Unveiling non-Hermitian band structures with non-Bloch supercells

TL;DR

This paper introduces a non-Bloch supercell framework that enables the experimental mapping of complex band structures in non-Hermitian systems, overcoming previous challenges in decoupling imaginary momentum control from Bloch phase sampling.

Contribution

The authors develop a novel non-Bloch supercell method combining exponent-flattening and twisted boundary conditions for high-resolution complex band mapping in non-Hermitian systems.

Findings

Accurately predicts open-boundary spectra and eigenstates

Successfully measures momentum-resolved complex energy surfaces

Verifies predictions through open-geometry experiments

Abstract

Real-valued band structures are foundational to analyzing periodic systems within the Hermitian description and have been experimentally well-established over recent decades. In contrast, non-Hermitian systems exhibit complex band structures where both energy and momentum have imaginary parts, underpinning phenomena like the non-Hermitian skin effect and anomalous bulk-boundary correspondence that defy conventional Bloch theory. Experimentally mapping these complex bands-relating complex momentum to complex energy-and identifying their associated eigenstates is crucial for understanding these systems but remains a significant challenge. Here, we introduce a non-Bloch supercell framework designed to overcome this challenge by decoupling Bloch phase control from the imaginary part of momentum. Our method combines an exponent-flattening protocol with twisted boundary conditions, enabling system-size-independent control of imaginary momentum while preserving high-resolution Bloch phase sampling. Implemented in programmable one- and two-dimensional acoustic crystals, our approach acquires momentum-resolved complex energy surfaces and biorthogonal eigenmodes by Green's function measurements.Data obtained using this framework accurately predict open-boundary spectra and eigenstates, findings we verify through separate open-geometry experiments. Our work provides a broadly applicable experimental toolkit for exploring non-Hermitian band geometry and topology in diverse engineered classical and quantum platforms.