Non-Hermitian off-diagonal disordered optical lattices

TL;DR

This paper explores the spectral, localization, and transport properties of non-Hermitian off-diagonal disordered optical lattices, revealing unique phenomena like Anderson jumps and providing a foundational reference for future research.

Contribution

It introduces the first comprehensive analysis of non-Hermitian off-diagonal disorder in optical lattices, highlighting novel transport phenomena and spectral behaviors.

Findings

Identification of jumps between distant lattice regions in systems with real spectra

Discovery of complex spectrum-induced Anderson jumps in two dimensions

Comparison of eigenvalue distributions with Hermitian lattices

Abstract

Within the framework of non-Hermitian photonics, we investigate the spectral and dynamical properties of one- and two-dimensional non-Hermitian off-diagonal disordered optical lattices, where randomness is applied to the couplings rather than to the on-site potential terms. We analyze eigenvalue distributions and the localization properties of the eigenmodes, comparing them with those of the corresponding Hermitian lattices. Furthermore, we study their transport behavior under single-channel excitation and identify unconventional phenomena such as jumps between distant lattice regions in systems with a purely real spectrum, as well as complex spectrum-induced Anderson jumps, reported here for the first time in two dimensions. Our results establish a reference framework for non-Hermitian off-diagonal disorder and open new directions for future studies of localization phenomena.