Coupled non-Hermitian skin effect with exceptional points

Guo-Huai Wang; Ran Tao; Zhen-Nan Tian; Qi-Dai Chen; Xu-Lin Zhang

doi:10.1038/s41377-025-02006-6

Your Location：

Home >

Browse articles >

Coupled non-Hermitian skin effect with exceptional points

Original Articles

- Coupled non-Hermitian skin effect with exceptional points
- Light: Science & Applications Vol. 14, Issue 11, Pages: 3621-3629(2025)
- Affiliations：
  
  State Key Laboratory of Integrated Optoelectronics, JLU Region, College of Electronic Science and Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
- Author bio：
  
  Zhen-Nan Tian (zhennan_tian@jlu.edu.cn)
  Qi-Dai Chen (chenqd@jlu.edu.cn)
  Xu-Lin Zhang (xulin_zhang@jlu.edu.cn)
- Funds：
- DOI：10.1038/s41377-025-02006-6
  CLC：
- Received：03 March 2025，
  
  Revised：2025-07-29，
  
  Accepted：11 August 2025，
  
  Published Online：23 September 2025，
  
  Published：30 November 2025
- Accepted：
Scan QR Code
Wang, G. H. et al. Coupled non-Hermitian skin effect with exceptional points. Light: Science & Applications, 14, 3621-3629 (2025).
DOI：

Wang, G. H. et al. Coupled non-Hermitian skin effect with exceptional points. Light: Science & Applications, 14, 3621-3629 (2025). DOI： 10.1038/s41377-025-02006-6.

摘要

Abstract

Non-Hermitian systems exhibit two unique hallmarks: exceptional points (EPs) and non-Hermitian skin effect (NHSE). The EP arises from the interplay of multiple energy levels

marked by degeneracy in eigenvalue spectra

while the NHSE is associated with the localization feature of eigenfunctions. Due to their different origins and consequences

the interplay between the two hallmarks has drawn considerable interest. Here

we propose the concept of coupled NHSE

i.e.

two non-Hermitian systems with independent NHSE are coupled together. We find that by introducing non-Hermitian losses with special symmetry

multiple pairs of EPs can appear

greatly compressing the eigenvalue spectrum and accelerating the breakdown of the coupled NHSE. In contrast

the attenuation of coupled NHSE is significantly alleviated in systems without EPs. In this sense

the EP can act as a degree of freedom to tune the NHSE and govern the non-Hermitian dynamics. The proposed concept is experimentally realized in photonic lattices with artificial gauge fields

which will bridge these two significant concepts and open avenues for non-Hermitian applications simultaneously associated with them.

关键词

Keywords

references

El-Ganainy, R. et al. Non-Hermitian physics and PT symmetry. Nat. Phys. 14 , 11–19 (2018)..

Ashida, Y., Gong, Z. P. & Ueda, M. Non-Hermitian physics. Adv. Phys. 69 , 249–435 (2020)..

Bergholtz, E. J., Budich, J. C. & Kunst, F. K. Exceptional topology of non-Hermitian systems. Rev. Mod. Phys. 93 , 015005 (2021)..

Bender, C. M. & Boettcher, S. Real spectra in non-Hermitian Hamiltonians having PT symmetry. Phys. Rev. Lett. 80 , 5243 (1998)..

Guo, A. et al. Observation of PT-symmetry brea king in complex optical potentials. Phys. Rev. Lett. 103 , 093902 (2009)..

Li, A. D. et al. Exceptional points and non-Hermitian photonics at the nanoscale. Nat. Nanotechnol. 18 , 706–720 (2023)..

Wiersig, J. Enhancing the sensitivity of frequency and energy splitting detection by using exceptional points: application to microcavity sensors for single-particledetection. Phys. Rev. Lett. 112 , 203901 (2014)..

Peng, B. et al. Chiral modes and directional lasing at exceptional points. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 113 , 6845–6850 (2016)..

Doppler, J. et al. Dynamically encircling an exceptional point for asymmetric mode switching. Nature 537 , 76–79 (2016)..

Hodaei, H. et al. Enhanced sensitivity at higher-order exceptional points. Nature 548 , 187–191 (2017)..

Chen, W. J. et al. Exceptional points enhance sensing in an optical microcavity. Nature 548 , 192–196 (2017)..

Zhang, X. L. et al. Dynamically encircling exceptional points: in situ control of encircling loops and the role of the starting point. Phys. Rev. X 8 , 021066 (2018)..

Wiersig, J. Prospects and fundamental limits in exceptional point-based sensing. Nat. Commun. 11 , 2454 (2020)..

Yu, F. - et al. General rules governing the dynamical encircling of an arbitrary number of exceptional points. Phys. Rev. Lett. 127 , 253901 (2021)..

Li, A. D. et al. Riemann-encircling exceptional points for efficient asymmetric polarization-locked devices. Phys. Rev. Lett. 129 , 127401 (2022)..

Kononchuk, R. et al. Exceptional-point-based accelerometers with enhanced signal-to-noise ratio. Nature 607 , 697–702 (2022)..

Arkhipov, I. I. et al. Dynamically crossing diabolic points while encircling exceptional curves: a programmable symmetric-asymmetric multimode switch. Nat. Commun. 14 , 2076 (2023)..

Shan, Z. L. et al. Non-Abelian holonomy in degenerate non-Hermitian systems. Phys. Rev. Lett. 133 , 053802 (2024)..

Yao, S. Y. & Wang, Z. Edge states and topological invariants of non-Hermitian systems. Phys. Rev. Lett. 121 , 086803 (2018)..

Song, F., Yao, S. Y. & Wang, Z. Non-Hermitian skin effect and chiral damping in open quantum systems. Phys. Rev. Lett. 123 , 170401 (2019)..

