Spectral Singularities of Complex Scattering Potentials and Infinite Reflection and Transmission Coefficients at real Energies

Spectral singularities are spectral points that spoil the completeness of the eigenfunctions of certain non-Hermitian Hamiltonian operators. We identify spectral singularities of complex scattering potentials with the real energies at which the reflection and transmission coefficients tend to infinity, i.e., they correspond to resonances having a zero width. We show that a wave guide modeled using such a potential operates like a resonator at the frequencies of spectral singularities. As a concrete example, we explore the spectral singularities of an imaginary PT-symmetric barrier potential and demonstrate the above resonance phenomenon for a certain electromagnetic wave guide.Comment: Published versio

Resonance Phenomenon Related to Spectral Singularities, Complex Barrier Potential, and Resonating Waveguides

A peculiar property of complex scattering potentials is the appearance of spectral singularities. These are energy eigenvalues for certain scattering states that similarly to resonance states have infinite reflection and transmission coefficients. This property reveals an interesting resonance effect with possible applications in waveguide physics. We study the spectral singularities of a complex barrier potential and explore their application in designing a waveguide that functions as a resonator. We show that for the easily accessible sizes of the waveguide and its gain region, we can realize the spectral singularity-related resonance phenomenon at almost every wavelength within the visible spectrum or outside it.Comment: Published version, 20 pages, 2 tables, 7 figure

Self-dual Spectral Singularities and Coherent Perfect Absorbing Lasers without PT-symmetry

A PT-symmetric optically active medium that lases at the threshold gain also acts as a complete perfect absorber at the laser wavelength. This is because spectral singularities of PT-symmetric complex potentials are always accompanied by their time-reversal dual. We investigate the significance of PT-symmetry for the appearance of these self-dual spectral singularities. In particular, using a realistic optical system we show that self-dual spectral singularities can emerge also for non-PT-symmetric configurations. This signifies the existence of non-PT-symmetric CPA-lasers.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figures, 1 table, accepted for publication in J. Phys.

Some comments on the divergence of perturbation series in Quantum Eletrodynamics

It has been argued by Dyson that the perturbation series in coupling constant in QED can not be convergent. We find that similiar albeit slightly different arguments lead to the divergence of the series of $1/N_f$ expansion in QED.Comment: Final Version, To appear in Modern Physics Letters

Self-Induced Quasistationary Magnetic Fields

The interaction of electromagnetic radiation with temporally dispersive magnetic solids of small dimensions may show very special resonant behaviors. The internal fields of such samples are characterized by magnetostatic-potential scalar wave functions. The oscillating modes have the energy orthogonality properties and unusual pseudo-electric (gauge) fields. Because of a phase factor, that makes the states single valued, a persistent magnetic current exists. This leads to appearance of an eigen-electric moment of a small disk sample. One of the intriguing features of the mode fields is dynamical symmetry breaking

Optical Spectral Singularities and Coherent Perfect Absorption in a Two-Layer Spherical Medium

An optical spectral singularity is a zero-width resonance that corresponds to lasing at threshold gain. Its time-reversal causes coherent perfect absorption of light and forms the theoretical basis of antilasing. In this article we explore optical spectral singularities of a two-layer spherical medium. In particular, we examine the cases that a gain medium is coated by a thin layer of high-refractive index glass and a spherical glass covered by a layer of gain material. In the former case, the coating reduces the minimum radius required for exciting spectral singularities and gives rise to the formation of clusters of spectral singularities separated by wide spectral gaps. In the latter case, the coating leads to a doubling of the number of spectral singularities.Comment: 19 pages, 1 table, 10 figures, accepted for publication in Proc. R. Soc.

Spectral singularities in PT-symmetric periodic finite-gap systems

The origin of spectral singularities in finite-gap singly periodic PT-symmetric quantum systems is investigated. We show that they emerge from a limit of band-edge states in a doubly periodic finite gap system when the imaginary period tends to infinity. In this limit, the energy gaps are contracted and disappear, every pair of band states of the same periodicity at the edges of a gap coalesces and transforms into a singlet state in the continuum. As a result, these spectral singularities turn out to be analogous to those in the non-periodic systems, where they appear as zero-width resonances. Under the change of topology from a non-compact into a compact one, spectral singularities in the class of periodic systems we study are transformed into exceptional points. The specific degeneration related to the presence of finite number of spectral singularities and exceptional points is shown to be coherently reflected by a hidden, bosonized nonlinear supersymmetry.Comment: 16 pages, 3 figures; a difference between spectral singularities and exceptional points specified, the version to appear in PR

Theoretical framework for quantum networks

We present a framework to treat quantum networks and all possible transformations thereof, including as special cases all possible manipulations of quantum states, measurements, and channels, such as, e.g., cloning, discrimination, estimation, and tomography. Our framework is based on the concepts of quantum comb-which describes all transformations achievable by a given quantum network-and link product-the operation of connecting two quantum networks. Quantum networks are treated both from a constructive point of view-based on connections of elementary circuits-and from an axiomatic one-based on a hierarchy of admissible quantum maps. In the axiomatic context a fundamental property is shown, which we call universality of quantum memory channels: any admissible transformation of quantum networks can be realized by a suitable sequence of memory channels. The open problem whether this property fails for some nonquantum theory, e.g., for no-signaling boxes, is posed.Comment: 23 pages, revtex

Modal Approach to Casimir Forces in Periodic Structures

We present a modal approach to calculate finite temperature Casimir interactions between two periodically modulated surfaces. The scattering formula is used and the reflection matrices of the patterned surfaces are calculated decomposing the electromagnetic field into the natural modes of the structures. The Casimir force gradient from a deeply etched silicon grating is evaluated using the modal approach and compared to experiment for validation. The Casimir force from a two dimensional periodic structure is computed and deviations from the proximity force approximation examined.Comment: 13 pages, 7 figure

On the negative spectrum of two-dimensional Schr\"odinger operators with radial potentials

For a two-dimensional Schr\"odinger operator $H_{\alpha V}=-\Delta-\alpha V$ with the radial potential $V(x)=F(|x|), F(r)\ge 0$, we study the behavior of the number $N_-(H_{\alpha V})$ of its negative eigenvalues, as the coupling parameter $\alpha$ tends to infinity. We obtain the necessary and sufficient conditions for the semi-classical growth $N_-(H_{\alpha V})=O(\alpha)$ and for the validity of the Weyl asymptotic law.Comment: 13 page