English

Using Topological Photon Chips to Uncover the Secrets of Open Systems

977
2024-02-02 18:08:02
See translation

Conservation of energy is a fundamental concept in physics that can be used to explain anything from planetary orbits to the internal workings of individual atoms.

Energy can be converted into other forms, but the overall energy level is usually considered to vary over time. Therefore, when attempting to describe a system, physicists usually pay attention to ensuring that it is isolated from the surrounding environment.

However, if the energy gain and loss are distributed in an orderly manner, so that they cancel each other out in all possible situations, the dynamics of the system can also be stable. This can be ensured through a phenomenon called parity check time symmetry.

All components of the system are carefully arranged to exchange the gain and loss of light through simultaneous mirroring and time reversal, making the system appear unchanged, just like a video played backwards and simultaneously reflected in a mirror, but looking exactly the same as the original video, which means it is PT symmetric.

PT symmetry is not just an academic concept; On the contrary, it opens the door to a more thorough understanding of open systems.

Professor Alexander Szameit from Rostock University specializes in studying interesting physical phenomena related to PT symmetry. Laser can replicate the behavior of artificial and natural materials arranged in periodic lattice structures in their customized photonic chips, making them an excellent platform for testing various physical theories.

Therefore, Professor Szameit and his colleagues successfully integrated the ideas of topology and PT symmetry. Topology is the study of properties that remain unchanged even when the underlying system is constantly deformed. When a system possesses these qualities, it becomes particularly resistant to external influences.

Szameit's team used laser engraved photonic waveguides in their experiments, which are optical structures etched into materials by laser beams.

In these "optical circuits," so-called topological insulators are implemented.
So far, people believe that open systems and this powerful boundary state are fundamentally incompatible. Researchers from Rostock, Vilzburg, and Indianapolis have jointly demonstrated that it is possible to address the apparent paradox by dynamically allocating benefits and losses over time.

These findings may pave the way for the development of new cutting-edge circuits for transmitting sound, light, and even electricity. These findings also represent significant advances in the understanding of topological insulators and open systems.

This study was funded by the German Research Foundation and supported by the Alfred Krupp von Boren and the Halbach Foundation.

Source: Laser Net


Related Recommendations
  • Ultraviolet spectroscopy: a leap in accuracy and precision under extremely low light levels

    Ultraviolet spectroscopy plays a crucial role in the study of electronic transitions in atoms and rovibronic transitions in molecules. These studies are crucial for the testing of fundamental physics, quantum electrodynamics theory, determination of fundamental constants, precision measurements, optical clocks, high-resolution spectroscopy supporting atmospheric chemistry and astrophysics, and str...

    2024-03-08
    See translation
  • Hanbit Laser Layout in Southeast Asia's Mid to Low End Market

    Hanbit Laser, a South Korean laser equipment manufacturer, has recently completed an important step in its strategic layout for the Southeast Asian market. Recently, the company officially opened a laser application center in Hanoi, Vietnam, and entered the local mid to low price equipment market by integrating laser technology and automation solutions. This is a substantial progress in implementi...

    02-26
    See translation
  • Significant breakthrough in intelligent spectral environment perception research at Xi'an Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics

    Recently, the Xi'an Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has made significant progress in the field of intelligent spectral environmental perception. Relevant research results have been published in the top journal in the field of environmental science, Environmental Science&Technology (Nature Index, 5-Year IF: 11.7), and have been selected as cover papers....

    03-20
    See translation
  • New type of "dynamic static dual sensing" charge coupled phototransistor

    With the development of cutting-edge technologies such as automatic guidance and embodied intelligence, machine vision has put forward higher requirements for image acquisition, requiring precise recording of static images and the ability to sensitively capture dynamic changes in the scene. The existing dynamic and active pixel sensor technology integrates two functions: dynamic event detection an...

    04-17
    See translation
  • Aerotech's next-generation laser processing technology for medical device manufacturing

    Recently, Aerotech Inc., a global leader in precision motion control and automation, launched the ultimate cylindrical laser machining motion platform LaserTurn160. LaserTurn160 is designed for unparalleled precision and efficiency, with a 40% increase in production capacity compared to similar systems, setting a new standard for medical device manufacturing. Extremely high efficiency, unparalle...

    02-08
    See translation