Entanglement dynamics driven by topology and non-Hermiticity

TL;DR

This paper investigates how topology and non-Hermiticity influence entanglement dynamics, using a non-Hermitian SSH model in an acoustic platform to identify distinct dynamic phases with unique entanglement signatures.

Contribution

It introduces a unified framework using entanglement entropy and transport currents to characterize non-Hermitian topological phases, supported by experimental demonstration.

Findings

Identification of three dynamic regimes: bulk-like, edge-like, and skin-like.

Skin-like dynamics show periodic information shuttling with oscillatory entanglement entropy.

Entanglement entropy scaling reflects the competition between delocalization and localization.

Abstract

The interplay between topology and non-Hermiticity gives rise to exotic dynamic phenomena that challenge conventional wave-packet propagation and entanglement dynamics. While recent studies have established the non-Hermitian skin effect (NHSE) as a key mechanism for anomalous wave dynamics, a unified framework for characterizing and controlling entanglement evolution in non-Hermitian topological systems remains underdeveloped. Here, by combining theory and experiments, we demonstrate that entanglement entropy (EE) and transport currents serve as robust dynamic probes to distinguish various non-Hermitian topological regimes. Using a generalized non-Hermitian Su-Schrieffer-Heeger model implemented in an acoustic analog platform, we identify three dynamic phases, bulk-like, edge-like, and skin-like regimes, each exhibiting unique EE signatures and transport characteristics. In particular, skin-like dynamics exhibit periodic information shuttling with finite, oscillatory EE, while edge-like dynamics lead to complete EE suppression. We further map the dynamic phase diagram and show that EE scaling and temporal profiles directly reflect the competition between coherent delocalization and NHSE-driven localization. Our results establish a programmable approach to steering entanglement and transport via tailored non-Hermitian couplings, offering a pathway for engineering quantum information dynamics in synthetic phononic, photonic, and quantum simulators.