Exceptional nexus with a hybrid topological invariant.


Journal

Science (New York, N.Y.)
ISSN: 1095-9203
Titre abrégé: Science
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 0404511

Informations de publication

Date de publication:
27 11 2020
Historique:
received: 17 07 2020
accepted: 13 10 2020
entrez: 27 11 2020
pubmed: 28 11 2020
medline: 28 11 2020
Statut: ppublish

Résumé

Branch-point singularities known as exceptional points (EPs), which carry a nonzero topological charge, can emerge in non-Hermitian systems. We demonstrate with both theory and acoustic experiments an "exceptional nexus" (EX), which is not only a higher-order EP but also the cusp singularity of multiple exceptional arcs (EAs). Because the parameter space is segmented by the EAs, the EX possesses a hybrid topological invariant (HTI), which consists of distinct winding numbers associated with Berry phases accumulated by cyclic paths on different complex planes. The HTI is experimentally characterized by measuring the critical behaviors of the wave functions. Our findings constitute a major advance in the fundamental understanding of non-Hermitian systems and their topology, possibly opening new avenues for applications.

Identifiants

pubmed: 33243886
pii: 370/6520/1077
doi: 10.1126/science.abd8872
doi:

Types de publication

Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Langues

eng

Sous-ensembles de citation

IM

Pagination

1077-1080

Informations de copyright

Copyright © 2020, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Auteurs

Weiyuan Tang (W)

Department of Physics, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, China.

Xue Jiang (X)

Department of Electronic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China.
Department of Physics, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, China.

Kun Ding (K)

Blackett Laboratory, Department of Physics, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK. k.ding@imperial.ac.uk phgcma@hkbu.edu.hk.
Department of Physics, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.

Yi-Xin Xiao (YX)

Department of Physics, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.
School of Physical Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China.

Zhao-Qing Zhang (ZQ)

Department of Physics, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.

C T Chan (CT)

Department of Physics, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.

Guancong Ma (G)

Department of Physics, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, China. k.ding@imperial.ac.uk phgcma@hkbu.edu.hk.

Classifications MeSH