Random matrix approaches to open quantum systems

Over the past decades, a great body of theoretical and mathematical work has been devoted to random-matrix descriptions of open quantum systems. In these notes, based on lectures delivered at the Les Houches Summer School "Stochastic Processes and Random Matrices" in July 2015, we review the physical origins and mathematical structures of the underlying models, and collect key predictions which give insight into the typical system behaviour. In particular, we aim to give an idea how the different features are interlinked. The notes mainly focus on elastic scattering but also include a short detour to interacting systems, which we motivate by the overarching question of ergodicity. The first chapters introduce general notions from random matrix theory, such as the ten universality classes and ensembles of hermitian, unitary, positive-definite and non-hermitian matrices. We then review microscopic scattering models that form the basis for statistical descriptions, and consider signatures of random scattering in decay, dynamics and transport. The last chapter briefly touches on Anderson localization and localization in interacting systems.Comment: Lecture notes for the Les Houches Summer School "Stochastic Processes and Random Matrices" held in July 2015. v2: Reformatted and slightly revised, 35 pages and 8 figure

Bulk and edge-state arcs in non-Hermitian coupled-resonator arrays

We describe the formation of bulk and edge arcs in the dispersion relation of two-dimensional coupledresonator arrays that are topologically trivial in the Hermitian limit. Each resonator provides two asymmetrically coupled internal modes, as realized in noncircular open geometries, which enables the system to exhibit non-Hermitian physics. Neighboring resonators are coupled chirally to induce non-Hermitian symmetries. The bulk dispersion displays Fermi arcs connecting spectral singularities known as exceptional points and can be tuned to display purely real and imaginary branches. At an interface between resonators of different shape, one-dimensional edge states form that spectrally align along complex arcs connecting different parts of the bulk bands. We also describe conditions under which the edge-state arcs are freestanding. These features can be controlled via anisotropy in the resonator couplings

Nonlinear mode competition and symmetry-protected power oscillations in topological lasers

Topological photonics started out as a pursuit to engineer systems that mimicfermionic single-particle Hamiltonians with symmetry-protected modes,whose number can only change in spectral phase transitions such as bandinversions. The paradigm of topologicallasing, realizedin three recent experiments, offers entirely new interpretations of these states, as they can be selectively amplified by distributed gain and loss. A key question is whether such topologicalmode selection persists when one accountsfor the nonlinearities that stabilize these systems at their working point. Here we show that topological defect lasers can indeed stably operate in genuinely topological states. These comprise direct analogues of zeromodes from the linear setting, as well as a novel class of states displaying symmetry-protected power oscillations, which appear in a spectral phase transition when the gain is increased. These effects show a remarkable practical resilience against imperfections, even if these break the underlying symmetries, and pave the way to harness the power of topological protection in nonlinear quantum device

PC-symmetry-protected edge states in interacting driven-dissipative bosonic systems

A main objective of topological photonics is the design of disorder-resilient optical devices. Many prospective applications would benefit from nonlinear effects, which not only are naturally present in real systems but also are needed for switching in computational processes, while the underlying particle interactions are a key ingredient for the manifestation of genuine quantum effects. A particularly attractive switching mechanism of dynamical systems are infinite-period bifurcations into limit cycles, as these set on with a finite amplitude. Here we describe how to realize this switching mechanism by combining attractive and repulsive particle interactions in a driven-dissipative Su-Schrieffer-Heeger model, such as realized in excitonic lasers and condensates so that the system displays a non-Hermitian combination of parity and charge-conjugation ( PC ) symmetry. We show that this symmetry survives in the nonlinear case and induces infinite-period and limit-cycle bifurcations (distinct from a Hopf bifurcation) where the system switches from a symmetry-breaking stationary state into a symmetry-protected power-oscillating state of finite amplitude. These protected dynamical solutions display a number of characteristic features, among which are their finite amplitude at onset, their arbitrary long oscillation period close to threshold, and the symmetry of their frequency spectrum which provides a tuneable frequency comb. Phases with different transition scenarios are separated by exceptional points in the stability spectrum, involving nonhermitian degeneracies of symmetry-protected excitations

Fermionic phases and their transitions induced by competing finite-range interactions

