non-Hermitian Hamiltonian Systems Research Articles

Non-Hermitian skin effect in quadratic Lindbladian systems: An adjoint fermion approach

The skin effect has been discovered in non-Hermitian Hamiltonian systems where all the eigenstates have their amplitudes concentrating to the open boundaries of the systems and decaying exponentially into the bulk. Later, certain open systems obeying the quadratic Lindblad equation has also been found to exhibit the skin effect, which is manifested in the ``chiral damping" phenomenon as the particle populations, decaying from their initial uniform unity values, show asymmetry with respect to the open boundaries. However, in those open systems, each cell couples to the environment in an identical way. It is natural to expect that the long time steady state of those open systems shall have spatially uniform particle populations. Furthermore, particle population variations due to the excitation of normal modes on top of the steady state shall also not show asymmetry with respect to the open boundaries. To reconcile the natural expectations with the skin effect, we employ an adjoint fermion formalism to study the quadratic Lindbladian systems. We work out the long time steady state and the normal modes on top of it, which exhibit no asymmetry as expected. We show that it is the interference between the normal modes that gives rise to the skin effect.

Observation of parity-time symmetry in time-division multiplexing pulsed optoelectronic oscillators within a single resonator

In recent years, parity-time (PT) symmetry in optoelectronic systems has been widely studied, due to its potential applications in lasers, sensors, topological networks, and other fields. In this paper, a time-division multiplexed pulsed optoelectronic oscillator (OEO) is proposed to study the dynamics of a PT symmetry system. Two microwave pulses are used to realize the PT symmetry in a single spatial resonator based on the temporal degrees of freedom. The gain and loss of the microwave pulses and the coupling coefficient between them can then be controlled. We first demonstrate the phase diagram from PT broken to PT symmetry in the OEO system. We theoretically prove that the perturbation of a coupling-induced phase shift larger than ( 2 π ) × 10 − 2 causes the disappearance of the PT symmetry. In this experiment, the perturbation is less than ( 2 π ) × 0.5 × 10 − 2 ; thus, the phase transition of PT symmetry is observed. In addition, multipairs of PT-symmetry pulses indicate that pulsed OEO could be used to implement complex non-Hermitian Hamilton systems. Therefore, it is confirmed that pulsed OEO is an excellent platform to explore the dynamics of PT symmetry and other non-Hermitian Hamiltonian systems.

Linear response theory of open systems with exceptional points

Understanding the linear response of any system is the first step towards analyzing its linear and nonlinear dynamics, stability properties, as well as its behavior in the presence of noise. In non-Hermitian Hamiltonian systems, calculating the linear response is complicated due to the non-orthogonality of their eigenmodes, and the presence of exceptional points (EPs). Here, we derive a closed form series expansion of the resolvent associated with an arbitrary non-Hermitian system in terms of the ordinary and generalized eigenfunctions of the underlying Hamiltonian. This in turn reveals an interesting and previously overlooked feature of non-Hermitian systems, namely that their lineshape scaling is dictated by how the input (excitation) and output (collection) profiles are chosen. In particular, we demonstrate that a configuration with an EP of order M can exhibit a Lorentzian response or a super-Lorentzian response of order Ms with Ms = 2, 3, …, M, depending on the choice of input and output channels.

Density-matrix formalism for PT -symmetric non-Hermitian Hamiltonians with the Lindblad equation

In the presence of Lindblad decoherence, i.e. dissipative effects in an open quantum system due to interaction with an environment, we examine the transition probabilities between the eigenstates in the two-level quantum system described by non-Hermitian Hamiltonians with the Lindblad equation, for which the parity-time-reversal (PT) symmetry is conserved. First, the density matrix formalism for PT-symmetric non-Hermitian Hamiltonian systems is developed. It is shown that the Lindblad operators $L^{}_j$ are pseudo-Hermitian, namely, $\eta L^{}_j \eta^{-1} = L^\dagger_j$ with $\eta$ being a linear and positive-definite metric, and respect the PT symmetry as well. We demonstrate that the generalized density matrix $\rho^{}_{\rm G}(t) \equiv \rho(t) \eta$, instead of the normalized density matrix $\rho^{}_{\rm N}(t) \equiv \rho(t)/{\rm tr}\left[\rho(t)\right]$, should be implemented for the calculation of the transition probabilities in accordance with the linearity requirement. Second, the density matrix formalism is used to derive the transition probabilities in general cases of PT-symmetric non-Hermitian Hamiltonians. In some concrete examples, we calculate compact analytical formulas for the transition probabilities and explore their main features with numerical illustrations. We also make a comparison between our present results and our previous ones using state vectors in the absence of Lindblad decoherence.

