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    Anisotropic Anderson localization in the three-dimensional disordered Hatano-Nelson model

    Siqing Li1, Humian Zhou2, Shufeng Zhang3,*, and Chui-Zhen Chen1,†

    • 1Institute for Advanced Study and School of Physical Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
    • 2International Center for Quantum Materials, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
    • 3School of Physics and Technology, University of Jinan, Jinan, Shandong 250022, China

    • *Contact author: sps_zhangsf@ujn.edu.cn
    • †Contact author: czchen@suda.edu.cn

    Phys. Rev. B 114, 094208 – Published 26 August, 2026

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/499g-brv4

    Abstract

    Non-Hermiticity fundamentally breaks conventional dimensional restrictions on localization and thus allows robust metallic states even in one-dimensional systems. However, the mechanism of Anderson localization in higher-dimensional non-Hermitian systems, especially anisotropic ones, remains largely elusive. Here, we demonstrate that the interplay between the non-Hermitian skin effect and complex disorder in a three-dimensional anisotropic Hatano-Nelson model drives direction-dependent phase transitions, referred to as anisotropic Anderson localization. As disorder increases, the system undergoes four distinct phases, in which the non-Hermitian skin effect emerges along certain spatial directions, while Anderson localization occurs along others. A reentrant localization transition appears near the spectral edge, driven by the imaginary parts of both energy and disorder. The coherent potential approximation analysis confirms the disorder-induced phase boundaries obtained from finite-size conductance calculations and naturally explains the origin of this reentrant behavior. Finally, complex energy-level statistics not only identify the complete localization threshold but also confirm that the system belongs to the symmetry class A, which is associated with broken rotational symmetry.

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