EPs in non-reciprocal open quantum systems. 

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. 

The non-Hermitian models, which are symmetric under parity (P) and time-reversal (T) operators, are the cornerstone for the fabrication of new ultra-sensitive optoelectronic devices. However, providing the gain in such systems usually demands precise control of nonlinear processes, limiting their application. In this paper, to bypass this obstacle, we introduce a class of time-dependent non-Hermitian Hamiltonians (not necessarily Floquet) that can describe a two-level system with temporally modulated on-site potential and couplings. We show that implementing an appropriate non-Unitary gauge transformation converts the original system to an effective one with a balanced gain and loss. This will allow us to derive the evolution of states analytically. Our proposed class of Hamiltonians can be employed in different platforms such as electronic circuits, acoustics, and photonics to design structures with hiddenPT-symmetry potentially without imaginary onsite amplification and absorption mechanism to obtain an exceptional point.