Wave Transport Phenomena in Systems with Generalized Parity-Time Symmetry
In this thesis, we utilize the properties of scattering systems obeying anti-linear symmetries in order to produce novel wave transport phenomena. We first explore systems with delicately balanced gain and loss mechanisms, which are invariant under parity and time ($\\mathcal{PT}$) reversal symmetry. Using equivalences between electronic network theory and photonic circuitry, we show that such structures can be used to produce cavities which can act simultaneously as lasers and coherent perfect absorbers. We further enrich the novel properties of these systems by introducing a gyrotropic element and develop a scattering formalism which describes their transport characteristics. We theoretically propose, and experimentally demonstrate in the radio frequency domain, a new class cavities which support reconfigurable unidirectional lasing action.