Statics and dynamics of non-Hermitian many-body localization

• Published in: Communications physics Vol. 7; no. 1; pp. 92 - 6
• Main Authors: Mák, József, Bhaseen, M. J., Pal, Arijeet
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 13.03.2024; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 639/766/119/2795; 639/766/483/640; 639/766/530/2795; Dynamic stability; Dynamics; Eigenvectors; Initial conditions; Localization; Many body problem; Open systems; Phase diagrams; Phase transitions; Phases; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Relaxation time; Statistical mechanics
• ISSN: 2399-3650; 2399-3650
• DOI: 10.1038/s42005-024-01576-y

Many-body localized phases retain memory of their initial conditions in disordered interacting systems with unitary dynamics. The stability of the localized phase due to the breakdown of unitarity is of relevance to experiment in the presence of dissipation. Here we investigate the impact of non-Hermitian perturbations on many-body localization. We focus on the interacting Hatano-Nelson model which breaks unitarity via asymmetric hopping. We explore the phase diagram for the mid-spectrum eigenstates as a function of the interaction strength and the non-Hermiticity. In contrast to the non-interacting case, our findings are consistent with a two-step approach to the localized regime. We also study the dynamics of the particle imbalance. We show that the distribution of relaxation time scales differs qualitatively between the localized and ergodic phases. Our findings suggest the possibility of an intermediate dynamical regime in disordered open systems. The interplay between interactions and disorder can lead to unusual states of matter, which go beyond the notions of equilibrium statistical mechanics. Here the authors provide predictions for the dynamics of such phases, and their phase transitions, when coupled to an environment.