A condition to have a real spectrum for a non-Hermitian Hamiltonian is given. As special cases, it is shown that the condition is reduced to Hermiticity and PT symmetric conditions.
An algorithm for finding the bound-state eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of a Hermitian Hamiltonian operator using Green's method, developed by Waxman\cite{W98},has been extended to include non-Hermitian Hamiltonian operators.
In this work we address systems described by time-dependent non-Hermitian Hamiltonians under time-dependent Dyson maps. We shown that when starting from a given time-dependent non-Hermitian Hamiltonian which is not itself an observable, an infinite chain of gauge linked time-dependent non-observable non-Hermitian Hamiltonians can be derived from it. The matrix elements of the observables associated with all these non observable Hamiltonians are, however, all linked to each other, and in the particular case where global gauges exist, these matrix elements becomes all identical to each other. In…
We generalize a recently proposed approach for the construction of pseudo-Hermitian Hamiltonians with real spectra. Present technique is based on a simple and straightforward similarity transformation of the coordinate and momentum.
We discuss Hamiltonian symmetries and invariants for quantum systems driven by non-Hermitian Hamiltonians. For time-independent Hermitian Hamiltonians, a unitary or antiunitary transformation $AHA^\dagger$ that leaves the Hamiltonian $H$ unchanged represents a symmetry of the Hamiltonian, which implies the commutativity $[H,A]=0$, and a conservation law, namely the invariance of expectation values of $A$. For non-Hermitian Hamiltonians, $H^\dagger$ comes into play as a distinct operator that complements $H$ in generalized unitarity relations. The above description of symmetries has to be exten…
We study the time evolution of quantum systems with a time-dependent non-Hermitian Hamiltonian given by a linear combination of SU(1,1) and SU(2) generators.With a time-dependent metric, the pseudo-Hermitian invariant operator is constructed in the same manner as for both the SU(1,1) and SU(2) systems. The exact common solutions of the Schrödinger equations for both the SU(1,1) and SU(2) systems are obtained in terms of eigenstates of the pseudo-Hermitian invariant operator.
The formalism for non-Hermitian quantum systems sometimes blurs the underlying physics. We present a systematic study of the vielbein-like formalism which transforms the Hilbert space bundles of non-Hermitian systems into the conventional ones, rendering the induced Hamiltonian to be Hermitian. In other words, any non-Hermitian Hamiltonian can be "transformed" into a Hermitian one without altering the physics. Thus we show how to find a reference frame (corresponding to Einstein's quantum elevator) in which a non-Hermitian system, equipped with a non-trivial Hilbert space metric, reduces to a …
We generalize a recently proposed algebraic method in order to treat non-Hermitian Hamiltonians. The approach is applied to several quadratic Hamiltonians studied earlier by other authors. Instead of solving the Schrödinger equation we simply obtain the eigenvalues of a suitable matrix representation of the operator. We take into account the existence of unitary and antiunitary symmetries in the quantum-mechanical problem.
We prove that any symmetric Hamiltonian that is a quadratic function of the coordinates and momenta has a pseudo-Hermitian adjoint or regular matrix representation. The eigenvalues of the latter matrix are the natural frequencies of the Hamiltonian operator. When all the eigenvalues of the matrix are real, then the spectrum of the symmetric Hamiltonian is real and the operator is Hermitian. As illustrative examples we choose the quadratic Hamiltonians that model a pair of coupled resonators with balanced gain and loss, the electromagnetic self-force on an oscillating charged particle and an ac…
We consider the description of open quantum systems with probability sinks (or sources) in terms of general non-Hermitian Hamiltonians.~Within such a framework, we study novel possible definitions of the quantum linear entropy as an indicator of the flow of information during the dynamics. Such linear entropy functionals are necessary in the case of a partially Wigner-transformed non-Hermitian Hamiltonian (which is typically useful within a mixed quantum-classical representation). Both the case of a system represented by a pure non-Hermitian Hamiltonian as well as that of the case of non-Hermi…
Here we present an strategy for the derivation of a time-dependent Dyson map which ensures simultaneously the unitarity of the time evolution and the observability of a quasi-Hermitian Hamiltonian. The time-dependent Dyson map is derived through a constructed Schrödinger-like equation governed by the non-Hermitian Hamiltonian itself; despite its time-dependence our scheme ensures the time-independence of the metric operator, a necessary condition for the observability of the quasi-Hermitian Hamiltonian. As an illustrative example we consider a driven Harmonic oscillator described by a time-dep…
In contrast to classical systems, actual implementation of non-Hermitian Hamiltonian dynamics for quantum systems is a challenge because the processes of energy gain and dissipation are based on the underlying Hermitian system-environment dynamics that is trace preserving. Recently, a scheme for engineering non-Hermitian Hamiltonians as a result of repetitive measurements on an anicillary qubit has been proposed. The induced conditional dynamics of the main system is described by the effective non-Hermitian Hamiltonian arisng from the procedure. In this paper we demonstrate the effectiveness o…
The non-Hermitian Schrödinger equation is re-expressed generally in the form of Hamilton's canonical equation without any approximation. Its quantization called non-Hermitian quantum field theory is discussed. By virtue of the canonical equation, the theory of non-Hermitian quantum mechanics is totally reformulated, including the probability amplitudes of states, the expectations of operators, as well as the expressions of interaction terms. The conventional difficulties in non-Hermitian quantum mechanics are totally overcome by the reformulation. Specifically, the imaginary parts the non-Herm…
We provide the first solution of a time-dependent metric operator for the non-Hermitian Jaynes-Cummings Hamiltonian. We use this solution to calculate the entanglement between two identical isolated such Hamiltonians. The presence of a non-Hermitian interaction term leads to a spontaneously broken $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric regime which manifests itself in the exotic time-evolution of entanglement. When the symmetry is broken, oscillatory modes transition into decay. As such that there is a drastic difference in behaviour between the broken and unbroken regimes.
