Quantum walks: Schur functions meet symmetry protected topological phases (Q2070854)

This is a continuation of a previous paper [the authors, Ann. Henri Poincaré 19, No. 2, 325--383 (2018; Zbl 1391.82027)] where one-dimensional quantum walks (unitary operators on a doubly infinite lattice) were considered with locality constraints and under certain symmetry conditions of the tenfold way. The walks are classified by a set of indices that relate to the spectral properties near the symmetry points \(\pm1\) where the continuous spectrum has gaps. These indices can be obtained via Fourier analysis for periodic systems, but in this paper, Schur functions are applied which allow an analysis not depending on translation-invariance, and yet, it requires only finite dimensional linear algebra calculations for the unitary matrices obtained by evaluation the Schur functions in the symmetry points. It is shown that the Schur functions become unitary on the unit circle, that they have an analytic continuation across these gaps and the isolated spectral points in these gaps can be obtained as well. A complete characterization of several non-translation invariant examples of quantum walks are obtained.