One-dimensional non-Hermitian band structures as Riemann surfaces

Abstract

We present the viewpoint of treating one-dimensional band structures as Riemann surfaces, linking the unique properties of non-Hermiticity to the geometry and topology of the Riemann surface. Branch cuts and branch points play a significant role when this viewpoint is applied to both the open-boundary spectrum and the braiding structure. An open-boundary spectrum is interpreted as branch cuts connecting certain branch points, and its consistency with the monodromy representation severely limits its possible morphology. A braid word for the Brillouin zone can be read off from its intersections with branch cuts, and its crossing number is given by the winding number of the discriminant. These results open new avenues to generate important insights into the physical behaviors of non-Hermitian systems.