We investigate in this paper time-dependent non-Hermitian Hamiltonians, which consist respectively of SU(1,1) and SU(2) generators. The former Hamiltonian is PT symmetric but the latter one is not. A time-dependent non-unitary operator is proposed to construct the non-Hermitian invariant, which is verified as pseudo-Hermitian with real eigenvalues. The exact solutions are obtained in terms of the eigenstates of the pseudo-Hermitian invariant operator for both the SU(1,1)and SU(2)systems in a unified manner. Then, we derive the LR phase, which can be separated to the dynamic phase and the geome…
It has been argued that it is incompatible to maintain unitary time-evolution for time-dependent non-Hermitian Hamiltonians when the metric operator is explicitly time-dependent. We demonstrate here that the time-dependent Dyson equation and the time-dependent quasi-Hermiticity relation can be solved consistently in such a scenario for a time-dependent Dyson map and time-dependent metric operator, respectively. These solutions are obtained at the cost of rendering the non-Hermitian Hamiltonian to be a non-observable operator as it ceases to be quasi-Hermitian when the metric becomes time-depen…
We study the connection between a family of non-Hermitian Hamiltonians H and Hermitian ones H based on exact solutions. In general, for a dynamic process in a non-Hermitian system H, there always exists a parallel dynamic process governed by the corresponding Hermitian conjugate Hamiltonian H†. We show that a linear superposition of the two parallel dynamics is exactly equivalent to the time evolution of a state under a Hermitian Hamiltonian H. It reveals a novel connection between non-Hermitian and Hermitian systems.
The counterpart of the rotating wave approximation for non-Hermitian Hamiltonians is considered, which allows for the derivation of a suitable effective Hamiltonian for systems with some states undergoing decays. In the limit of very high decay rates, on the basis of this effective description we can predict the occurrence of a quantum Zeno dynamics which is interpreted as the removal of some coupling terms and the vanishing of an operatorial pseudo-Lamb shift.
The breakdown of Ehrenfest's theorem imposes serious limitations on quaternionic quantum mechanics (QQM). In order to determine the conditions in which the theorem is valid, we examined the conservation of the probability density, the expectation value and the classical limit for a non-anti-hermitian formulation of QQM. The results also indicated that the non-anti-hermitian quaternionic theory is related to non-hermitian quantum mechanics, and thus the physical problems described with both of the theories should be related.
We in this paper demonstrate that the $PT$-symmetric non-Hermitian Hamiltonian for a periodically driven system can be generated from a kernel Hamiltonian by a generalized gauge transformation. The kernel Hamiltonian is Hermitian and static, while the time-dependent transformation operator has to be $PT$ symmetric and non-unitary in general. Biorthogonal sets of eigenstates appear necessarily as a consequence of non-Hermitian Hamiltonian. We obtain analytically the wave functions and associated non-adiabatic Berry phase $γ_{n}$ for the $n$th eigenstate. The classical version of the non-Hermiti…
Non-Hermitian Hamiltonians with real eigenvalues coupled to electric fields: from the time-independent to the time dependent quantum mechanical formulation
Parity-time (PT) symmetric non-Hermitian Hamiltonians bring about many novel features and interesting applications such as quantum gates faster than those in Hermitian systems, and topological state transfer. The performance of evolutions under $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric Hamiltonians is degraded by the inevitable noise and errors due to system-environment interaction and experimental imperfections. In contrast to Hermitian Hamiltonians, the fluctuations in dissipative beams that are utilized to generate non-Hermitian contributions in the PT-symmetric Hamiltonians cause additional errors. Here we…
We show that similarity (or equivalent) transformations enable one to construct non-Hermitian operators with real spectrum. In this way we can also prove and generalize the results obtained by other authors by means of a gauge-like transformation and its generalization. Such similarity transformations also reveal the connection with pseudo-Hermiticity in a simple and straightforward way. In addition to it we consider the positive and negative eigenvalues of a three-parameter non-Hermitian oscillator.
The complex eigenvalues of some non-Hermitian Hamiltonians, e.g. parity-time symmetric Hamiltonians, come in complex-conjugate pairs. We show that for non-Hermitian scattering Hamiltonians (of a structureless particle in one dimension) possesing one of four certain symmetries, the poles of the $S$-matrix eigenvalues in the complex momentum plane are symmetric about the imaginary axis, i.e. they are complex-conjugate pairs in complex-energy plane. This applies even to states which are not bounded eigenstates of the system, i.e. antibound or virtual states, resonances, and antiresonances. The fo…
We introduce and study a class of non-Hermitian Hamiltonians which have velocity dependent potentials. Since stability can not be advocated directly from the classical potential, we show that the energy spectra are real and bounded from below which proves the stability of the spectra of all members in the class. We find that the introduced class of non-Hermitian Hamiltonians do have a corresponding superpartner class of non-Hermitian Hamiltonians. We were able to introduce supercharges which in conjunction with the corresponding super Hamiltonians constitute a closed super algebra. Among the i…
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 respect to the time-dependent metric operator, which implies that the dynamics is governed by unitary time evolution. Furthermore, $H(t)$ is not generally quasi-Hermitian and does not define an observable of the system but $I_{PH}(t)$ obeys a quasi-hermiticity transformation as in the completely time-independent Hamiltonian systems case. The harmonic oscillat…