Real eigenvalues determined by recursion of eigenstates

Abstract

Quantum physics is primarily concerned with real eigenvalues, stemming from the unitarity of time evolutions. With the introduction of PT symmetry, a widely accepted consensus is that, even if the Hamiltonian of the system is not Hermitian, the eigenvalues can still be purely real under specific symmetry. Hence, great enthusiasm has been devoted to exploring the eigenvalue problem of non-Hermitian systems. In this work, from a distinct perspective, we demonstrate that real eigenvalues can also emerge under the appropriate recursive condition of eigenstates. Consequently, our findings provide another path to extract the real energy spectrum of non-Hermitian systems, which guarantees the conservation of probability and stimulates future experimental observations.