Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The Yang-Lee edge singularity is an intriguing critical phenomenon characterized by nonunitary field theory. However, its experimental realization for interacting many-body systems remains elusive. We show that Yang-Lee edge singularities, regarded as many-body exceptional points, can be observed using both the self-normal and the associated-biorthogonal Loschmidt echoes, leveraging the advantages of nonunitary dynamics in non-Hermitian systems. The Loschmidt echoes are demonstrated to display unitary dynamics in the $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric regime but exhibit nonunitary dynamics in the $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetry-broken regime, leading to a sharp change near an exceptional point. We hereby identify exceptional points in both the non-Hermitian transverse-field Ising model and the Yang-Lee model, and determine the critical exponent that is consistent with nonunitary conformal field theory. This paper provides a direct observation of Yang-Lee edge singularities in non-Hermitian many-body systems arising from nonunitary dynamics.
Authors: Ming-Chu Lu, Shun-Hui Shi, Gaoyong Sun
Institution: Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Language: English
Subfield: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
Awards: G4285040239, G4989798076
OpenAlex ID: W4407846998