Antisymmetric PT-photonic structures with balanced positive- and negative-index materials

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Abstract

We propose a class of synthetic optical materials in which the refractive index satisfies n(-x)=-n*(x). We term such systems antisymmetric parity-time (APT) structures. Unlike PT-symmetric systems, which require balanced gain and loss, i.e., n(-x)=n*(x), APT systems consist of balanced positive- and negative-index materials. Despite the seemingly PT-symmetric optical potential V(x)≡n(x )2ω2/c2, APT systems are not invariant under combined PT operations due to the discontinuity of the spatial derivative of the wave function. We show that APT systems can display intriguing properties, such as spontaneous phase transition of the scattering matrix, a flat total transmission band, and a continuous lasing spectrum.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number053810
JournalPhysical Review A - Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics
Volume88
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 11 2013

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics

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