Nonlinear exceptional nexus with ultra-enhanced signal-to-noise ratio

This study comes from Prof. Duanduan Wan and Prof. Meng Xiao group at the School of Physics of Wuhan University. This work provides a simple while intuitive example by demonstrating with both theory and circuit experiments an “exceptional nexus” (“EX”), a higher-order exceptional point (HOEP). This HOEP is realized within only two coupled resonators with the aid of nonlinear gain. Moreover, such a HOEP exhibits an ultra-enhanced signal-to-noise ratio.

The recent advances in non-Hermitian physics, such as sensitivity enhancement, skin effects, and mode braiding, are underlain by the exceptional points (EPs). Over the last few years, there has been an ongoing debate about whether EPs can improve the sensor’s performance or not. Possible arguments include stringent parameter requirements, fundamental resolution limits, and noise amplification near the EPs. Facing these challenges, researchers intend to conclude that EPs, even higher-order EPs (HOEPs), enhance responsivity instead of signal-to-noise ratio. Here, this team from Wuhan University shows that such a nonlinearity enabled HOEP exhibits not only diverging responsivity but also diverging signal-to-noise ratio. Exploring the nonlinear gain saturation in non-Hermitian systems, this team demonstrates with both theory and circuit experiments an exceptional nexus (EX), a HOEP, within only two coupled resonators (see the first image). Intriguingly, the above-mentioned difficulties encountered for other EPs in sensing can be naturally reconciliated due to the exquisite dimension correlation in this nonlinear system. Moreover, the signal-to-noise ratio is significantly improved in the proximity of HOEP (see the second image).

This result can have significant instant impacts on the fundamental understanding of the exceptional singularities of nonlinear non-Hermitian systems, and may open new avenues for applications such as ultrasensitive measurements.

###

See the article:

Nonlinearity enabled higher-order exceptional singularities with ultra-enhanced signal-to-noise ratio

https://doi.org/10.1093/nsr/nwac259