Spontaneous PT-symmetry breaking transitions under the influence of noise in an optomechanical system

Abstract: Spontaneous symmetry breaking is a phenomenon of an alteration of a state symmetry without a change in the system symmetry. A transition from a state with unbroken symmetry to a state with broken symmetry leads to a qualitative change in system properties, and respective states are called as symmetric and non-symmetric phases of the system. Usually, the change in the system parameters is necessary for the transition between symmetric and non-symmetric phases. In this letter, we consider the behavior of an optomechanical system with an exceptional point under the influence of noise. We demonstrate that below the exceptional point, PT-symmetric and non-PT-symmetric phases can coexist. In this regime, a noise can lead to random transitions between the symmetric and non-symmetric phases. These transitions are accompanied by the abrupt changes in the intensities of photon and phonon modes. The predicted phenomenon opens up the possibility of studying the kinetics of phase transitions caused by spontaneous breaking of PT symmetry.