Manipulating the non-Hermitian skin effect in optical ring resonators

Abstract

Non-Hermitian skin effects (NHSEs) enrich the traditional band theories and give rise to unique non-Hermitian topological properties. Here, we reveal a different type of NHSE, termed the V-shaped NHSE, and explore an on-chip optical ring resonator platform to demonstrate the NHSE in telecommunication wavelength. By tuning the hopping and loss modulation, we work out a phase diagram that reveals the phase transition of the NHSE. Besides the conventional NHSE and the frequency-dependent bipolar NHSE, another type of NHSE is observed featuring an interesting V shape in its special skin states distribution. We further design a silicon ring resonator array with loss-assisted antiresonating coupling as the link resonators to demonstrate the nontrivial NHSE. The simulations show that one can tune the number of states piled up at different ends by switching the NHSE from conventional, bipolar to V-shaped types continuously. Our work enriches the NHSE phase transitions and implies potential in on-chip light modulation by the NHSE.