Phys.org January 24, 2022
Researchers in China implemented dissipative spin–orbit-coupled bands filled with ultracold fermions and observed parity-time symmetry breaking as a result of the competition between the spin–orbit coupling and dissipation. Tunable dissipation, introduced by state-selective atom loss, enabled them to tune the energy gap and close it at the critical dissipation value, the so-called exceptional point. Near the critical point, the state evolution exhibited a chiral response, which enabled them to tune the spin–orbit coupling and dissipation dynamically, revealing topologically robust chiral spin transfer when the quantum state encircled the exceptional point. According to the researchers this demonstrates that they can explore non-Hermitian topological states with spin–orbit coupling…read more. TECHNICAL ARTICLE
A new study finds that quantum state evolution is direction dependent in the parameter space of dissipative spin-orbit coupled system. Credit: Dong Liu