Demonstration of a large-scale optical exceptional point structure

We report a large-size (4-inch) optical exceptional point structure at visible frequencies by designing a multilayer structure of absorbing and non-absorbing dielectrics. The optical exceptional point was implemented as indicated by the realized unidirectional reflectionless light transport at a wafer scale. The associated abrupt phase transition is theoretically and experimentally confirmed when crossing over the exceptional point in wavelengths. The large scale demonstration of phase transition around exceptional points will open new possibilities in important applications in free space optical devices. (C) 2013 Optical Society of America