Optical non-Hermitian para-Fermi oscillators

We present a proposal for the optical simulation of para-Fermi oscillators in arrays of coupled waveguides. We use a representation that arises as a deformation of the su(2) algebra. This provides us with a set of chiral modes and a zero-energy-like normal mode. The latter is its own chiral pair and suggest the addition of controlled losses or gains following a pattern defined by parity. In these non-Hermitian para-Fermi oscillators, the analog of the zero-energy mode presents the largest effective loss or gain and it is possible to tune the system to show sequences of exceptional points and varying effective losses or gains. These arrays can be used for mode suppression or enhancement depending on the use of loss or gain, in that order. We compare our coupled-mode-theory predictions with finite-element-method simulations to good agreement.