Pseudo-fermionic coherent states with time-dependent metric

In this paper, we construct time-dependent pseudo-fermionic coherent states for non-Hermitian Hamiltonian systems. Our construction of pseudo-fermionic coherent states is based on an introduction of time-dependent pseudo-fermionic creation and annihilation operators subjected to time-dependent metrics such that the latter are integrals of motion. As an illustration, we study a time-dependent non-Hermitian two-level system.

Higher-order topological degeneracies and progress towards unique successive state switching in a four-level open system

The physics of topological singularities, namely exceptional points (EPs), has been a key to wide range of intriguing and unique physical effects in non-Hermitian systems. In this context, the mutual interactions among four coupled states around fourth-order EPs (EP4s) are yet to be explored. Here we report a four-level parameter-dependent perturbed non-Hermitian Hamiltonian, mimicking quantum or wave-based systems, to explore the physical aspects of an EP4 analytically as well as numerically. The proposed Hamiltonian exhibit different orders of interaction schemes with the simultaneous presence of different higher-order EPs. Here an EP4 has been realized by mutual interaction between four coupled states with proper parameter manipulation. We comprehensively investigate the dynamics of corresponding coupled eigenvalues with stroboscopic parametric variation in the vicinity of the embedded EP4 to establish a new successive state-switching phenomenon among them; which proves to be robust even in the presence of different order of EPs. Implementing the relation of the perturbation parameters with the coupling control parameters, we exclusively report a region to host multiple EP4 in a specific system. The chiral behaviour of successive state-exchange has also been established near EP4. Proposed scheme enriched with physical aspects of EP4s should provide a new light manipulation tool in any anisotropic multi-state integrated system.

Can a photonic thermalization gap arise in disordered non-Hermitian Hamiltonian systems?

The phenomenon of a chiral-symmetry protected thermalization gap in Hermitian photonic systems is counterintuitive as it implies that the photon coherence can be continuously improved by disorders towards an asymptotic limit. We show that the phenomenon disappears in time-independent, non-Hermitian photonic systems even when the chiral symmetry is well preserved. In fact, the degree of thermalization generally increases with the disorder strength, in agreement with intuition. As non-Hermitian characteristics (e.g., weak gain and loss) can be expected in realistic physical situations, the phenomenon of a thermalization gap may be observed but only in well-controlled experiments with high-quality materials.

Complex integrals for 3-dimensional non-hermitian Hamiltonian systems

With a view to obtain further insight into the theoretical understanding of complex potentials, we here investigated the dynamical invariants for time-independent (TID) complex Hamiltonian systems in three dimensions by invoking the elegante extended complex phase space approach (ECPSA) characterized by x=x1+ip4,y=x2+ip5,z=x3+ip6,px=p1+ix4,py=p2+ix5 and pz=p3+ix6. We make use of rationalization method for this purpose and the invariants so obtained are expected to play an important role in studying the non-hermitian Hamiltonian systems.

Mending the broken PT-regime via an explicit time-dependent Dyson map

We demonstrate that non-Hermitian Hamiltonian systems with spontaneously broken PT-symmetry and partially complex eigenvalue spectrum can be made meaningful in a quantum mechanical sense when introducing some explicit time-dependence into their parameters. Exploiting the fact that explicitly time-dependent non-Hermitian Hamiltonians are unobservable and not identical to the energy operators in such a scenario, we show that their corresponding non-Hermitian energy operators develop a different type of PT-symmetry from the Hamiltonians that ensures the reality of their energy spectra. For this purpose we analytically solve the fully time-dependent Dyson equation with all quantities involved being explicitly time-dependent giving rise to a time-dependent metric. The key auxiliary equation to be solved for the two level atomic system considered here is the nonlinear Ermakov–Pinney equation with time-dependent coefficients.

