Non-Hermitian Skin Effect and Chiral Damping in Open Quantum Systems.

Non-Hermitian (NH) crystals, quasicrystals, and amorphous network display an accumulation of a macroscopic number of states near one of its specific interfaces with vacuum, such as edge, surface, hinge, or corner. This phenomenon is known as the NH skin effect, which can only be observed with open boundary condition. In this regard self-similar fractals, manifesting inner boundaries in the interior of the system, harbor a novel phenomenon, the inner skin effect (ISE). Then the NH skin effect appears at the inner boundaries of the fractal lattice with periodic boundary condition. We showcase this observation by implementing prominent models for NH insulators and superconductors on representative planar Sierpinski carpet fractal lattices. They accommodate both first-order and second-order ISEs at inner edges and corners, respectively, for charged as well as neutral Majorana fermions. Furthermore, over extended parameter regimes ISEs are tied with nontrivial bulk topological invariants, yielding intrinsic ISEs. With the recent success in engineering NH topological phases on highly tunable metamaterial platforms, such as photonic and phononic lattices, as well as topolectric circuits, the proposed ISEs can be observed experimentally at least on fractal metamaterials with periodic boundary condition.

We study a Bose-Einstein condensate of ultracold atoms subject to a non-Hermitian spin-orbit coupling, where the system acquires the non-Hermitian skin effect under the interplay of spin-orbit coupling and laser-induced atom loss. The presence of the non-Hermitian skin effect is confirmed through its key signatures in terms of the spectral winding under the periodic boundary condition, the accumulation of eigen wavefunctions at boundaries under an open boundary condition, and bulk dynamics signaled by a directional flow. We show that bulk dynamics, in particular, serves as a convenient signal for experimental detection. The impact of interaction and trapping potentials is also discussed based on the non-Hermitian Gross-Pitaevskii equations. Our work demonstrates that the non-Hermitian skin effect and its rich implications in topology, dynamics, and beyond are well within the reach of current cold-atom experiments.

In this Letter, we use path integral techniques to predict the switching rate in a single-mode bistable open quantum system. While analytical expressions are well-known to be accessible for systems subject to Gaussian noise obeying classical detailed balance, we extend this approach to a class of open quantum systems, those which satisfy the recently introduced notion of hidden time-reversal symmetry [D. Roberts et al., PRX Quantum 2, 020336 (2021)2691-339910.1103/PRXQuantum.2.020336]. In particular, in the context of quantum computing, we obtain analytical estimates of bit-flip error rates in cat-qubit architectures. We confirm these findings by comparing our results to numerically exact diagonalization of the Lindbladian. Our results provide a path towards exploring switching phenomena in multistable open quantum systems.

Parity-time ($\mathcal{PT}$) symmetry plays an important role both in non-Hermitian and topological systems. In non-Hermitian systems $\mathcal{PT}$ symmetry can lead to an entirely real energy spectrum, while in topological systems $\mathcal{PT}$ symmetry gives rise to stable and protected Dirac points. Here, we study a $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric system which is both non-Hermitian and topological, namely a $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric Dirac semimetal with non-Hermitian perturbations in three dimensions. We find that, in general, there are only two types of symmetry allowed non-Hermitian perturbations, namely non-Hermitian kinetic potentials, and non-Hermitian anti-commuting potentials. For both of these non-Hermitian potentials we investigate the band topology for open and periodic boundary conditions, determine the exceptional points, and compute the surface states. We find that with periodic boundary conditions, the non-Hermitian kinetic potential leads to exceptional rings, while the non-Hermitian anti-commuting potential generates exceptional spheres, which separate regions with broken $\mathcal{PT}$ symmetry from regions with unbroken $\mathcal{PT}$ symmetry. With open boundary conditions, the non-Hermitian kinetic potential induces a non-Hermitian skin effect which is localized on both sides of the sample due to symmetry, while the non-Hermitian anticommuting potential leads to Fermi ribbon surface states.

Based on the experimental evidence that impurities contribute to the dissipation properties of solid-state open quantum systems, we provide here a description in terms of nonlinear quantum Langevin equations of the role played by two-level systems in the dynamics of a bosonic degree of freedom. Our starting point is represented by the description of the system-environment coupling in terms of coupling to two separate reservoirs, modeling the interaction with external bosonic modes and two-level systems, respectively. Furthermore, we show how this model represents a specific example of a class of open quantum systems that can be described by nonlinear quantum Langevin equations. Our analysis offers a potential explanation of the parametric effects recently observed in circuit-QED cavity optomechanics experiments.

