Interferometric Readout of Momentum-Space Topology in a Programmable Dissipative Photonic Circuit

Abstract:Topology under non-Hermitian dynamics is encoded in the phase of the bulk evolution, yet strong dissipation suppresses the amplitudes carrying it. We resolve this using a programmable photonic integrated circuit that implements such dynamics in synthetic momentum space through unitary dilation, with the phase recovered by phase-shifted interferometry. For the non-Hermitian Su-Schrieffer-Heeger model, the method distinguishes trivial and non-trivial Zak phases and yields a coherence winding $q=\pm 1$ induced by an exceptional point. Extending to a synthetic torus via a Rice-Mele pump gives the first Chern number $\mathrm{Ch}_1=0,1$ for trivial and non-trivial cycles, showing a programmable route to momentum-space topology under strongly dissipative non-Hermitian dynamics.

Quantum Physics (quant-ph); Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics (cond-mat.mes-hall); Optics (physics.optics)

arXiv:2609.38352 [quant-ph]

(or arXiv:2609.38352v1 [quant-ph] for this version)

https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2609.38352 Focus to learn more arXiv-issued DOI via DataCite (pending registration)

https://doi.org/10.1103/xkht-64kc Focus to learn more DOI(s) linking to related resources

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