An unusual phase transition in a non-Hermitian Su–Schrieffer–Heeger model

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This article studies a non-Hermitian Su-Schrieffer-Heeger model which has periodically staggered Hermitian and non-Hermitian dimers. The changes in topological phases of the considered chiral symmetric model with respect to the introduced non-Hermiticity are studied where we find that the system supports only complex eigenspectra for all values ofu ≠ 0 and it stabilizes only non-trivial insulating phase for higher loss-gain strength. Even if the system acts as a trivial insulator in the Hermitian limit, the increase in loss-gain strength induces phase transition to non-trivial insulating phase through a (gapless) semi-metallic phase. Interesting phenomenon is observed in the case where Hermitian system acts as a non-trivial insulator. In such a situation, the introduced non-Hermiticity neither leaves the non-trivial phase undisturbed nor induces switching to trivial phase. Rather, it shows transition from non-trivial insulating phase to the same where it is mediated by the stabilization of (non-trivial) semi-metallic phase. This unusual transition between the non-trivial insulating phases through non-trivial semi-metallic phase gives rise to a question regarding the topological states of the system under open boundary conditions. So, we analyze the possibility of stable edge states in these two non-trivial insulating phases and check the characteristic difference between them. In addition, we study the nature of topological states in the case of non-trivial gapless (semi-metallic) region.