KAIST nanophotonics
Sangha Lee
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
Ultrafast topological phase switching of non-Hermitian photonic system
We examined non-Hermitian metasurfaces, which can function as either time-invariant systems or time-varying systems. It has been shown that non-Hermitian notions, including the emergence of exceptional points in parameter space, are implemented by using coupled resonators. Furthermore, this non-Hermitian system is interpreted from a topological perspective, implying that exceptional points act as topological defects. Before developing it experimentally, computational estimates are performed. In this work, polarization-based analysis is used to address two scenarios that correspond to time-invariant or ultrafast time-varying conditions, respectively. Eigenstate and its evolution are projected onto the Poincare sphere to assure when the topological phase transition happens and what the eigenstate is at that specific point. Even if the system characteristics vary over time, the inherent attributes of the exceptional point remain, so it is necessary to approach them on various time scales. The topological phase transition that occurs by slow and smooth change is based on the observation of a piecewise stationary system, whereas our proposed topological phase switching is an attempt to observe the transition moment dynamically.