Topological Phases in a PT-Symmetric Dissipative Kitaev Chain

Abstract

We study a topological phase in the dissipative Kitaev chain described by the Markovian quantum master equation. Based on the correspondence between Lindbladians, which generate the dissipative time-evolution, and non-Hermitian matrices, Lindbladians are classified in terms of non-Hermitian topological phases. We find out that the Lindbladian retains PT symmetry which is the prominent symmetry of open systems and then all the bulk modes can have a common lifetime. Moreover, when open boundary conditions are imposed on the system, the edge modes which break PT symmetry emerge, and one of the edge modes has a zero eigenvalue.