Quantum Quench in PT-Symmetric Luttinger Liquid

A Luttinger liquid (LL) describes low energy excitations of many interacting one dimensional systems, and exhibits universal response both in and out of equilibrium. We analyze its behavior in the non-Hermitian realm after quantum quenching to a PT-symmetric LL by focusing on the fermionic single particle density matrix. For short times, we demonstrate the emergence of unique phenomena, characteristic to non-Hermitian systems, that correlations propagate faster than the conventional maximal speed, known as the Lieb-Robinson bound. These emergent supersonic modes travel with velocities that are multiples of the conventional light cone velocity. This behavior is argued to be generic for correlators in non-Hermitian systems. In the long time limit, we find typical LL behavior, extending the LL universality to the nonequilibrium, non-Hermitian case. Our analytical results are benchmarked numerically and indicate that the dispersal of quantum information is much faster in non-Hermitian systems.