Effects of non-Hermiticity on Su-Schrieffer-Heeger defect states

• Main Authors: Lang, Li-Jun, Wang, You, Wang, Hailong, Chong, Yi Dong
• Other Authors: School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2018
• Subjects: Topological Defects; Topological Effects in Photonic Systems
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/89968; http://hdl.handle.net/10220/46428
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

We study the emergence and disappearance of defect states in the complex Su-Schrieffer-Heeger (cSSH) model, a non-Hermitian one-dimensional lattice model containing gain and loss on alternating sites. Previous studies of this model have focused on the existence of a non-Hermitian defect state that is localized to the interface between two cSSH domains, and is continuable to the topologically protected defect state of the Hermitian Su-Schrieffer-Heeger (SSH) model. For large gain/loss magnitudes, we find that these defect states can disappear into the continuum, or undergo pairwise spontaneous breaking of a composite sublattice/time-reversal symmetry. The symmetry-breaking transition gives rise to a pair of defect states continuable to nontopologically protected defect states of the SSH model. We discuss the phase diagram for the defect states, and its implications for non-Hermitian defect states.