Upper Bound on Quantum Fisher Information in Pseudo-Hermitian Systems

Abstract: Non-Hermitian systems have attracted considerable interest over the last few decades due to their unique spectral and dynamical properties not encountered in Hermitian counterparts. An intensely debated question is whether non-Hermitian systems, described by pseudo-Hermitian Hamiltonians with real spectra, can offer enhanced sensitivity for parameter estimation when they are operated at or close to exceptional points. However, much of the current analysis and conclusions are based on mathematical formalism developed for Hermitian quantum systems, which is questionable when applied to pseudo-Hermitian Hamiltonians, whose Hilbert space is intrinsically curved. Here, we develop a covariant formulation of quantum Fisher information (QFI) defined on the curved Hilbert space of pseudo-Hermitian Hamiltonians. This covariant framework ensures the preservation of the state norm and enables a consistent treatment of parameter sensitivity. We further show that the covariant QFI of pseudo-Hermitian systems can be mapped to the ordinary QFI of corresponding Hermitian systems, and establish conditions when they become dual to each other, thus revealing a deeper geometric connection between the two. Importantly, this correspondence naturally imposes an upper bound on the covariant QFI and identifies the criteria under which quantum sensing in pseudo-Hermitian systems can exhibit supremacy over Hermitian ones.