Eigenstate entanglement entropy in $PT$ invariant non-Hermitian system

TL;DR

This paper investigates the eigenstate entanglement entropy in a $PT$-symmetric non-Hermitian fermionic system, revealing phase transition behaviors and unique entropy divergence at the critical point.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed analysis of entanglement entropy in non-Hermitian $PT$-symmetric systems, highlighting phase transition effects and differences in entropy definitions.

Findings

Entanglement entropy diverges exponentially at the phase transition point.

In the unbroken phase, entanglement entropy behaves like that of a Hermitian system.

Distinct entropy behaviors are observed depending on whether left, right, or bi-orthonormal eigenstates are used.

Abstract

Much has been learned about universal properties of the eigenstate entanglement entropy for one-dimensional lattice models, which is described by a Hermitian Hamiltonian. While very less of it has been understood for non-Hermitian systems. In the present work we study a non-Hermitian, non-interacting model of fermions which is invariant under combined $PT$ transformation. Our models show a phase transition from $PT$ unbroken phase to broken phase as we tune the hermiticity breaking parameter. Entanglement entropy of such systems can be defined in two different ways, depending on whether we consider only right (or equivalently only left) eigenstates or a combination of both left and right eigenstates which form a complete set of bi-orthonormal eigenstates. We demonstrate that the entanglement entropy of the ground state and also of the typical excited states show some unique features in both of these phases of the system. Most strikingly, entanglement entropy obtained taking a combination of both left and right eigenstates shows an exponential divergence with system size at the transition point. While in the $PT$-unbroken phase, the entanglement entropy obtained from only the right (or equivalently left) eigenstates shows identical behavior as of an equivalent Hermitian system which is connected to the non-Hermitian system by a similarity transformation.