We identify ground states of one-dimensional fermionic systems subject to competing repulsive interactions of finite range, and provide phenomenological and fundamental signatures of these phases and their transitions. Commensurable particle densities admit multiple competing charge-ordered insulating states with various periodicities and internal structure. Our reference point are systems with interaction range p = 2 , where phase transitions between these charge-ordered configurations are known to be mediated by liquid and bond-ordered phases. For increased interaction range p = 4 , we find that the phase transitions can also appear to be abrupt, as well as being mediated by re-emergent ordered phases that cross over into liquid behavior. These considerations are underpinned by a classification of the competing charge-ordered states in the atomic limit for varying interaction range at the principal commensurable particle densities. We also consider the effects of disorder, leading to fragmentization of the ordered phases and localization of the liquid phases

Partial chiral symmetry-breaking as a route to spectrally isolated topological defect states in two-dimensional artificial materials

Bipartite quantum systems from the chiral universality classes admit topologically protected zero modes at point defects. However, in two-dimensional systems these states can be difficult to separate from compacton-like localized states that arise from flat bands, formed if the two sublattices support a different number of sites within a unit cell. Here we identify a natural reduction of chiral symmetry, obtained by coupling sites on the majority sublattice, which gives rise to spectrally isolated point-defect states, topologically characterized as zero modes supported by the complementary minority sublattice. We observe these states in a microwave realization of a dimerized Lieb lattice with next-nearest neighbour coupling, and also demonstrate topological mode selection via sublattice-staggered absorption

Isotropic Brownian motions over complex fields as a solvable model for May–Wigner stability analysis

We consider matrix-valued stochastic processes known as isotropic Brownian motions, and show that these can be solved exactly over complex fields. While these processes appear in a variety of questions in mathematical physics, our main motivation is their relation to a May–Wigner-like stability analysis, for which we obtain a stability phase diagram. The exact results establish the full joint probability distribution of the finite-time Lyapunov exponents, and may be used as a starting point for a more detailed analysis of the stability-instability phase transition. Our derivations rest on an explicit formulation of a Fokker–Planck equation for the Lyapunov exponents. This formulation happens to coincide with an exactly solvable class of models of the Calgero–Sutherland type, originally encountered for a model of phase-coherent transport. The exact solution over complex fields describes a determinantal point process of biorthogonal type similar to recent results for products of random matrices, and is also closely related to Hermitian matrix models with an external source

Observation of supersymmetric pseudo-Landau levels in strained microwave graphene

Using an array of coupled microwave resonators arranged in a deformed honeycomb lattice, we experimentally observe the formation of pseudo-Landau levels in the whole crossover from vanishing to large pseudomagnetic field strengths. This result is achieved by utilising an adaptable setup in a geometry that is compatible with the pseudo-Landau levels at all field strengths. The adopted approach enables us to observe the fully formed flat-band pseudo-Landau levels spectrally as sharp peaks in the photonic density of states and image the associated wavefunctions spatially, where we provide clear evidence for a characteristic nodal structure reflecting the previously elusive supersymmetry in the underlying low-energy theory. In particular, we resolve the full sublattice polarisation of the anomalous 0th pseudo-Landau level, which reveals a deep connection to zigzag edge states in the unstrained case

Topological dynamics and excitations in lasers and condensates with saturable gain or loss

We classify symmetry-protected and symmetry-breaking dynamical solutions for nonlinear saturable bosonic systems that display a non-hermitian charge-conjugation symmetry, as realized in a series of recent groundbreaking experiments with lasers and exciton polaritons. In particular, we show that these systems support stable symmetry-protected modes that mirror the concept of zero-modes in topological quantum systems, as well as symmetry-protected power-oscillations with no counterpart in the linear case. In analogy to topological phases in linear systems, the number and nature of symmetry-protected solutions can change. The spectral degeneracies signalling phase transitions in linear counterparts extend to bifurcations in the nonlinear context. As bifurcations relate to qualitative changes in the linear stability against changes of the initial conditions, the symmetry-protected solutions and phase transitions can also be characterized by topological excitations, which set them apart from symmetry-breaking solutions. The stipulated symmetry appears naturally when one introduces nonlinear gain or loss into spectrally symmetric bosonic systems, as we illustrate for one-dimensional topological laser arrays with saturable gain and two-dimensional flat-band polariton condensates with density-dependent loss