Symmetry-Protected Scattering in Non-Hermitian Linear Systems

Symmetry plays fundamental role in physics and the nature of symmetry changes in non-Hermitian physics.Here the symmetry-protected scattering in non-Hermitian linear systems is investigated by employing the discrete symmetries that classify the random matrices.The even-parity symmetries impose strict constraints on the scattering coefficients:the time-reversal(C and K) symmetries protect the symmetric transmission or reflection;the pseudo-Hermiticity(Q symmetry) or the inversion(P) symmetry protects the symmetric transmission and reflection.For the inversion-combined time-reversal symmetries,the symmetric features on the transmission and reflection interchange.The odd-parity symmetries including the particle-hole symmetry,chiral symmetry,and sublattice symmetry cannot ensure the scattering to be symmetric.These guiding principles are valid for both Hermitian and non-Hermitian linear systems.Our findings provide fundamental insights into symmetry and scattering ranging from condensed matter physics to quantum physics and optics.