Abstract
The possibility of parity-time () symmetric periodic potentials is investigated within the context of optics. Beam dynamics in this new type of optical structures is examined in detail for both one- and two-dimensional lattice geometries. It is shown that periodic structures can exhibit unique characteristics stemming from the nonorthogonality of the associated Floquet-Bloch modes. Some of these features include double refraction, power oscillations, and eigenfunction unfolding as well as nonreciprocal diffraction patterns.
- Received 5 June 2007
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.100.103904
©2008 American Physical Society