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.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Key points
- An intrinsic non-Hermitian phase transition was experimentally observed in bulk ferromagnetic europium monoxide.
- The transition is induced by optical excitation creating charge carriers, interacting with the material's Hermitian ferromagnetic transition.
- The change in dynamical behavior is evidenced by a shift from biexponential real decay to single-exponential complex decay in time-resolved reflection data.
- A theoretical model supports the experimental findings and proposes that such transitions may commonly occur in bulk condensed matter.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
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 ↗
Continue with a free account
Ask the paper: 3 free questions a day about this paper; save it, get its citation, new summaries every day for your field. Takeaways are Premium.
Continue free on the webSign in with Google or Apple; no card needed. You come back to this paper.
On your phone:
Field: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
Atomic and Molecular Physics, and OpticsPhysics and Astronomy