$\mathcal{PT}$-Symmetric Periodic Optical Potentials

In quantum theory, any Hamiltonian describing a physical system is mathematically represented by a self-adjoint linear operator to ensure the reality of the associated observables. In an attempt to extend quantum mechanics into the complex domain, it was realized few years ago that certain non-Hermitian parity-time (PT\mathcal{PT}) symmetric Hamiltonians can exhibit an entirely real spectrum. Much of the reported progress has been remained theoretical, and therefore hasn’t led to a viable experimental proposal for which non Hermitian quantum effects could be observed in laboratory experiments. Quite recently however, it was suggested that the concept of PT\mathcal{PT}-symmetry could be physically realized within the framework of classical optics. This proposal has, in turn, stimulated extensive investigations and research studies related to PT\mathcal{PT}-symmetric Optics and paved the way for the first experimental observation of PT\mathcal{PT}-symmetry breaking in any physical system. In this paper, we present recent results regarding PT\mathcal{PT}-symmetric Optics.     

Asymptotic Properties of Solvable $\mathcal{PT}$-Symmetric Potentials

The asymptotic region of potentials has strong impact on their general properties. This problem is especially interesting for PT\mathcal{PT}-symmetric potentials, the real and imaginary components of which allow for a wider variety of asymptotic properties than in the case of purely real potentials. We consider exactly solvable potentials defined on an infinite domain and investigate their scattering and bound states with special attention to the boundary conditions determined by the asymptotic regions. The examples include potentials with asymptotically vanishing and non-vanishing real and imaginary potential components (Scarf II, Rosen-Morse II, Coulomb). We also compare the results with the asymptotic properties of some exactly non-solvable PT\mathcal{PT}-symmetric potentials. These studies might be relevant to the experimental realization of PT\mathcal{PT}-symmetric systems.     

A Generalized Family of Discrete \mathcal{PT}-symmetric Square Wells

N-site-lattice Hamiltonians H ^(N) are introduced and perceived as a set of systematic discrete approximants of a certain $\mathcal {PT}$ -symmetric square-well-potential model with the real spectrum and with a non-Hermiticity which is localized near the boundaries of the interval. Its strength is controlled by one, two or three parameters. The problem of the explicit construction of a nontrivial metric which makes the theory unitary is then addressed. It is proposed and demonstrated that due to the not too complicated (viz., tridiagonal matrix) form of our input Hamiltonians, the computation of the metric is straightforward and that its matrix elements prove obtainable, non-numerically, in elementary polynomial forms.     

${ \mathcal P }{ \mathcal T }$-symmetry berry phases,topology and ${ \mathcal P }{ \mathcal T }$-symmetry breaking

We study the complex Berry phases in non-Hermitian systems with parity- and time-reversal $\left({ \mathcal P }{ \mathcal T }\right)$ symmetry. We investigate a kind of two-level system with ${ \mathcal P }{ \mathcal T }$ symmetry. We find that the real part of the the complex Berry phases have two quantized values and they are equal to either 0 or π, which originates from the topology of the Hermitian eigenstates. We also find that if we change the relative parameters of the Hamiltonian from the unbroken-${ \mathcal P }{ \mathcal T }$-symmetry phase to the broken-${ \mathcal P }{ \mathcal T }$-symmetry phase, the imaginary part of the complex Berry phases are divergent at the exceptional points. We exhibit two concrete examples in this work, one is a two-level toys model, which has nontrivial Berry phases; the other is the generalized Su–Schrieffer–Heeger (SSH) model that has physical loss and gain in every sublattice. Our results explicitly demonstrate the relation between complex Berry phases, topology and ${ \mathcal P }{ \mathcal T }$-symmetry breaking and enrich the field of the non-Hermitian physics.     

Effects of Quantum Fluctuations on $\mathcal{PT}$-Symmetric Solitons of a Trapped Bose Gas *

Considering the quantum fluctuation effects, the existence and stabilityof solitons in a Bose-Einstein condensate subjected in a $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric potentialare discussed. Using the variational approach, we investigate how the quantum fluctuationaffects the self-localization and stability of the condensate with attractivetwo-body interactions. The results show that the quantum fluctuation dramaticallyinfluences the shape, width, and chemical potential of the condensate.Analytical variational computation also predicts there exists a positive critical quantumfluctuation strength $q_{c}$ with each fixed attractive two-body interaction $g_{0}$, if thequantum fluctuation strength $q_{0}$ is bigger than $q_{c}$, there is no bright solitonsolution existence. We also study the effects of the quantum fluctuations on the stabilityof solitons using the Vakhitov-Kolokolov (VK) stability criterion. A robust stable brightsoliton will always exist when the quantum fluctuation strength $q_{0}$ belongs tothe parameter regimes $q_{c}\geq q_{0}＞0$.     

One-dimensional $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric acoustic heterostructure

The explorations of parity-time ($\mathcal{PT}$)-symmetric acoustics have resided at the frontier in physics, and the pre-existing accessing of exceptional points typically depends on Fabry-Perot resonances of the coupling interlayer sandwiched between balanced gain and loss components. Nevertheless, the concise $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric acoustic heterostructure, eliminating extra interactions caused by the interlayer, has not been researched in depth. Here we derive the generalized unitary relation for one-dimensional (1D) $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric heterostructure of arbitrary complexity, and demonstrate four disparate patterns of anisotropic transmission resonances (ATRs) accompanied by corresponding spontaneous phase transitions. As a special case of ATR, the occasional bidirectional transmission resonance reconsolidates the ATR frequencies that split when waves incident from opposite directions, whose spatial profiles distinguish from a unitary structure. The derived theoretical relation can serve as a predominant signature for the presence of $\mathcal{PT}$ symmetry and $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetry-breaking transition, which may provide substantial support for the development of prototype devices with asymmetric acoustic responses.     

