Ultra-sensitivity in reconstructed exceptional systems

Abstract

Sensors are of fundamental importance and widely used in modern society, such as in industry and environmental monitoring, biomedical sample ingredient analysis and wireless networks. Although numerous sensors have been developed, there is a continuous demand for sensors with increased sensitivity, to detect signals that were previously undetectable. Recently, non-Hermitian degeneracies, also known as exceptional points (EPs), have attracted attention as a way of improving the responsiveness of sensors. In contrast to previous investigations, here we present a new approach to achieving ultra-sensitivity by reconstructing exceptional systems. In the reconstruction process, some eigenstates near the previous EPs are utilized, and non-reciprocal long-range couplings are introduced. The sensitivities of our reconstructed systems have improved by several orders of magnitude compared to those based on EPs. Furthermore, we design and fabricate corresponding integrated circuit sensors to demonstrate the scheme. Our work paves the way for the development of highly sensitive sensors, which have a wide range of applications in various fields.