We examine the physical manifestations of exceptional points and passage times in a two-level system which is subjected to quantum measurements and which admits a non-Hermitian description. Using an effective Hamiltonian acting in the two-dimensional space spanned by the evolving initial and final states, the effects of highly precise quantum measurements in which the monitoring device interferes significantly with the evolution dynamics of the monitored two-level system is analyzed. The dynamics of a multipartite system consisting of the two-level system, a source of external potential and the measurement device is examined using correlation measures such as entanglement and non-classical quantum correlations. Results show that the quantum correlations between the monitored (monitoring) systems is considerably decreased (increased) as the measurement precision nears the exceptional point, at which the passage time is half of the measurement duration. The results indicate that the underlying mechanism by which the non-classical correlations of quantum systems are transferred from one subsystem to another may be better revealed via use of geometric approaches. This article is part of a special issue of Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical devoted to 'Quantum physics with non-Hermitian operators'.
We examine the physical manifestations of exceptional points and passage times in a two-level system which is subjected to quantum measurements and which admits a non-Hermitian description. Using an effective Hamiltonian acting in the two-dimensional space spanned by the evolving initial and final states, the effects of highly precise quantum measurements in which the monitoring device interferes significantly with the evolution dynamics of the monitored two-level system is analyzed. The dynamics of a multipartite system consisting of the two-level system, a source of external potential and the measurement device is examined using correlation measures such as entanglement and non-classical quantum correlations. Results show that the quantum correlations between the monitored (monitoring) systems is considerably decreased (increased) as the measurement precision nears the exceptional point, at which the passage time is half of the measurement duration. The results indicate that the underlying mechanism by which the non-classical correlations of quantum systems are transferred from one subsystem to another may be better revealed via use of geometric approaches. This article is part of a special issue of Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical devoted to 'Quantum physics with non-Hermitian operators'.
The effect of repeated measurements on unitary evolution of a quantum system at regular intervals has been studied picking a specific example of a quantum, particle moving on a lattice of three sites. Dividing the system into two subsystems, we obtain the survival probability of the particle (i.e. particle not being detected) by time evolution followed by projection onto one subsystem. Using this evolution operator we obtain the expression for effective non-Hermitian Hamiltonian whose dynamics could be mapped to a general firs-order perturbation approach. We obtained a good argument between three approaches followed for calculating the survival probability, namely, the first order perturbative approach, the exact non-hermitian evolution and repeated the non-hermitian measurements interrupting the unitary evolution. Further we obtained the non-Hermitian degeneracies called Exceptional Points using the effective Hamiltonian. Finally, the presence of exceptional point is verified by decomposing the initial state into eigenstates of effective Hamiltonian and observing the behavior of the coefficients of decomposition while traversing through each parameter on which the exceptional point depends.
The ability to control matter at the quantum level is a central requirement for the continued advance of quantum technologies. Recent experimental progress has enabled continuous monitoring of quantum systems in time, giving rise to dynamics conditioned on measurement outcomes. Such measurement-conditioned evolution is naturally described by non-Hermitian Hamiltonians, whose complex eigenvalues encode gain and loss of population associated with the measurement record. Non-Hermitian quantum dynamics exhibit geometric features without Hermitian counterparts, including non-orthogonal eigenspaces, exceptional points, and complex geometric phases. This thesis investigates geometric structures underlying non-Hermitian quantum dynamics from two complementary perspectives: the geometry of quantum states under measurement-conditioned evolution, and the geometry of Hamiltonians and parameter spaces relevant for control in experimentally accessible platforms. First, measurement-conditioned non-Hermitian dynamics are formulated within quantum information geometry. The normalized evolution preserves the rank of the density operator, confining the dynamics to fixed-rank manifolds with a natural geometric structure. This framework enables optimization of the success probability of prescribed non-Hermitian trajectories and, via a purification-bundle formulation, leads to a non-Hermitian quantum speed limit expressed in terms of the Bures geometry. Explicit shortest geodesics and their associated non-Hermitian generators are derived, including results on the existence of time-independent generators in finite dimensions. The thesis then addresses control of non-Hermitian dynamics from a complementary geometric viewpoint focused on Hamiltonians and parameter spaces. A complex mixing angle is introduced for the detuned parity--time-symmetric dimer, providing a transparent mapping between parameter space and eigenspaces and enabling implementable counter-diabatic control on a superconducting transmon qubit. This approach is validated experimentally through accurate eigenstate tracking and exceptional-point encircling, and is subsequently generalized to arbitrary two-level systems, bipartite lattice models, and multilevel transmons. Finally, the geometric origin of complex Berry phases is identified, with predictions indicating their observability on the transmon platform and their role in purity stabilization and noise-assisted chiral transfer. Overall, the thesis establishes geometry as a unifying and operational language for the analysis and control of non-Hermitian quantum systems, addressing both foundational theory and experimentally relevant protocols.