Tunable $\chi /\mathcal {P}\mathcal {T}$ Symmetry in Noisy Graphene

We investigate the resonant regime of a mesoscopic cavity made of graphene or a doped beam splitter. Using Non-Hermitian Quantum Mechanics, we consider the Bender-Boettcher assumption that a system must obey parity and time reversal symmetry. Therefore, we describe such system by coupling chirality, parity, and time reversal symmetries through the scattering matrix formalism and apply it in the shot noise functions, also derived here. Finally, we show how to achieve the resonant regime only by setting properly the parameters concerning the chirality and the PT symmetry.     

$ \mathcal{Z} $ extremization in chiral-like Chern-Simons theories

Journal of High Energy Physics - We construct 1/4 BPS, threshold F-Dp bound states (with 0 ≤ p ≤ 5) of type II string theories by applying S- and T-dualities to...     

${\mathcal{PT}}$-Symmetric Square Well-Perturbations and the Existence of Metric Operator

We consider PT{\mathcal{PT}}-symmetric square well in more general setting: we impose PT{\mathcal{PT}}-symmetric boundary conditions instead of Dirichlet ones. We investigate the existence and properties of a metric operator.     

F-theory,Seiberg-Witten curves and $ \mathcal{N} = {2} $ dualities

Journal of High Energy Physics - A geometrical form of the supersymmetry conditions for D-branes on arbitrary type II supersymmetric backgrounds is derived, as well as the associated BPS bounds....     

$\mathcal{PT}$ Invariant Complex E8 Root Spaces

We provide a construction procedure for complex root spaces invariant under antilinear transformations, which may be applied to any Coxeter group. The procedure is based on the factorisation of a chosen element of the Coxeter group into two factors. Each of the factors constitutes an involution and may therefore be deformed in an antilinear fashion. Having the importance of the E ₈-Coxeter group in mind, such as underlying a particular perturbation of the Ising model and the fact that for it no solution could be found previously, we exemplify the procedure for this particular case. As a concrete application of this construction we propose new generalisations of Calogero-Moser-Sutherland models and affine Toda field theories based on the invariant complex root spaces and deformed complex simple roots, respectively.     

Krein-space formulation of \mathcal{P}\mathcal{T} symmetry, \mathcal{C}\mathcal{P}\mathcal{T}-inner products, and pseudo-Hermiticity

Emphasizing the physical constraints on the formulation of the quantum theory, based on the standard measurement axiom and the Schrödinger equation, we comment on some conceptual issues arising in the formulation of the $\mathcal{P}\mathcal{T}$ -symmetric quantum mechanics. In particular, we elaborate on the requirements of the boundedness of the metric operator and the diagonalizability of the Hamiltonian. We also provide an accessible account of a Krein-space derivation of the $\mathcal{C}\mathcal{P}\mathcal{T}$ -inner product, that was widely known to mathematicians since 1950’s. We show how this derivation is linked with the pseudo-Hermitian formulation of the $\mathcal{P}\mathcal{T}$ -symmetric quantum mechanics.     

Geometry of time-dependent $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric quantum mechanics

A new type of quantum theory known as time-dependent $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric quantum mechanics has received much attention recently. It has a conceptually intriguing feature of equipping the Hilbert space of a $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric system with a time-varying inner product. In this work, we explore the geometry of time-dependent $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric quantum mechanics. We find that a geometric phase can emerge naturally from the cyclic evolution of a $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric system, and further formulate a series of related differential-geometry concepts, including connection, curvature, parallel transport, metric tensor, and quantum geometric tensor. These findings constitute a useful, perhaps indispensible, tool to investigate geometric properties of $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric systems with time-varying system's parameters. To exemplify the application of our findings, we show that the unconventional geometric phase [Phys. Rev. Lett. 91 187902 (2003)], which is the sum of a geometric phase and a dynamical phase proportional to the geometric phase, can be expressed as a single geometric phase unveiled in this work.     

Cut-and-join operators and $ \mathcal{N} = 4 $ super Yang-Mills

We show which multi-trace structures are compatible with the symmetrisation of local operators in \( \mathcal{N} = 4 \) super Yang-Mills when they are organised into representations of the global symmetry group. Cut-and-join operators give the non-planar expansion of correlation functions of these operators in the free theory. Using these techniques we find the 1/N corrections to the quarter-BPS operators which remain protected at weak coupling. We also present a new way of counting these chiral ring operators using the Weyl group S _N .     

The symmetry of large $ \mathcal{N} $ = 4 holography

Journal of High Energy Physics - The higher-spin (HS) algebras relevant to Vasiliev’s equations in various dimensions can be interpreted as the symmetries of the minimal representation of the...     

A search for an \documentclass{article}\usepackage{amssymb}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ \mathcal{N} =2 $\end{document} inflaton potential

We consider $ \mathcal{N} =2 $ supergravity theories that have the same spectrum as the R + R² supergravity, as predicted from the off‐shell counting of degrees of freedom. These theories describe standard $ \mathcal{N} =2 $ supergravity coupled to one or two long massive vector multiplets. The central charge is not gauged in these models and they have a Minkowski vacuum with $ \mathcal{N} =2 $ unbroken supersymmetry. The gauge symmetry, being non‐compact, is always broken. α‐deformed inflaton potentials are obtained, in the case of a single massive vector multiplet, with α = 1/3 and 2/3. The α = 1 potential (i.e. the Starobinsky potential) is also obtained, but only at the prize of having a single massive vector and a residual unbroken gauge symmetry. The inflaton corresponds to one of the Cartan fields of the non‐compact quaternionic‐Kähler cosets.