Okuma, N. et al. Topological origin of non-Hermitian skin effects. Phys. Rev. Lett. 124 , 086801 (2020)..

Weidemann, S. et al. Topological funneling of light. Science 368 , 311–314 (2020)..

Yi, Y. F. & Yang, Z. S. Non-Hermitian skin modes induced by on-site dissipations and chiral tunneling effect. Phys. Rev. Lett. 125 , 186802 (2020)..

Longhi, S. Self-healing of non-Hermitian topological skin modes. Phys. Rev. Lett. 128 , 157601 (2022)..

Wang, W., Wang, X. L. & Ma, G. C. Non-Hermitian morphing of topological modes. Nature 608 , 50–55 (2022)..

Lin, Z. Y. et al. Observation of topological transition in Floquet non-Hermitian skin effects in silicon photonics. Phys. Rev. Lett. 133 , 073803 (2024)..

Longhi, S. Incoherent non-Hermitian skin effect in photonic quantum walks. Light Sci. Appl. 13 , 95 (2024)..

Kunst, F. K. et al. Biorthogonal bulk-boundary correspondence in non-Hermitian systems. Phys. Rev. Lett. 121 , 026808 (2018)..

Song, F., Yao, S. Y. & Wang, Z. Non-Hermitian topological invariants in real space. Phys. Rev. Lett. 123 , 246801 (2019)..

Xiao, L. et al. Non-Hermitian bulk-boundary correspondence in quantum dynamics. Nat. Phys. 16 , 761–766 (2020)..

Helbig, T. et al. Generalized bulk-boundary correspondence in non-Hermitian topolectrical circuits. Nat. Phys. 16 , 747–750 (2020)..

Zhang, K., Yang, Z. S. & Fang, C. Correspondence between winding numbers and skin m odes in non-Hermitian systems. Phys. Rev. Lett. 125 , 126402 (2020)..

Yokomizo, K. & Murakami, S. Non-Bloch band theory of non-Hermitian systems. Phys. Rev. Lett. 123 , 066404 (2019)..

Yang, Z. S. et al. Non-Hermitian bulk-boundary correspondence and auxiliary generalized Brillouin zone theory. Phys. Rev. Lett. 125 , 226402 (2020)..

Kawabata, K., Sato, M. & Shiozaki, K. Higher-order non-Hermitian skin effect. Phys. Rev. B 102 , 205118 (2020)..

Zhang, X. J. et al. Observation of higher-order non-Hermitian skin effect. Nat. Commun. 12 , 5377 (2021)..

Zhang, K., Yang, Z. S. & Fang, C. Universal non-Hermitian skin effect in two and higher dimensions. Nat. Commun. 13 , 2496 (2022)..

Zhao, E. T. et al. Two-dimensional non-Hermitian skin effect in an ultracold Fermi gas. Nature 637 , 565–573 (2025)..

Lee, C. H., Li, L. H. & Gong, J . B. Hybrid higher-order skin-topological modes in nonreciprocal systems. Phys. Rev. Lett. 123 , 016805 (2019)..

Zou, D. Y. et al. Observation of hybrid higher-order skin-topological effect in non-Hermitian topolectrical circuits. Nat. Commun. 12 , 7201 (2021)..

Li, Y. H. et al. Gain-loss-induced hybrid skin-topological effect. Phys. Rev. Lett. 128 , 223903 (2022)..

Li, Y. H. et al. Loss-induced Floquet non-Hermitian skin effect. Phys. Rev. B 108 , L220301 (2023)..

Sun, Y. Y. et al. Photonic Floquet skin-topological effect. Phys. Rev. Lett. 132 , 063804 (2024)..

Li, H. S. & Wan, S. L. Dynamic skin effects in non-Hermitian systems. Phys. Rev. B 106 , L241112 (2022)..

Peng,Y. et al. Manipulating the non-Hermitian skin effect via electric fields. Phys. Rev. B 106 , L161402 (2022)..

Guo, S. B. et al. Theoretical prediction of a non-He rmitian skin effect in ultracold-atom systems. Phys. Rev. A 106 , L061302 (2022)..

Li, Z. et al. Observation of dynamic non-Hermitian skin effects. Nat. Commun. 15 , 6544 (2024)..

Xiao, L. et al. Observation of non-Bloch parity-time symmetry and exceptional points. Phys. Rev. Lett. 126 , 230402 (2021)..

Zhou, Q. Y. et al. Observation of geometry-dependent skin effect in non-Hermitian phononic crystals with exceptional points. Nat. Commun. 14 , 4569 (2023)..

Wang, W. et al. Experimental realization of geometry-dependent skin effect in a reciprocal two-dimensional lattice. Phys. Rev. Lett. 131 , 207201 (2023)..

Fang, K. J., Yu, Z. F. & Fan, S. H. Realizing effective magnetic field for photons by controlling the phase of dynamic modulation. Nat. Photonics 6 , 782–787 (2012)..

Rechtsman, M. C. et al. Photonic Floquet topological insulators. Nature 496 , 196–200 (2013)..

Song, W. G. et al. Dispersionless coupling among optical waveguides by artificial gauge field. Phys. Rev. Lett. 129 , 053901 (2022)..

Gong, Z. P. et al. Topological phases of non-Hermitian systems. Phys. Rev. X 8 , 031079 (2018)..

Kawabata, K. et al. Symmetry and topology in non-Hermitian physics. Phys. Rev. X 9 , 041015 (2019)..

Views

Downloads

CSCD

Alert me when the article has been cited

Submit

Tools

Publicity Resources

No data

Related Author

No data

Related Institution

No data

⁰