Anyonic-parity-time symmetry in complex-coupled lasers

Abstract

Non-Hermitian Hamiltonians, and particularly parity-time (PT) and anti-PT symmetric Hamiltonians, play an important role in many branches of physics, from quantum mechanics to optical systems and acoustics. Both the PT and anti-PT symmetries are specific instances of a broader class known as anyonic-PT symmetry, where the Hamiltonian and the PT operator satisfy a generalized commutation relation. Here, we study theoretically these novel symmetries and demonstrate them experimentally in coupled lasers systems. We resort to complex coupling of mixed dispersive and dissipative nature, which allows unprecedented control on the location in parameter space where the symmetry and symmetry breaking occur. Moreover, tuning the coupling in the same physical system allows us to realize the special cases of PT and anti-PT symmetries. In a more general perspective, we present and experimentally validate a new relation between laser synchronization and the symmetry of the underlying non-Hermitian Hamiltonian.