Synergetic positivity of loss and noise in nonlinear non-Hermitian resonators | Science Advances

Loss and noise are usually undesirable in electronics and optics, which are generally mitigated by separate ways in the cost of bulkiness and complexity. Recent studies of non-Hermitian systems have shown a positive role of loss in various loss-induced counterintuitive phenomena, while noise still remains a fundamental challenge in non-Hermitian systems particularly for sensing and lasing. Here, we simultaneously reverse the detrimental loss and noise and reveal their coordinated positive role in nonlinear non-Hermitian resonators. This synergetic effect leads to the amplified spectrum intensity with suppressed spectrum fluctuations after adding both loss and noise. We reveal the underlying mechanism of nonlinearity-induced bistability engineered by loss in the non-Hermitian resonators and noise-loss enhanced coherence of eigenfrequency hopping driven by temporal modulation of detuning. Our findings enrich counterintuitive non-Hermitian physics and lead to a general recipe to overcome loss and noise from electronics to photonics with applications from sensing to communication.