Dual Symmetry Classification of Non-Hermitian Systems and $\mathbb{Z}_2$ Point-Gap Topology of a Non-Unitary Quantum Walk

Abstract

Non-Hermitian systems exhibit richer topological properties compared to their Hermitian counterparts. It is well known that non-Hermitian systems have been classified based on either the symmetry relations for non-Hermitian Hamiltonians or the symmetry relations for non-unitary time-evolution operators in the context of Floquet topological phases. In this work, we propose that non-Hermitian systems can always be classified in two ways; a non-Hermitian system can be classified using the symmetry relations for non-Hermitian Hamiltonians or time-evolution operator regardless of the Floquet topological phases or not. We refer to this as dual symmetry classification. To demonstrate this, we successfully introduce a new non-unitary quantum walk that exhibits point gaps with a $\mathbb{Z}_2$ point-gap topological phase applying the dual symmetry classification and treating the time-evolution operator of this quantum walk as the non-Hermitian Hamiltonian.