Science· 2026Q1
Discovery of an intrinsic non-Hermitian phase transition in a bulk condensed-matter system
- 2citations
- Q1SCImago
- 2026year
Short summary
Researchers experimentally observed an intrinsic non-Hermitian phase transition in bulk ferromagnetic europium monoxide, marked by a shift in relaxation dynamics from biexponential real to single-exponential complex decay.
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Abstract
Across regular phase transitions, systems remain in thermal equilibrium. However, when a system is driven far from equilibrium, non-Hermitian phase transitions may arise where the dynamical behavior-rather than steady properties-undergoes a qualitative change at a critical, so-called exceptional point. We experimentally realize a non-Hermitian phase transition in a bulk condensed-matter system. Optical excitation creates charge carriers in ferromagnetic europium monoxide. In a temperature-dependent interplay with the Hermitian transition to ferromagnetic order, a non-Hermitian change of the relaxation dynamics occurs, manifesting in our time-resolved reflection data as the transition from biexponential real to single-exponential complex decay. Our theory models this behavior and suggests that non-Hermitian phase transitions may generically emerge in bulk condensed matter.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Science, 2026 · DOI ↗
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Atomic and Molecular Physics, and OpticsPhysics and Astronomy