Observation of Radiation-Loss-Based Non-Hermitian Point Gap in Photonic Crystals

A non-Hermitian point gap (NHPG) is a unique phenomenon in non-Hermitian systems and induces a non-Hermitian skin effect (NHSE). In photonic crystals, NHPG and NHSE have previously been explored mainly through material loss, where the typically low Q factors make direct observation of complex frequencies challenging. Here, we demonstrate the direct experimental observation of an NHPG by using a radiation-loss-based non-Hermitian photonic crystal. Radiation loss can be engineered through structural design, enabling control of the imaginary part of the complex frequency and allowing relatively high Q factors. This approach is compatible with widely used absorption-free silicon-slab photonic crystals. We developed a measurement system that can measure photonic bands along arbitrary lines in k space. Our measurements showed complex-frequency loops of the NHPG in photonic crystals, and the reversal of non-Hermitian topology through the flip of the loop rotation in a complex plane. These results establish radiation-loss engineering as a practical route to directly measuring and controlling complex photonic band structures and bulk point-gap topology in nanophotonic systems without gain media or nonreciprocity.