Synergetic positivity of loss and noise in nonlinear non-Hermitian resonators

Abstract

Loss and noise are usually undesirable in electronics and optics, which are generally mitigated by separate ways in the cost of bulkiness and complexity. Recent studies of non-Hermitian systems have shown a positive role of loss in various loss-induced counterintuitive phenomena, while noise still remains a fundamental challenge in non-Hermitian systems particularly for sensing and lasing. Here, we simultaneously reverse the detrimental loss and noise and reveal their coordinated positive role in nonlinear non-Hermitian resonators. This synergetic effect leads to the amplified spectrum intensity with suppressed spectrum fluctuations after adding both loss and noise. We reveal the underlying mechanism of nonlinearity-induced bistability engineered by loss in the non-Hermitian resonators and noise-loss enhanced coherence of eigenfrequency hopping driven by temporal modulation of detuning. Our findings enrich counterintuitive non-Hermitian physics and lead to a general recipe to overcome loss and noise from electronics to photonics with applications from sensing to communication.