Exact analytical solutions for time-dependent Hermitian Hamiltonian systems from static unobservable non-Hermitian Hamiltonians

We propose a procedure to obtain exact analytical solutions to the time-dependent Schr\"{o}dinger equations involving explicit time-dependent Hermitian Hamitonians from solutions to time-independent non-Hermitian Hamiltonian systems and the time-dependent Dyson relation together with the time-dependent quasi-Hermiticity relation. We illustrate the working of this method for a simple Hermitian Rabi-type model by relating it to a non-Hermitian time-independent system corresponding to the one-site lattice Yang-Lee model.

Investigation of non-Hermitian Hamiltonians in the Heisenberg picture

The Heisenberg picture for non-Hermitian but η-pseudo-Hermitian Hamiltonian systems is suggested. If a non-Hermitian but η-pseudo-Hermitian Hamiltonian leads to real second order equations of motion, though their first order Heisenberg equations of motion are complex, we can construct a Hermitian counterpart that gives the same second order equations of motion. In terms of a similarity transformation we verify the iso-spectral property of the Hermitian and non-Hermitian Hamiltonians and obtain the related eigenfunctions. This feature can be used to determine real eigenvalues for such non-Hermitian Hamiltonian systems. As an application, two new non-Hermitian Hamiltonians are constructed and investigated, where one is non-Hermitian and non-PT-symmetric and the other is non-Hermitian but PT-symmetric. Moreover, the complementarity and compatibility between our treatment and the PT symmetry are discussed.

Euler polynomials and identities for non-commutative operators

Three kinds of identities involving non-commutating operators and Euler and Bernoulli polynomials are studied. The first identity, as given by Bender and Bettencourt [Phys. Rev. D 54(12), 7710-7723 (1996)], expresses the nested commutator of the Hamiltonian and momentum operators as the commutator of the momentum and the shifted Euler polynomial of the Hamiltonian. The second one, by Pain [J. Phys. A: Math. Theor. 46, 035304 (2013)], links the commutators and anti-commutators of the monomials of the position and momentum operators. The third appears in a work by Figuieira de Morisson and Fring [J. Phys. A: Math. Gen. 39, 9269 (2006)] in the context of non-Hermitian Hamiltonian systems. In each case, we provide several proofs and extensions of these identities that highlight the role of Euler and Bernoulli polynomials.

Unified algebraic method to non-Hermitian systems with Lie algebraic linear structure

We suggest a generic algebraic method to solve non-Hermitian Hamiltonian systems with Lie algebraic linear structure. Such method can not only unify the non-Hermitian Hamiltonian and the Hermitian Hamiltonian with the same structure but also keep self-consistent between similarity transformation and unitary transformation. To clearly reveal the correctness and physical meaning of such algebraic method, we illustrate our method with two different types of non-Hermitian Hamiltonians: the non-Hermitian Hamiltonian with Heisenberg algebraic linear structure and the non-Hermitian Hamiltonian with su(1, 1) algebraic linear structure. We obtain energy eigenvalues and the corresponding eigenstates of non-Hermitian forced harmonic oscillator with Heisenberg algebra structure via a proper similarity transformation. We also calculate the eigen-problems of general non-Hermitian Hamiltonian with su(1, 1) structure in terms of the similarity transformation. As an application, we focus on studying the non-Hermitian single-mode squeezed and coherent harmonic oscillator system and find that such similarity transformation associated with this model is in fact gauge-like transformation for simple harmonic oscillator.

Parity-time-symmetry breaking in double-slab surface-plasmon-polariton waveguides.

We theoretically demonstrate spontaneous PT-symmetry breaking behavior of surface-plasmon polaritons (SPP) in coupled double-slab (DS) waveguides. By virtue of a flat-top field at critical wavelength, the imaginary index of a DS-SPP mode can be controlled via changing the core thickness, while the real index is kept constant. Therefore, a waveguide coupler that consists of a pair of DS-SPP waveguides with different core thicknesses can represent a passive PT-symmetric system, which always maintains symmetry under a real potential. This set-up also represents a good opportunity to investigate the underlying physics of PT-symmetry breaking in non-Hermitian Hamiltonian systems.

