Bulk-boundary correspondence in a non-Hermitian system in one dimension with chiral inversion symmetry

Abstract

Asymmetric coupling amplitudes effectively create an imaginary gauge field, which induces a non-Hermitian Aharonov-Bohm (AB) effect. Nonzero imaginary magnetic flux invalidates the bulk-boundary correspondence and leads to a topological phase transition. However, the way of non-Hermiticity appearance may alter the system topology. By alternatively introducing the non-Hermiticity under symmetry to prevent nonzero imaginary magnetic flux, the bulk-boundary correspondence recovers and every bulk state becomes extended; the bulk topology of the Bloch Hamiltonian predicts the (non)existence of edge states and topological phase transition. These are elucidated in a non-Hermitian Su-Schrieffer-Heeger model, where chiral inversion symmetry ensures the vanishing of imaginary magnetic flux. The average value of Pauli matrices under the eigenstate of chiral-inversion-symmetric Bloch Hamiltonian defines a vector field; the vorticity of topological defects in the vector field is a topological invariant. Our findings are applicable in other non-Hermitian systems. We first uncover the roles played by the non-Hermitian AB effect and chiral inversion symmetry for the breakdown and recovery of bulk-boundary correspondence, and develop new insights for understanding the non-Hermitian topological phases of matter.