In a series of papers, we intend to take the perspective of open quantum systems and examine from their nonequilibrium dynamics the conditions when the physical quantities, their relations, and the laws of thermodynamics become well defined and viable for quantum many-body systems. We first describe how an open-system nonequilibrium dynamics (ONEq) approach is different from the closed combined system+ environment in a global thermal state (CGTs) setup. Only after the open system equilibrates will it be amenable to conventional thermodynamics descriptions, thus quantum thermodynamics (QTD) comes at the end rather than assumed in the beginning. The linkage between the two comes from the reduced density matrix of ONEq in that stage having the same form as that of the system in the CGTs. We see the open-system approach having the advantage of dealing with nonequilibrium processes as many experiments in the near future will call for. Because it spells out the conditions of QTD's existence, it can also aid us in addressing the basic issues in quantum thermodynamics from first principles in a systematic way. We then study one broad class of open quantum systems where the full nonequilibrium dynamics can be solved exactly, that of the quantum Brownian motion of N strongly coupled harmonic oscillators, interacting strongly with a scalar-field environment. In this paper, we focus on the internal energy, heat capacity, and the third law. We show for this class of physical models, amongst other findings, the extensive property of the internal energy, the positivity of the heat capacity, and the validity of the third law from the perspective of the behavior of the heat capacity toward zero temperature. These conclusions obtained from exact solutions and quantitative analysis clearly disprove claims of negative specific heat in such systems and dispel allegations that in such systems the validity of the third law of thermodynamics relies on quantum entanglement. They are conceptually and factually unrelated issues. Entropy and entanglement will be the main theme of our second paper on this subject matter.

A longstanding tool to characterize the evolution of open Markovian quantum systems is the GKSL (Gorini-Kossakowski-Sudarshan-Lindblad) master equation. However, in some cases, open quantum systems can be effectively described with non-Hermitian Hamiltonians, which have attracted great interest in the last twenty years due to a number of unconventional properties, such as the appearance of exceptional points. Here, we present a short review of these two different approaches aiming in particular to highlight their relation and illustrate different ways of connecting non-Hermitian Hamiltonian to a GKSL master equation for the full density matrix.

Non-Hermitian systems have been shown to have a dramatic sensitivity to their boundary conditions. In particular, the non-Hermitian skin effect induces collective boundary localization upon turning off boundary coupling, a feature very distinct from that under periodic boundary conditions. Here we develop a full framework for non-Hermitian impurity physics in a non-reciprocal lattice, with periodic/open boundary conditions and even their interpolations being special cases across a whole range of boundary impurity strengths. We uncover steady states with scale-free localization along or even against the direction of non-reciprocity in various impurity strength regimes. Also present are Bloch-like states that survive albeit broken translational invariance. We further explore the co-existence of non-Hermitian skin effect and scale-free localization, where even qualitative aspects of the system’s spectrum can be extremely sensitive to impurity strength. Specific circuit setups are also proposed for experimentally detecting the scale-free accumulation, with simulation results confirming our main findings.

A notable feature of systems with non-Hermitian skin effects is the sensitivity to boundary conditions. In this work, we introduce one type of boundary condition provided by a coupling impurity. We consider a system where a two-level system as an impurity couples to a nonreciprocal Su-Schrieffer-Heeger chain under periodic boundary conditions at two points with asymmetric couplings. We first study the spectrum of the system and find that asymmetric couplings lead to topological phase transitions. Meanwhile, a striking feature is that the coupling impurity can act as an effective boundary, and asymmetric couplings can also induce a flexibly adjusted zero mode. It is localized at one of the two effective boundaries or both of them by tuning coupling strengths. Moreover, we uncover three types of localization behaviors of eigenstates for this non-Hermitian impurity system with on-site disorder. These results corroborate the potential for control of a class of non-Hermitian systems with coupling impurities.

The energy spectrum of bosonic excitations from a condensate is given by the spectrum of a non-Hermitian Hamiltonian constructed from a bosonic Bogoliubov-de Gennes (BdG) Hamiltonian in general even though the system is essentially Hermitian. In other words, two types of non-Hermiticity can coexist: one from the bosonic BdG nature and the other from the open quantum nature. In this paper, we propose boundary-dependent dynamical instability. We first define the bosonic dissipative BdG Hamiltonian in terms of Green's function in Nambu space and discuss the correct particle-hole symmetry of the corresponding non-Hermitian Hamiltonian. We then construct a model of the boundary-dependent dynamical instability so that it satisfies the correct particle-hole symmetry. In this model, an anomalous term that breaks the particle number conservation represents the non-Hermiticity of the BdG nature, while a normal term is given by a dissipative Hatano-Nelson model. Thanks to the competition between the two types of non-Hermiticity, the imaginary part of the spectrum can be positive without the help of the amplification of the normal part and the particle-hole band touching that causes the Landau instability. This leads to the boundary-dependent dynamical instability under the non-Hermitian skin effect, -strong dependence of spectra on boundary conditions for non-Hermitian Hamiltonians-, of the Bogoliubov spectrum.

