PT-symmetric quantum oscillator in an optical cavity

Abstract

The quantum harmonic oscillator with parity-time ($\mathcal{PT}$) symmetry, obtained from the ordinary (Hermitian) quantum harmonic oscillator by an imaginary displacement of the spatial coordinate, provides an important and exactly-solvable model to investigate non-Hermitian extension of the Ehrenfest theorem. Here it is shown that transverse light dynamics in an optical resonator with off-axis longitudinal pumping can emulate a $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric quantum harmonic oscillator, providing an experimentally accessible system to investigate non-Hermitian coherent state propagation.