Spontaneous PT-Symmetry Breaking for Systems of Noncommutative Euclidean Lie Algebraic Type

We propose a noncommutative version of the Euclidean Lie algebra $E_2$. Several types of non-Hermitian Hamiltonian systems expressed in terms of generic combinations of the generators of this algebra are investigated. Using the breakdown of the explicitly constructed Dyson maps as a criterium, we identify the domains in the parameter space in which the Hamiltonians have real energy spectra and determine the exceptional points signifying the crossover into the different types of spontaneously broken PT-symmetric regions with pairs of complex conjugate eigenvalues. We find exceptional points which remain invariant under the deformation as well as exceptional points becoming dependent on the deformation parameter of the algebra.

Limit circle invariance for two differential systems on time scales

In this paper we consider two linear differential systems on a time scale. Both systems depend linearly on a complex spectral parameter λ. We prove that if all solutions of these two systems are square integrable with respect to a given weight matrix for one value λ0, then this property is preserved for all complex values λ. This result extends and improves the corresponding continuous time statement, which was derived by Walker (1975) for two non-hermitian linear Hamiltonian systems, to appropriate differential systems on arbitrary time scales. The result is new even in the purely discrete case, or in the scalar time scale case, as well as when both time scale systems coincide. The latter case also generalizes a limit circle invariance criterion for symplectic systems on time scales, which was recently derived by the authors.

Non-Hermitian systems of Euclidean Lie algebraic type with real energy spectra

We study several classes of non-Hermitian Hamiltonian systems, which can be expressed in terms of bilinear combinations of Euclidean–Lie algebraic generators. The classes are distinguished by different versions of antilinear (PT)-symmetries exhibiting various types of qualitative behaviour. On the basis of explicitly computed non-perturbative Dyson maps we construct metric operators, isospectral Hermitian counterparts for which we solve the corresponding time-independent Schrödinger equation for specific choices of the coupling constants. In these cases general analytical expressions for the solutions are obtained in the form of Mathieu functions, which we analyze numerically to obtain the corresponding energy spectra. We identify regions in the parameter space for which the corresponding spectra are entirely real and also domains where the PT symmetry is spontaneously broken and sometimes also regained at exceptional points. In some cases it is shown explicitly how the threshold region from real to complex spectra is characterized by the breakdown of the Dyson maps or the metric operator. We establish the explicit relationship to models currently under investigation in the context of beam dynamics in optical lattices.

Invariants in 3D for Classical Superintegrable Systems in Complex Phase Space

Physical dynamical systems in higher dimensions are always interesting. In this context we present here the possibility of its three-dimensional complex dynamical invariant in extended complex phase space(ECPS). Lie algebraic method is used to study three-dimensional classical superintegrable system on the extended complex phase space. Such complex invariants play an important role in the analysis of complex trajectories, also study of non-hermitian Hamiltonian systems.

Investigation of PT-symmetric Hamiltonian Systems from an Alternative Point of View

Two non-Hermitian PT-symmetric Hamiltonian systems are reconsidered by means of the algebraic method which was originally proposed for the pseudo-Hermitian Hamiltonian systems rather than for the PT-symmetric ones. Compared with the way converting a non-Hermitian Hamiltonian to its Hermitian counterpart, this method has the merit that keeps the Hilbert space of the non-Hermitian PT-symmetric Hamiltonian unchanged. In order to give the positive definite inner product for the PT-symmetric systems, a new operator V, instead of C, can be introduced. The operator V has the similar function to the operator C adopted normally in the PT-symmetric quantum mechanics, however, it can be constructed, as an advantage, directly in terms of Hamiltonians. The spectra of the two non-Hermitian PT-symmetric systems are obtained, which coincide with that given in literature, and in particular, the Hilbert spaces associated with positive definite inner products are worked out.

Complex dynamical invariants for two-dimensional complex potentials

Complex dynamical invariants are searched out for two-dimensional complex potentials using rationalization method within the framework of an extended complex phase space characterized by x = x1 + ip3, y = x2 + ip4, px = p1 + ix3, py = p2 + ix4. It is found that the cubic oscillator and shifted harmonic oscillator admit quadratic complex invariants. The obtained invariants may be useful for studying non-Hermitian Hamiltonian systems.