Nonreciprocity Induced Fractional Nonlinear Thouless Pumping

Abstract

Recent interest has surged in eigenvalue's nonlinearity-based topological transport governed by the equation of auxiliary eigenvalues $H\Psi=\omega S(\omega)\Psi$ [T. Isobe et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 132, 126601 (2024); C. Bai and Z. Liang, 111, 042201 (2025); Phys. Rev. A 112, 052207 (2025)] rather than the conventional Schrodinger equation $H\Psi=E\Psi$ in conservative settings, yet non-Hermitian generalizations remain uncharted. In this work, we are motivated to investigate the nonlinear Thouless pumping in a non-Hermitian and nonlinear Rice-Mele model. In particular, we uncover how non-Hermiticity parameters can induce fractional topological phases--even in the presence of quantized topological invariants as predicted by conventional linear approaches. Crucially, these fractional phases are naturally explained within the framework of the equation of auxiliary eigenvalues, directly linking nonlinear spectral characteristics to the bulk-boundary correspondence. Our findings reveal novel emergent phenomena arising from the interplay between nonlinearity and non-Hermiticity, providing key insights for the design of topological insulators and the controlled manipulation of quantum edge states in the real world.