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arXiv:2511.16381

Exceptional-Point-Induced Sensitivity-Robustness Phase Transition in Quantum Interference

Xing Lin, Shuang Zhang

physics.atm-clusquant-phSubmitted Nov 20, 2025• Announced Nov 21, 2025• 0 citations
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Abstract

Quantum interference underpins many quantum information protocols but is typically studied in lossless Hermitian systems. Here, we reveal an exceptional point induced phase transition in two photon Hong Ou Mandel interference within a lossy coupled waveguide system. In the PT symmetric phase. interference is ultrasensitive to coupling strength, yielding sharp bunching antibunching switches. In the PT broken phase. it becomes robust oscillation free and propagation independent with coincidence probability stably tunable via coupling. These regimes enable enhanced quantum sensing and reliable two photon control for robust quantum information processing.

Comments
13 pages, 5 figures

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Quantum interference underpins many quantum information protocols but is typically studied in lossless Hermitian systems. Here, we reveal an exceptional point induced phase transition in two photon Hong Ou Mandel interference within a lossy coupled waveguide system. In the PT symmetric phase. interference is ultrasensitive to coupling strength, yielding sharp bunching antibunching switches. In the PT broken phase. it becomes robust oscillation free and propagation independent with coincidence probability stably tunable via coupling. These regimes enable enhanced quantum sensing and reliable two photon control for robust quantum information processing.
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ABSTRACT Exceptional points (EPs), singularities in non‐Hermitian systems where eigenvalues and eigenstates coalesce, exhibit unique spectral responses and enhanced sensitivity. However, in quantum‐interference settings such as two‐photon measurements, the interference transition generally does not occur at the EPs, limiting their applications for quantum sensing. To address this issue, we develop an anti‐parity‐time‐symmetric model based on indirectly coupled waveguides and introduce a cascaded‐waveguide configuration that produces an effective rotation of the system's eigenbasis. This modification shifts the two‐photon bunching‐antibunching transition to coincide with the EP. Near the EP, a small refractive‐index perturbation leads to a sharp change in visibility, which becomes more pronounced by increasing waveguide length. This passive, gain‐free design may minimize noise and offer a feasible route toward EP‐enhanced quantum phase sensing on integrated platforms.
Exceptional points facilitate peculiar dynamics in non-Hermitian systems. Yet, in photonics, they have mainly been studied in the classical realm. In this work, we reveal the behavior of two-photon quantum states in non-Hermitian systems across the exceptional point. We probe the lossy directional coupler with an indistinguishable two-photon input state and observe distinct changes of the quantum correlations at the output as the system undergoes spontaneous breaking of parity-time symmetry. Moreover, we demonstrate a switching in the quantum interference of photons directly at the exceptional point, where Hong-Ou-Mandel dips are transformed into peaks by a change of basis. These results show that quantum interference and exceptional points are linked in curious ways that can now be further explored.