Localization transitions in non-Hermitian quasiperiodic lattice

TL;DR

This paper investigates the delocalization-localization transition in non-Hermitian quasiperiodic lattices, revealing critical points, phase coexistence, and the effects of boundary conditions and potential modulation.

Contribution

It provides analytical and numerical analysis of the critical transition point and phase coexistence in non-Hermitian quasiperiodic systems with asymmetric hopping.

Findings

Critical transition point is consistent for PBC and OBC.

Mixed phase appears when real and complex potential modulations differ.

Coexistence of skin modes and localized states in OBC, and delocalized with localized states in PBC.

Abstract

The delocalization-localization (DL) transition in non-Hermitian systems exhibits intriguing features distinct from their Hermitian counterparts. In this study, we investigate the DL transition in a generalized non-Hermitian lattice with asymmetric hopping and complex quasi-periodic potential. Irrespective of the boundary conditions, the lattice undergoes a DL transition at a critical strength of the quasiperiodic potential with identical modulation of its real and complex parts. For periodic boundary conditions (PBC), we obtained an analytical expression that accurately predicts this critical point. Our numerical results indicate that the critical point remains the same with the open boundary condition (OBC) as well. Interestingly, we observe that a difference in the modulation of the real and the complex part of potential leads to a mixed phase that appears between the delocalized and the localized phases. Intriguingly, within the mixed state region, we observed a coexistence of skin modes and localized states in the case of OBC, while in the case of PBC, a mixed phase is created by a coexistence of delocalized and localized states. We mapped out the phase diagrams for different scenarios offering valuable insights into the role of different parameters in a wide class of non-Hermitian quasiperiodic lattices.