# Defining a bulk-edge correspondence for non-Hermitian Hamiltonians via singular-value decomposition

## TL;DR

This paper proposes a novel bulk-edge correspondence for non-Hermitian Hamiltonians using singular-value decomposition, restoring the topological classification and edge-bulk relation in these systems.

## Contribution

It introduces a singular-value decomposition approach to define a topological bulk-edge correspondence for non-Hermitian systems, aligning with Hermitian cases and recent classification proposals.

## Key findings

- Restores bulk-boundary correspondence in non-Hermitian systems
- Generalizes entanglement spectrum to non-Hermitian models
- Demonstrates approach with SSH and Chern insulator models

## Abstract

We address the breakdown of the bulk-boundary correspondence observed in non-Hermitian systems, where open and periodic systems can have distinct phase diagrams. The correspondence can be completely restored by considering the Hamiltonian's singular value decomposition instead of its eigendecomposition. This leads to a natural topological description in terms of a flattened singular decomposition. This description is equivalent to the usual approach for Hermitian systems and coincides with a recent proposal for the classification of non-Hermitian systems. We generalize the notion of the entanglement spectrum to non-Hermitian systems, and show that the edge physics is indeed completely captured by the periodic bulk Hamiltonian. We exemplify our approach by considering the chiral non-Hermitian Su-Schrieffer-Heger and Chern insulator models. Our work advocates a different perspective on topological non-Hermitian Hamiltonians, paving the way to a better understanding of their entanglement structure.