Topological Dynamics and Correspondences in Composite Exceptional Rings

Abstract

The exploration of novel phases and the elucidation of correspondences between topological invariants and their intriguing properties are pivotal in the realm of topological physics. Here, we investigate a complex exceptional structure, termed the composite exceptional ring (CER), composed of a third-order exceptional ring and multiple Weyl exceptional rings. We establish a direct correspondence between Chern numbers and the distinctive behaviors exhibited by these exceptional structures. Notably, we demonstrate that band braiding during quasistatic encircling processes correlates with bands possessing nontrivial Chern numbers, leading to triple (double) periodic spectra for cases with topologically nontrivial (trivial) middle bands. Moreover, the Chern numbers predict mode transfer behaviors during dynamical encircling process. We propose experimental schemes to realize CER in cold atoms, emphasizing the critical role of Chern numbers as both a measurable quantity and a descriptor of the exceptional physics inherent to dissipative systems. The discovery of CER opens significant avenues for expanding the scope of topological classifications in non-Hermitian systems, with promising applications in quantum computing and metrology.