Free parafermions: a challenge for non-Hermitian physics

This project aims to calculate and understand the physical properties of free parafermions. Parafermions have attracted interest in topological schemes for quantum computation because they are computationally more powerful than Majorana fermions. The core of this project is a fundamental model of free parafermions, which has been shown to exhibit unexplained puzzling properties. The project outcomes include an in-depth understanding of this model by taking the non-Hermitian features into account, establishing a connection with open quantum systems. Non-Hermitian systems are also of increasing relevance in physics, especially in quantum optics. The project also aims to contribute to training researchers in the mathematical sciences. n