Topological insulators possess strong topological protection properties and can manipulate the wave propagation to combat disorder and defects. And now they have grown into a large research field in photonic and phononic crystals. However, the conventional topological band theory is used to describe a closed photonic/phononic crystal that is assumed to be a Hermitian system. In fact, actual physical systems often couple with external environment, and generate non-Hermitian Hamiltonians with complex eigenvalues. Recently, many novel topological properties have been induced by the interaction between non-Hermitian phase and topological phase. A prominent example is non-Hermitian skin effect that all eigenstates are localized to the boundary in open system, which is different from the conventional topological edge state. This unique physical phenomenon has inspired various applications, such as wave funneling, enhanced sensing, and topological lasing. In this work, we describe the non-Hermitian skin effect by using winding number domains. The sign of the winding number domain determines the rotation direction of the loops in the complex frequency plane, whose sign can be controlled by the nonreciprocal coupling direction. In this work, we design different topological skin interfaces between different domains with opposite winding numbers to manipulate the energy focusing on middle or two-end of non-Hermitian one-dimensional acoustic cavity chain. In experiment, we use an electroacoustic coupling method, in which a unidirectional coupler composed of microphones, speakers, phase shifters, and amplifiers is used to introduce positive and negative non-reciprocal couplings between the two acoustic cavities, and study the characteristics of these non-reciprocal couplings. Then, the non-reciprocal coupling cavities are extended into a chain structure, and the magnitudes and signs of the non-reciprocal couplings are flexibly controlled by using phase shifters and amplifiers. Through this method, we successfully construct the interfaces between different winding number domains, achieving a one-dimensional non-Hermitian skin effect at various interfaces. The experimental results indicate that the sound can be focused on the middle interface or two-end interfaces for different nonreciprocal coupling distributions, and the skin interface can also be switched from middle to two-end by exchanging the nonreciprocal coupling direction of the domains. Our research results provide greater flexibility for designing acoustic devices and also a new platform for exploring advanced topological acoustic systems for controlling sound propagation.

The non-Hermitian skin effect is a unique feature of non-Hermitian systems, in which an extensive number of boundary modes appear under the open boundary conditions. Here, we discover higher-order counterparts of the non-Hermitian skin effect that exhibit new boundary physics. In two-dimensional systems with the system size $L \times L$, while the conventional (first-order) skin effect accompanies $O\,( L^{2} )$ skin modes, the second-order skin effect accompanies $O\,( L )$ corner skin modes. This also contrasts with Hermitian second-order topological insulators, in which only $O\,( 1 )$ corner zero modes appear. Moreover, for the third-order skin effect in three dimensions, $O\,( L )$ corner skin modes appear from all $O\,( L^{3} )$ modes. We demonstrate that the higher-order skin effect originates from intrinsic non-Hermitian topology protected by spatial symmetry. We also show that it accompanies the modification of the non-Bloch band theory in higher dimensions.

Non-Hermitian systems show a non-Hermitian skin effect, where the bulk states are localized at a boundary of the systems with open boundary conditions. In this paper, we study dependence of the localization length of the eigenstates on a system size in a specific non-Hermitian model with a critical non-Hermitian skin effect, where the energy spectrum undergoes discontinuous transition in the thermodynamic limit. We analytically show that the eigenstates exhibit remarkable localization, known as scale-free localization, where the localization length is proportional to a system size. Our result gives a theoretical support for the scale-free localization, which has been proposed only numerically in previous works.

Non-Hermitian skin effect denotes the exponential localization of a large number of eigen-states in a non-Hermitian lattice under open boundary conditions. Such a non-Hermiticity-induced skin effect can offset the penetration depth of in-gap edge states, leading to counterintuitive delocalized edge modes, which have not been studied in a realistic photonic system such as photonic crystals. Here, we analytically reveal the non-Hermitian skin effect and the delocalized edge states in Maxwell's equations for non-Hermitian chiral photonic crystals with anomalous parity-time symmetry. Remarkably, we rigorously prove that the penetration depth of the edge states is inversely proportional to the frequency and the real part of the chirality. Our findings pave a way towards exploring novel non-Hermitian phenomena and applications in continuous Maxwell's equations.

Using Liouville space and superoperator formalism we consider pure stationary states of open and dissipative quantum systems. We discuss stationary states of open quantum systems, which coincide with stationary states of closed quantum systems. Open quantum systems with pure stationary states of linear oscillator are suggested. We consider stationary states for the Lindblad equation. We discuss bifurcations of pure stationary states for open quantum systems which are quantum analogs of classical dynamical bifurcations.