Dynamically encircling exceptional points for robust eigenstate generation and all-optical logic operations in a three-dimensional photonic chip

Abstract

Dynamically encircling exceptional points (EEPs) in non-Hermitian systems have been utilized to realize robust on-chip mode conversions by taking the advantage that the output states are usually fixed and independent of the input states. This highly protects one of the specific eigenstates, but restricts their practical applications requiring superposition states. Here, we realize an on-chip robust eigenstate generator using a depth-varying 3D waveguide to overpass the EEP system. It not only preserves the robustness of the EEP system to generate one determinate eigenstate, but also generates another two-level eigenstate and arbitrary superposition states. Furthermore, by ingeniously combining two identical generators with a symmetric Y combiner, both the all-optical XOR and OR logic operations insensitive to the variations in the input light are realized by the destructive or constructive interference between the two generators' near-neighboring output signals. This paper paves the way for applications of EEP systems to highly robust state manipulations and information processing in integrated photonic and quantum devices.