A new perspective on the Fano absorption spectrum in terms of complex spectral analysis

Abstract

A new aspect of understanding a Fano absorption spectrum is presented in terms of the complex spectral analysis. The absorption spectrum of an impurity embedded in semi-infinite superlattice is investigated. The boundary condition on the continuum causes a large energy dependence of the self-energy, enhances the nonlinearity of the eigenvalue problem of the effective Hamiltonian, yielding several nonanalytic resonance states. The overall spectral features is perfectly reproduced by the direct transitions to these discrete resonance states. Even with a single optical transition path the spectrum exhibits an asymmetric Fano profile, which is enhanced for the transition to the nonanalytic resonance states. Since this is the genuine eigenstates of the total Hamiltonian, there is no ambiguity in the interpretation of the absorption spectrum, avoiding the arbitrary interpretation based on the quantum interference. The spectral change around the exceptional point is well understood when we extract the resonant state component.