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Computation and Verification of Spectra for Non-Hermitian Systems

Catherine Drysdale, Matthew Colbrook, Michael T. M. Woodley

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

We establish a connection between quantum mechanics and computation, revealing fundamental limitations for algorithms computing spectra, especially in non-Hermitian settings. Introducing the concept of locally trivial pseudospectra, we show such assumptions are necessary for spectral computation. Locally trivial pseudospectra adapt dynamically to system energies, enabling spectral analysis across a broad class of challenging non-Hermitian problems. Exploiting this framework, we overcome a longstanding obstacle by computing the eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of the imaginary cubic oscillator H_{B}=p^{2}+ix^{3} with error bounds and no spurious modes-yielding, to our knowledge, the first such error-controlled result. We confirm, for instance, the 100th eigenvalue as 627.6947122484365113526737029011536…. Here, truncation-induced PT-symmetry breaking causes spurious eigenvalues-a pitfall our method avoids, highlighting the link between truncation and physics. Finally, we illustrate the approach's generality via spectral computations for a range of physically relevant operators. This Letter provides a rigorous framework linking computational theory to quantum mechanics and offers a precise tool for spectral calculations with error bounds.

Original languageEnglish
Article number 170202
Number of pages1
JournalPhysical Review Letters
Volume135
Issue number17
Early online date22 Oct 2025
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 31 Oct 2025

Funding

The authors would like to thank the LMS for the Research in Pairs grant that facilitated the research in this project. M. C. was supported by Isaac Newton Trust Grant No. LEAG/929. We thank the referees for their helpful suggestions and comments.

Keywords

  • PT-symmetric quantum mechanics
  • Quantum correlations, foundations & formalism
  • Non-Hermitian systems
  • PT-symmetry

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