Non-Hermitian chains with iso-spectral modulation for customized wireless power transfer

Abstract Magnetic resonance wireless power transfer (WPT) has emerged as a pivotal technology for near-field electromagnetic manipulation, enabling wire-free energy delivery across diverse applications ranging from consumer electronics and implantable medical devices to electric vehicles. While near-field coupling facilitates this paradigm shift, it imposes inherent constraints: the exponential decay of coupling strength fundamentally limits transfer distance to short-to-mid ranges, and complex power delivery pathways—exemplified by robotic arms—necessitate relay coils configured in domino-like arrays. Conventional domino architectures, however, suffer from significant drawbacks including detrimental frequency splitting due to multi-coil near-field coupling, exacerbated system losses under load, and an inherent lack of precise spatial control over energy delivery. To overcome these limitations, we introduce a customized WPT paradigm based on a one-dimensional non-Hermitian chain with engineered iso-spectral modulation. Through precise control of inter-resonator coupling strengths following a parabolic profile, we achieve an equally spaced eigenvalue spectrum. Crucially, frequency-selective excitation enables deterministic and customized energy localization at predetermined sites within the chain. This approach not only provides a novel platform for developing advanced WPT systems, particularly for simultaneous multi-target energy delivery, but also deepens the fundamental understanding of complex energy transfer dynamics governed by tailored coupling and non-Hermitian physics.