Year: 2010
Type: article
Abstract: The observation that PT-symmetric Hamiltonians can have real-valued energy levels even if they are non-Hermitian has triggered intense activities, with experiments, in particular, focusing on optical systems, where Hermiticity can be broken by absorption and amplification. For classical waves, absorption and amplification are related by time-reversal symmetry. This work shows that microreversibility-breaking quantum noise turns PT-symmetric systems into self-sustained sources of radiation, which distinguishes them from ordinary, Hermitian quantum systems.
Source: Physical Review Letters
Author: Henning Schomerus
Institution: Lancaster University
Language: English
Subfield: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W1968235873