Browsing by Subject "PT-symmetry"

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
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    Beyond the Exceptional Point: Exploring the Features of Non-Hermitian PT Symmetric Systems
    (2022-08) Agarwal, Kaustubh Shrikant; Joglekar, Yogesh N.; Vemuri, Gautam; Ou, Zhe “Jeff”; Petrache, Horia I.; Lukens, Joseph M.
    Over the past two decades, open systems that are described by a non-Hermitian Hamiltonian have become a subject of intense research. These systems encompass classical wave systems with balanced gain and loss, semi-classical models with mode selective losses, and lossy quantum systems. The rapidly growing research on these systems has mainly focused on the wide range of novel functionalities they demonstrate. In this thesis, I intend to present some intriguing properties of a class of open systems which possess parity (P) and time-reversal (T) symmetry with a theoretical background, accompanied by the experimental platform these are realized on. These systems show distinct regions of broken and unbroken symmetries separated by a special phase boundary in the parameter space. This separating boundary is called the PT-breaking threshold or the PT transition threshold. We investigate non-Hermitian systems in two settings: tight binding lattice models, and electrical circuits, with the help of theoretical and numerical techniques. With lattice models, we explore the PT-symmetry breaking threshold in discrete realizations of systems with balanced gain and loss which is determined by the effective coupling between the gain and loss sites. In one-dimensional chains, this threshold is maximum when the two sites are closest to each other or the farthest. We investigate the fate of this threshold in the presence of parallel, strongly coupled, Hermitian (neutral) chains, and find that it is increased by a factor proportional to the number of neutral chains. These results provide a surprising way to engineer the PT threshold in experimentally accessible samples. In another example, we investigate the PT-threshold for a one-dimensional, finite Kitaev chain—a prototype for a p-wave superconductor— in the presence of a single pair of gain and loss potentials as a function of the superconducting order parameter, onsite potential, and the distance between the gain and loss sites. In addition to a robust, non-local threshold, we find a rich phase diagram for the threshold that can be qualitatively understood in terms of the band-structure of the Hermitian Kitaev model. Finally, with electrical circuits, we propose a protocol to study the properties of a PT-symmetric system in a single LC oscillator circuit which is contrary to the notion that these systems require a pair of spatially separated balanced gain and loss elements. With a dynamically tunable LC oscillator with synthetically constructed circuit elements, we demonstrate static and Floquet PT breaking transitions by tracking the energy of the circuit. Distinct from traditional mechanisms to implement gain and loss, our protocol enables parity-time symmetry in a minimal classical system.
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    On-Demand Parity-Time Symmetry in a Lone Oscillator through Complex Synthetic Gauge Fields
    (APS, 2022-11-14) Quiroz-Juárez, Mario A.; Agarwal, Kaustubh S.; Cochran , Zachary A.; Aragón, José L.; Joglekar, Yogesh N.; León-Montiel, Roberto de J.; Physics, School of Science
    What is the fate of an oscillator when its inductance and capacitance are varied while its frequency is kept constant? Inspired by this question, we propose a protocol to implement parity-time (PT ) symmetry in a lone oscillator. Different forms of constrained variations lead to static, periodic, or arbitrary balanced gain and loss profiles, that can be interpreted as purely imaginary gauge fields. With a state-of-the-art, dynamically tunable LC oscillator comprising synthetic circuit elements, we demonstrate static and Floquet PT breaking transitions, including those at vanishingly small gain and loss, by tracking the circuit energy. Concurrently, we derive and observe conserved quantities in this open, balanced gain-loss system, both in the static and Floquet cases. Lastly, by measuring the circuit energy, we unveil a giant dynamical asymmetry along exceptional-point contours that emerge symmetrically from the Hermitian degeneracies at Floquet resonances. Distinct from material or parametric gain and loss mechanisms, our protocol enables on-demand parity-time symmetry in a minimal classical system—a single oscillator—and may be ported to other realizations including metamaterials and optomechanical systems.
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    PT -symmetry breaking in a Kitaev chain with one pair of gain-loss potentials
    (APS, 2021-08) Agarwal, Kaustubh S.; Joglekar, Yogesh N.; Physics, School of Science
    Parity-time (PT) symmetric systems are classical, gain-loss systems whose dynamics are governed by non-Hermitian Hamiltonians with exceptional-point (EP) degeneracies. The eigenvalues of a PT-symmetric Hamiltonian change from real to complex conjugates at a critical value of gain-loss strength that is called the PT breaking threshold. Here, we obtain the PT threshold for a one-dimensional, finite Kitaev chain—a prototype for a p-wave superconductor—in the presence of a single pair of gain and loss potentials as a function of the superconducting order parameter, on-site potential, and the distance between the gain and loss sites. In addition to a robust, nonlocal threshold, we find a rich phase diagram for the threshold that can be qualitatively understood in terms of the band structure of the Hermitian Kitaev model. In particular, for an even chain with zero on-site potential, we find a re-entrant PT-symmetric phase bounded by second-order EP contours. Our numerical results are supplemented by analytical calculations for small system sizes.
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    Topological Quantum State Control through Exceptional-Point Proximity
    (APS, 2022-04-22) Abbasi, Maryam; Chen, Weijian; Naghiloo, Mahd; Joglekar, Yogesh N.; Murch, Kater W.; Physics, School of Science
    We study the quantum evolution of a non-Hermitian qubit realized as a submanifold of a dissipative superconducting transmon circuit. Real-time tuning of the system parameters to encircle an exceptional point results in nonreciprocal quantum state transfer. We further observe chiral geometric phases accumulated under state transport, verifying the quantum coherent nature of the evolution in the complex energy landscape and distinguishing between coherent and incoherent effects associated with exceptional point encircling. Our work demonstrates an entirely new method for control over quantum state vectors, highlighting new facets of quantum bath engineering enabled through dynamical non-Hermitian control.