Related papers: Quantum phase transitions in nonhermitian harmonic…
While Hermiticity of a time-independent Hamiltonian leads to unitary time evolution, in and of itself, the requirement of Hermiticity is only sufficient for unitary time evolution. In this paper we provide conditions that are both necessary…
For any pair of quantum states, an initial state |I> and a final quantum state |F>, in a Hilbert space, there are many Hamiltonians H under which |I> evolves into |F>. Let us impose the constraint that the difference between the largest and…
A consistent physical theory of quantum mechanics can be built on a complex Hamiltonian that is not Hermitian but instead satisfies the physical condition of space-time reflection symmetry (PT symmetry). Thus, there are infinitely many new…
While a Hamiltonian can be both Hermitian and $PT$ symmetric, it is $PT$ symmetry that is the more general, as it can lead to real energy eigenvalues even if the Hamiltonian is not Hermitian. We discuss some specific ways in which $PT$…
Non-Hermitian PT-symmetric quantum-mechanical Hamiltonians generally exhibit a phase transition that separates two parametric regions, (i) a region of unbroken PT symmetry in which the eigenvalues are all real, and (ii) a region of broken…
The quantum measurement axiom dictates that physical observables and in particular the Hamiltonian must be diagonalizable and have a real spectrum. For a time-independent Hamiltonian (with a discrete spectrum) these conditions ensure the…
A class of non-Dirac-hermitian many-particle quantum systems admitting entirely real spectra and unitary time-evolution is presented. These quantum models are isospectral with Dirac-hermitian systems and are exactly solvable. The general…
A phenomenological Hamiltonian of a closed (i.e., unitary) quantum system is assumed to have an $N$ by $N$ real-matrix form composed of a unperturbed diagonal-matrix part $H^{(N)}_0$ and of a tridiagonal-matrix perturbation…
We discuss the basic theoretical framework for non-Hermitian quantum systems with particular emphasis on the diagonalizability of non-Hermitian Hamiltonians and their $GL(1,\mathbb{C})$ gauge freedom, which are relevant to the adiabatic…
A non-Hermitian operator $H$ defined in a Hilbert space with inner product $\langle\cdot|\cdot\rangle$ may serve as the Hamiltonian for a unitary quantum system, if it is $\eta$-pseudo-Hermitian for a metric operator (positive-definite…
For a quantum field living on a non - static spacetime no instantaneous Hamiltonian is definable, for this generically necessitates a choice of inequivalent representation of the canonical commutation relations at each instant of time. This…
We introduce a general framework for realizing $\mathcal{PT}$-like phase transitions in non-Hermitian systems without imposing explicit parity--time ($\mathcal{PT}$) symmetry. The approach is based on constructing a Hamiltonian as the…
A diagonalizable non-Hermitian Hamiltonian having a real spectrum may be used to define a unitary quantum system, if one modifies the inner product of the Hilbert space properly. We give a comprehensive and essentially self-contained review…
A physical requirement on the Hamiltonian operator in quantum mechanics is that it must generate real energy spectrum and unitary time evolution. While the Hamiltonians are Dirac Hermitian in conventional quantum mechanics, they observe…
The ongoing discussion whether thermodynamic properties can be extracted from a (possibly approximate) quantum mechanical time evolution using time averages is fed with an instructive example. It is shown for the harmonic oscillator how the…
Quantum theory can be formulated with certain non-Hermitian Hamiltonians. An anti-linear involution, denoted by PT, is a symmetry of such Hamiltonians. In the PT-symmetric regime the non-Hermitian Hamiltonian is related to a Hermitian one…
We propose a scheme to deal with certain time-dependent non-Hermitian Hamiltonian operators $H(t)$ that generate a real phase in their time-evolution. This involves the use of invariant operators $I_{PH}(t)$ that are pseudo-Hermitian with…
$\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric quantum mechanics has been considered an important theoretical framework for understanding physical phenomena in $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric systems, with a number of $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetry related applications. This…
Examples of non-hermitian quantum systems admitting topological insulator phase are presented in one, two and three space dimensions. All of these non-hermitian Hamiltonians have entirely real bulk eigenvalues and unitarity is maintained…
We present a phase space study of non-Hermitian Hamiltonian with $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetry based on the Wigner distribution function. For an arbitrary complex potential, we derive a generalized continuity equation for the Wigner function flow…