In this work, we investigate the localization properties of a paradigmatic model, coupled to a monitoring environment and possessing a many-body localized (MBL) phase. We focus on the postselected no-click limit with quench random rates, i.e., random gains and losses. In this limit, the system is modeled by adding an imaginary random potential, rendering non-Hermiticity in the system. Numerically, we provide evidence that the system is localized for any finite amount of disorder. To analytically understand our results, we extend the quantum random energy model (QREM) to the non-Hermitian scenario. The Hermitian QREM has been used previously as a benchmark model for MBL. The QREM exhibits a size-dependent MBL transition, where the critical value scales as $W_c\sim \sqrt{L}lnL$ with system size and presenting many-body mobility edges. We reveal that the non-Hermitian QREM with random gain-loss offers a significantly stronger form of localization, evident in the nature of the many-body mobility edges and the value for the transition, which scales as $W_c\sim {ln}^{1/2}L$ with the system size.

• Received 25 November 2023
• Revised 11 April 2024
• Accepted 1 May 2024

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.109.174205

Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article's title, journal citation, and DOI. Funded by Bibsam.

Published by the American Physical Society