Abstract
We identify emergent topological phenomena such as dynamic Chern numbers and dynamic quantum phase transitions in quantum quenches of the non-Hermitian Su-Schrieffer-Heeger Hamiltonian with parity-time (PT) symmetry. Their occurrence in the non-unitary dynamics are intimately connected with fixed points in the Brillouin zone, where the states do not evolve in time. We construct a theoretical formalism for characterizing topological properties in non-unitary dynamics within the framework of biorthogonal quantum mechanics, and prove the existence of fixed points for quenches between distinct static topological phases in the PT-symmetry-preserving regime. We then reveal the interesting relation between different dynamic topological phenomena through the momentum-time spin texture characterizing the dynamic process. For quenches involving Hamiltonians in the PT-symmetry-broken regime, these topological phenomena are not ensured.