Stephane Coen

Spontaneous symmetry breaking is central to our understanding of physics and explains many natural phenomena, from cosmic scales to sub-atomic particles. Its use for applications requires devices with a high level of symmetry, but engineered systems are always imperfect. Surprisingly, the impact of such imperfections has barely been studied, and restricted to a single asymmetry. Here, we experimentally study spontaneous symmetry breaking in presence of two controllable asymmetries. We remarkably find that the characteristic features of spontaneous symmetry breaking, while dramatically destroyed by one asymmetry, can be entirely restored when a second asymmetry is introduced. In essence, asymmetries are found to balance each other. Our study illustrates aspects of the universal unfolding of the pitchfork bifurcation, and provides new insights into a key fundamental process. It also has practical implications, showing that asymmetry can be exploited as a new degree of freedom. In particular, it would enable sensors based on symmetry breaking or exceptional points to reach divergent sensitivity even in presence of imperfections. Our experimental implementation built around an optical fibre ring additionally constitutes the first observation of the polarization symmetry breaking of passive driven nonlinear resonators.