Perturbative Analysis of Spectral Singularities and Their Optical Realizations

We develop a perturbative method of computing spectral singularities of a Schreodinger operator defined by a general complex potential that vanishes outside a closed interval. These can be realized as zero-width resonances in optical gain media and correspond to a lasing effect that occurs at the threshold gain. Their time-reversed copies yield coherent perfect absorption of light that is also known as an antilaser. We use our general results to establish the exactness of the n-th order perturbation theory for an arbitrary complex potential consisting of n delta-functions, obtain an exact expression for the transfer matrix of these potentials, and examine spectral singularities of complex barrier potentials of arbitrary shape. In the context of optical spectral singularities, these correspond to inhomogeneous gain media.Comment: 13 pages, 2 figures, one table, a reference added, typos correcte

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

Is the CPT-norm always positive?

We give an explicit example of an exactly solvable PT-symmetric Hamiltonian with the unbroken PT symmetry which has one eigenfunction with the zero PT-norm. The set of its eigenfunctions is not complete in corresponding Hilbert space and it is non-diagonalizable. In the case of a regular Sturm-Liouville problem any diagonalizable PT-symmetric Hamiltonian with the unbroken PT symmetry has a complete set of positive CPT-normalazable eigenfunctions. For non-diagonalizable Hamiltonians a complete set of CPT-normalazable functions is possible but the functions belonging to the root subspace corresponding to multiple zeros of the characteristic determinant are not eigenfunctions of the Hamiltonian anymore

Optical realization of relativistic non-Hermitian quantum mechanics

Light propagation in distributed feedback optical structures with gain/loss regions is shown to provide an accessible laboratory tool to visualize in optics the spectral properties of the one-dimensional Dirac equation with non-Hermitian interactions. Spectral singularities and PT symmetry breaking of the Dirac Hamiltonian are shown to correspond to simple observable physical quantities and related to well-known physical phenomena like resonance narrowing and laser oscillation.Comment: 4 page

Relativistic Harmonic Oscillator Revisited

The familiar Fock space commonly used to describe the relativistic harmonic oscillator, for example as part of string theory, is insufficient to describe all the states of the relativistic oscillator. We find that there are three different vacua leading to three disconnected Fock sectors, all constructed with the same creation-annihilation operators. These have different spacetime geometric properties as well as different algebraic symmetry properties or different quantum numbers. Two of these Fock spaces include negative norm ghosts (as in string theory) while the third one is completely free of ghosts. We discuss a gauge symmetry in a worldline theory approach that supplies appropriate constraints to remove all the ghosts from all Fock sectors of the single oscillator. The resulting ghost free quantum spectrum in d+1 dimensions is then classified in unitary representations of the Lorentz group SO(d,1). Moreover all states of the single oscillator put together make up a single infinite dimensional unitary representation of a hidden global symmetry SU(d,1), whose Casimir eigenvalues are computed. Possible applications of these new results in string theory and other areas of physics and mathematics are briefly mentioned.Comment: 41 pages, 2 figures, LaTe

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

Unidirectional Invisibility and PT-Symmetry with Graphene

We investigate the reflectionlessness and invisibility properties in the transverse electric (TE) mode solution of a linear homogeneous optical system which comprises the $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric structures covered by graphene sheets. We derive analytic expressions, indicate roles of each parameter governing optical system with graphene and justify that optimal conditions of these parameters give rise to broadband and wide angle invisibility. Presence of graphene turns out to shift the invisible wavelength range and to reduce the required gain amount considerably, based on its chemical potential and temperature. We substantiate that our results yield broadband reflectionless and invisible configurations for realistic materials of small refractive indices, usually around $\eta = 1$, and of small thickness sizes with graphene sheets of rather small temperatures and chemical potentials. Finally, we demonstrate that pure $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric graphene yields invisibility at small temperatures and chemical potentials.Comment: 20 pages, 1 table 17 figure

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

On localization and position operators in Moebius-covariant theories

Some years ago it was shown that, in some cases, a notion of locality can arise from the group of symmetry enjoyed by the theory, thus in an intrinsic way. In particular, when Moebius covariance is present, it is possible to associate some particular transformations to the Tomita Takesaki modular operator and conjugation of a specific interval of an abstract circle. In this context we propose a way to define an operator representing the coordinate conjugated with the modular transformations. Remarkably this coordinate turns out to be compatible with the abstract notion of locality. Finally a concrete example concerning a quantum particle on a line is also given.Comment: 19 pages, UTM 705, version to appear in RM

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.