Non-unitary dynamics in quantum mechanics arise in open quantum systems, where the interaction between the system and its environment is not negligible. One way this coupling can be realised is through measurement, where the backaction from the measurement apparatus induces non-unitary dynamics in the system. An effective non-Hermitian description arises within the no-jump approximation of a measured system, in which the time-evolved states are explicitly normalised at all times. Non-Hermiticity in quantum Hamiltonians gives rise to non-unitary time evolution and possibly complex energy eigenvalues, which can lead to a rich phenomenology with no Hermitian counterpart. In this thesis, we explore these two interconnected concepts related to non-unitary dynamics: non-Hermiticity and measurements. However, instead of effective non-Hermiticity, we consider the cases where non-Hermiticity is realised exactly. This setup necessitates a treatment under the self-consistent frameworks of non-Hermitian quantum mechanics in order to restore its probabilistic interpretation. Concretely, the self-consistent metric formalism restores unitarity of the evolution through a modified Hilbert space endowed with a dynamical metric. Through comparative studies using exactly solvable models, we find that the physics of the two approaches of non-Hermitian quantum mechanics is fundamentally different. This has a profound physical impact in terms of defect production in quenches across an exceptional point (EP). We demonstrate this through a non-Hermitian system hosting both PT-symmetric and PT-broken modes subject to a linear quench. Our results highlight the role played by the EP and the spontaneous breaking of the PT-symmetry in contributing to a non-zero defect density, even in the limit of an infinitely slow drive. Further, we uncover generalised transformations underpinning the results, which are incorporated in the dynamical metric. Going beyond purely theoretical considerations, we implement two novel dilation schemes to emulate the metric dynamics in a digital quantum simulator. Our protocols enable controlled access to all PT-symmetry regimes and to a direct tomography of the dynamical metric, opening the possibility of studying a new kind of non-Hermitian physics in engineered matter. To explore the second theme of the thesis, we investigate the dynamics of entanglement entropy in the continuously monitored Bose-Hubbard model. Our numerical data reveals a counterintuitive enhancement of superfluid correlations in a parameter regime, in which the entanglement entropy increases with the onsite repulsion strength in the presence of measurement. This phenomenon arising from the interplay between hopping, interaction, and measurement, is also present in the effective central charge extracted from a fit of the logarithmic scaling form of the entropy. In summary, this thesis reveals the richness of non-unitary quantum dynamics. Through an in-depth study of the different aspects of non-Hermitian systems, we illustrate the non-trivial physics uncovered only with the consideration of the dynamical metric. By bridging theoretical insights and physical realisation through novel dilation protocols realisable in engineered matter, our work lays the groundwork for further exploration of dynamical aspects in non-Hermitian and monitored quantum systems.
Non-Hermitian (NH) extension of quantum-mechanical Hamiltonians represents one of the most significant advancements in physics. During the past two decades, numerous captivating NH phenomena have been revealed and demonstrated, but all of which can appear in both quantum and classical systems. This leads to the fundamental question: what NH signature presents a radical departure from classical physics? The solution of this problem is indispensable for exploring genuine NH quantum mechanics, but remains experimentally untouched so far. Here, we resolve this basic issue by unveiling distinct exceptional entanglement phenomena, exemplified by an entanglement transition, occurring at the exceptional point of NH interacting quantum systems. We illustrate and demonstrate such purely quantum-mechanical NH effects with a naturally dissipative light-matter system, engineered in a circuit quantum electrodynamics architecture. Our results lay the foundation for studies of genuinely quantum-mechanical NH physics, signified by exceptional-point-enabled entanglement behaviors.
Open quantum systems can be approximately described by non-Hermitian Hamiltonians (NHHs) and Liouvillian superoperators. The two approaches differ by quantum jump terms corresponding to a measurement of the system by its environment. We analyze the emergence of exceptional points (EPs) in NHHs and Liouvillian superoperators. In particular, we show how EPs in NHHs relate to a novel type of EPs -- multi-block EPs -- in the no-jump Liouvillian, i.e. the Liouvillian superoperator in absence of quantum jump terms. We further analyze how quantum jump terms modify the multi-block structure. To illustrate our general findings, we present two prime examples: qubits and qutrits coupled to additional ground state levels that serve as sinks of the population. In those examples, we can navigate through the EP block structure by a variation of physical parameters. We analyze how the dynamics of the population of the states is affected by the order of the EPs. Additionally, we demonstrate that the quantum geometric tensor serves as a sensitive indicator of EPs of different kinds.
The exploration of the effect of non-Hermitian (NH) in quantum systems is gaining renewed momentum as a result of the recent progress in experiments. It has been indicated that the ability to engineer the orders of exceptional points (EPs) can be fundamental to its applications in quantum control, such as accelerating entanglement generation; however, an initial survey of the interactions between different orders of EPs is still missing. In this work, we try to partially address this issue by employing a non-reciprocally coupled cavity system which can be experimentally realizable with a two-dimensional reconfigurable NH gauged laser array. With deliberate design, our systems display both second and third orders of EPs. The sign of a novel, purely quantum continuous entanglement phase transition is observed, which reveals how multi-EP interactions alter entanglement dynamics across different regimes while maintaining accelerated generation. Our findings reveil the genuinely quantum NH physics of higher-order EPs, which has opened up a new avenue for future investigations of the higher-order degeneracy application and the dynamic phase transitions of quantum systems.