Non-Hermitian quantum quenches in holography
The notion of non-Hermitian $\mathcal{PT}$ symmetric quantum theory has recently been generalized to the gauge/gravity duality. We study the evolution of such non-Hermitian holographic field theories when the couplings are varied with time with particular emphasis on the question non-unitary time...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SciPost
2023-03-01
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| Series: | SciPost Physics |
| Online Access: | https://scipost.org/SciPostPhys.14.3.030 |
| Summary: | The notion of non-Hermitian $\mathcal{PT}$ symmetric quantum theory has recently been generalized to the gauge/gravity duality.
We study the evolution of such non-Hermitian holographic field theories when the couplings are varied with time with
particular emphasis on the question non-unitary time vs. unitary time evolution. We show that a non-unitary time evolution in the
dual quantum theory corresponds to a violation of the Null Energy Condition (NEC) in the bulk of the asymptotically AdS spacetime. We find that upon
varying the non-Hermitian coupling the horizon of a bulk AdS black hole shrinks. On the other hand varying the Hermitian coupling in the presence
of a constant non-Hermitian coupling still violates the NEC but results in a growing horizon. We also show that by introducing a non-Hermitian
gauge field the time evolution can be made unitary, e.g. the NEC in the bulk is obeyed and an exactly equivalent purely Hermitian description can be given. |
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| ISSN: | 2542-4653 |