Mode pairs in $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric multimode waveguides

Abstract: We study mode properties in multimode optical waveguides with parity-time($\mathcal{PT}$) symmetry. We find that two guiding modes with successive orders 2\emph{m}-1 and 2\emph{m} form a mode pair in the sense that the two components of the pair evolve into the same mode when the loss and gain coefficient increases to some critical values, and they experience $\mathcal{PT}$ symmetry breaking simultaneously. For waveguides that in their conservative limit support an odd number of guiding modes, a new mode with a proper order emerges upon the increase of the gain/loss level, so that it pairs with the already existing highest-order mode and then break their $\mathcal{PT}$ symmetry simultaneously. Depending on the specific realizations of $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric potentials, higher-order mode pair may experience symmetry breaking earlier or later than the lower-order mode pairs do.