Can Parity-Time-Symmetric Potentials Support Families of Non-Parity-Time-Symmetric Solitons?

For the one-dimensional nonlinear Schrodinger equations with parity-time (PT) symmetric potentials, it is shown that when a real symmetric potential is perturbed by weak PT-symmetric perturbations, continuous families of asymmetric solitary waves in the real potential are destroyed. It is also shown that in the same model with a general PT-symmetric potential, symmetry breaking of PT-symmetric solitary waves does not occur. Based on these findings, it is conjectured that one-dimensional PT-symmetric potentials cannot support continuous families of non-PT-symmetric solitary waves.