Defect modes in defective parity-time symmetric periodic complex potentials

Abstract

Defect modes are studied in parity-time (PT) symmetric periodic complex potentials for both positive and negative defects. Such new kinds of linear localized modes may conserve their energy or endure gain or loss upon propagating. The existence domain of the conserved modes would be prolonged by positive defects or shortened by negative defects, and the dissipative modes would appear before the phase transition point of the PT symmetric potential at stronger negative defects.