Finite-size scaling in a non-Hermitian XXZ spin chain

Nicolas Laflorencie, Sylvain Capponi, Erik Schwartz Sørensen

Kazuki Yamamoto, Masaya Nakagawa, Masaki Tezuka +2 more

We demonstrate the universal properties of dissipative Tomonaga-Luttinger (TL) liquids by calculating correlation functions and performing finite-size scaling analysis of a non-Hermitian XXZ spin chain as a prototypical model in one-dimensional open quantum many-body systems. Our analytic calculation is based on effective field theory with bosonization, finite-size scaling approach in conformal field theory, and the Bethe-ansatz solution. Our numerical analysis is based on the density-matrix renormalization group generalized to non-Hermitian systems (NH-DMRG). We uncover that the model in the massless regime with weak dissipation belongs to the universality class characterized by the complex-valued TL parameter, which is related to the complex generalization of the $c=1$ conformal field theory. As the dissipation strength increases, the values of the TL parameter obtained by the NH-DMRG begin to deviate from those obtained by the Bethe-ansatz analysis, indicating that the model becomes massive for strong dissipation. Our results can be tested with the two-component Bose-Hubbard system of ultracold atoms subject to two-body loss.

Pietro Brighi, Marko Ljubotina, Federico Roccati +1 more

Non-Hermitian many-body localization (NH MBL) has emerged as a possible scenario for stable localization in open systems, as suggested by spectral indicators identifying a putative transition for finite system sizes. In this work, we shift the focus to dynamical probes, specifically the steady-state spin current, to investigate transport properties in a disordered, non-Hermitian XXZ spin chain. Through exact diagonalization for small systems and tensor-network methods for larger chains, we demonstrate that the steady-state current remains finite and decays exponentially with disorder strength, showing no evidence of a transition up to disorder values far beyond the previously claimed critical point. Our results reveal a stark discrepancy between spectral indicators, which suggest localization, and transport behavior, which indicates delocalization. This highlights the importance of dynamical observables in characterizing NH MBL and suggests that traditional spectral measures may not fully capture the physics of non-Hermitian systems. Additionally, we observe a noncommutativity of limits in system size and time, further complicating the interpretation of finite-size studies. These findings challenge the existence of NH MBL in the studied model and underscore the need for alternative approaches to understanding localization in non-Hermitian settings.

Henk W. J. Blöte, Hans W. Capel

Valéria Mattiello, Victor L. Quito, E. Miranda

We present an asymptotically exact solution of a paradigmatic non-Hermitian model: the disordered interacting fermionic Hatano-Nelson model, or equivalently, the non-Hermitian spin-1/2 XXZ model. We use a renormalization group method suited for disordered systems and show that non-Hermitian couplings are relevant perturbations to the Hermitian model, which ultimately leads to a quantum-to-classical crossover. The ground state of the model consists of a collection of strongly coupled pairs of spins of arbitrary size at random positions that, unlike the Hermitian case, do not form singlets, but a mixture of the singlet and the M = 0 triplet state. As a result, the magnetic susceptibility in the x − y directions becomes negative and diverges at a finite small temperature. Additionally, in sharp contrast to the ln ( L ) increase observed in disordered Hermitian chains, the entanglement entropy of a partition of size L saturates for large L , as the strongly coupled pairs become classical and stop contributing at large length scales.

Tohru Koma, Nobuyuki Mizukoshi