Macroscopic Optical Nonreciprocity: A Black Hole as an Optical Diode

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Macroscopic Optical Nonreciprocity: A Black Hole as an Optical Diode

Authors

Wentao Liu, Di Wu, Xiongjun Fang, Yu-Xiao Liu, Jieci Wang

Abstract

Optical reciprocity--the principle that light retraces the same path when source and detector are interchanged--is a foundational concept in geometric optics. In this Letter, we demonstrate that this ``symmetry-protected'' behavior can be qualitatively overturned in a rotating black hole when spontaneous Lorentz symmetry breaking introduces a nonminimally coupled background structure with a preferred direction. Through numerical ray-tracing simulations, we reveal a striking macroscopic signature: upon optical-path reversal achieved by exchanging the source and the observer, the shadow of the same black hole morphs from a quasi-symmetric rugby-ball shape into a distinct teardrop profile. This high-contrast nonreciprocity effectively turns the black hole into a cosmic-scale optical diode, offering a novel pathway to probe fundamental symmetries using current and next-generation horizon-scale imaging.

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