Exceptional points enhance sum sideband generation in a mechanical -symmetric system.

Systems exhibiting parity-time () symmetry are, in general, non-Hermitian systems, in which exceptional points (EPs) emerge when the system transits from the -symmetric phase to the broken--symmetric phase. Based on the abnormal exponential amplification effect in EPs, it is often used to generate, control and transmit light in non-Hermitian systems. In this paper, we theoretically analyze the generation of the frequency components at the sum sideband by considering the nonlinear terms of the optomechanical dynamics in a double-probe-field-driven mechanical -symmetric system. Using experimentally achievable parameters, we demonstrate that the efficiency of sum sideband generation (SSG) can be significantly enhanced in EPs, even that the efficiency of SSG can be raised by three orders of magnitude compared to the general optomechanical system by adjusting the appropriate system parameters. These results are beneficial to explore the transmission and conversion of light in chip-scale optical communications.