Semiclassical Husimi Distributions of Schur Vectors in Non-Hermitian Quantum Systems.

We construct a semiclassical phase-space density of Schur vectors in non-Hermitian quantum systems. Each Schur vector is associated to a single Planck cell. The Schur states are organized according to a classical norm landscape on phase space-a classical manifestation of the lifetimes which are characteristic of non-Hermitian systems. To demonstrate the generality of this construction we apply it to a highly nontrivial example: a PT-symmetric kicked rotor in the regimes of mixed and chaotic classical dynamics.

Husimi Dynamics Generated by non-Hermitian Hamiltonians.

The dynamics generated by non-Hermitian Hamiltonians are often less intuitive than those of conventional Hermitian systems. Even for models as simple as a complexified harmonic oscillator, the dynamics for generic initial states shows surprising features. Here we analyze the dynamics of the Husimi distribution in a semiclassical limit, illuminating the foundations of the full quantum evolution. The classical Husimi evolution is composed of two factors: (i) the initial Husimi distribution evaluated along phase-space trajectories and (ii) the final value of the norm corresponding to each phase-space point. Both factors conspire to lead to intriguing dynamical behaviors. We demonstrate how the full quantum dynamics unfolds on top of the classical Husimi dynamics for two instructive examples.

Mixed-state evolution in the presence of gain and loss.

A model is proposed that describes the evolution of a mixed state of a quantum system for which gain and loss of energy or amplitude are present. Properties of the model are worked out in detail. In particular, invariant subspaces of the space of density matrices corresponding to the fixed points of the dynamics are identified, and the existence of a transition between the phase in which gain and loss are balanced and the phase in which this balance is lost is illustrated in terms of the time average of observables. The model is extended to include a noise term that results from a uniform random perturbation generated by white noise. Numerical studies of example systems show the emergence of equilibrium states that suppress the phase transition.