Effects of Non-Hermiticity on Su-Schrieffer-Heeger Defect States

We study the emergence and disappearance of defect states in the complex Su-Schrieffer-Heeger (cSSH) model, a non-Hermitian one-dimensional lattice model containing gain and loss on alternating sites. Previous studies of this model have focused on the existence of a non-Hermitian defect state that is localized to the interface between two cSSH domains, and is continuable to the topologically protected defect state of the Hermitian Su-Schrieffer-Heeger (SSH) model. For large gain/loss magnitudes, we find that these defect states can disappear into the continuum, or undergo pairwise spontaneous breaking of a composite sublattice/time-reversal symmetry. The symmetry-breaking transition gives rise to a pair of defect states continuable to non-topologically-protected defect states of the SSH model. We discuss the phase diagram for the defect states, and its implications for non-Hermitian defect states.