Non-Hermitian linear perturbation to a Hamiltonian with a constant electromagnetic field and Hall conductivity

TL;DR

This paper analytically investigates the effects of a non-Hermitian linear perturbation on an electron in a constant electromagnetic field, revealing modified Landau levels and preserved Hall conductivity.

Contribution

It introduces an analytical solution for a non-Hermitian perturbation in a Landau level system and demonstrates the invariance of Hall conductivity under this perturbation.

Findings

Landau levels are modified by a complex Stark effect term.

A symmetry operator explains the perturbation's origin.

Hall conductivity remains equal to the inverse of Klitzing's constant.

Abstract

The stationary Schr\"odinger equation for an electron in a constant electromagnetic field with a non-Hermitian linear perturbation is studied. The wave function and the spectrum of the system are derived analytically, with the spectrum consisting of Landau levels modified by an additional term associated with the linear Stark effect, proportional to a complex constant $\lambda$. It is shown that this constant arises from an operator $\hat{\Pi}$ that commutes with the Hamiltonian, i.e., $\hat{\Pi}$ is a symmetry of the system. Finally, the Hall conductivity for the lowest Landau level is calculated, showing that it remains exactly equal to the inverse of Klitzing's constant despite the perturbation.