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Nonlinear wave dynamics near phase transition in $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric localized potentials

Nonlinear wave propagation in parity-time ($\mathcal{PT}$) symmetric localized potentials is investigated analytically near a phase-transition point where a pair of real eigenvalues of the potential coalesce and bifurcate into the complex plane. Necessary conditions for phase transition to occur are derived based on a generalization of the Krein signature. Using multi-scale perturbation analysis, a reduced nonlinear ODE model is derived for the amplitude of localized solutions near phase transition. Above phase transition, this ODE model predicts a family of stable solitons not bifurcating from linear (infinitesimal) modes under a certain sign of nonlinearity. In addition, it predicts periodically-oscillating nonlinear modes away from solitons. Under the opposite sign of nonlinearity, it predicts unbounded growth of solutions. Below phase transition, solution dynamics is predicted as well. All analytical results are compared to direct computations of the full system and good agreement is observed.