Observation of a non-Hermitian phase transition in an optical quantum gas

Quantum gases of light, such as photon or polariton condensates in optical microcavities, are collective quantum systems enabling a tailoring of dissipation from, for example, cavity loss. This characteristic makes them a tool to study dissipative phases, an emerging subject in quantum many-body physics. We experimentally demonstrate a non-Hermitian phase transition of a photon Bose-Einstein condensate to a dissipative phase characterized by a biexponential decay of the condensate's second-order coherence. The phase transition occurs because of the emergence of an exceptional point in the quantum gas. Although Bose-Einstein condensation is usually connected to lasing by a smooth crossover, the observed phase transition separates the biexponential phase from both lasing and an intermediate, oscillatory condensate regime. Our approach can be used to study a wide class of dissipative quantum phases in topological or lattice systems.

Automated summary

This study demonstrates a non-Hermitian phase transition of a photon Bose-Einstein condensate to a dissipative phase, characterized by a biexponential decay of the condensate's second-order coherence. The emergence of an exceptional point in the quantum gas triggers the phase transition, separating the biexponential phase from lasing and an intermediate, oscillatory condensate regime. This approach can be utilized to investigate a wide range of dissipative quantum phases in various systems.