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Topological Band Theory for Non-Hermitian Hamiltonians

Journal Article · · Physical Review Letters
 [1];  [2];  [3]
  1. Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States). Dept. of Physics; MIT
  2. Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States). Dept. of Physics; Univ. of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (United States). Dept. of Physics and Astronomy
  3. Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States). Dept. of Physics

We develop the topological band theory for systems described by non-Hermitian Hamiltonians, whose energy spectra are generally complex. After generalizing the notion of gapped band structures to the non-Hermitian case, we classify “gapped” bands in one and two dimensions by explicitly finding their topological invariants. We find nontrivial generalizations of the Chern number in two dimensions, and a new classification in one dimension, whose topology is determined by the energy dispersion rather than the energy eigenstates. We then study the bulk-edge correspondence and the topological phase transition in two dimensions. Different from the Hermitian case, the transition generically involves an extended intermediate phase with complex-energy band degeneracies at isolated “exceptional points” in momentum space. Lastly, we also systematically classify all types of band degeneracies.

Research Organization:
Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES) (SC-22); United States–Israel Binational Science Foundation (BSF); Army Research Office (ARO)
Grant/Contract Number:
SC0010526
OSTI ID:
1505749
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1432099
Journal Information:
Physical Review Letters, Journal Name: Physical Review Letters Journal Issue: 14 Vol. 120; ISSN 0031-9007; ISSN PRLTAO
Publisher:
American Physical Society (APS)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Non-hermitian topology as a unifying framework for the Andreev versus Majorana states controversy journal October 2019
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A perspective on topological nanophotonics: Current status and future challenges journal March 2019
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Exceptional rings protected by emergent symmetry for mechanical systems journal August 2019
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Geometric characterization of non-Hermitian topological systems through the singularity ring in pseudospin vector space journal August 2019
Electric circuit simulations of n th -Chern-number insulators in 2 n -dimensional space and their non-Hermitian generalizations for arbitrary n journal August 2019
Topology and observables of the non-Hermitian Chern insulator journal August 2019
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Interplay between tilt, disorder, and Coulomb interaction in type-I Dirac fermions journal September 2019
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Exceptional concentric rings in a non-Hermitian bilayer photonic system journal October 2019
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Bulk-boundary correspondence in a non-Hermitian system in one dimension with chiral inversion symmetry journal February 2019
Symmetry-protected exceptional rings in two-dimensional correlated systems with chiral symmetry journal March 2019
Non-Hermitian boundary and interface states in nonreciprocal higher-order topological metals and electrical circuits journal March 2019
Topological classification of non-Hermitian systems with reflection symmetry journal March 2019
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Symmetry protected topological phases characterized by isolated exceptional points journal April 2019
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Non-Hermitian higher-order topological states in nonreciprocal and reciprocal systems with their electric-circuit realization journal May 2019
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