Eur. Phys. J. D 29, 429-432 (2004)
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2004-00049-7

Time reversal and exceptional points

¹ Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, 69029 Heidelberg, Germany
² Department of Physics, University of Stellenbosch, 7602 Matieland, South Africa

Corresponding author: ^a dieter@physics.sun.ac.za

Received: 14 April 2003
Revised: 20 November 2003
Published online: 15 April 2004

Abstract

Eigenvectors of decaying quantum systems are studied at exceptional points of the Hamiltonian. Special attention is paid to the properties of the system under time reversal symmetry breaking. At the exceptional point the chiral character of the system — found for time reversal symmetry — generically persists. It is, however, no longer circular but rather elliptic.