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An eigenvalue $\lambda$ and associated eigenvector $e\ne 0$ satisfy $Ae=\lambda e$. The characteristic polynomial $\det (A-\lambda I)$ has degree equal to the positive matrix size. The fundamental theorem of algebra gives a complex root, at which $A-\lambda I$ is singular and therefore has a nontrivial kernel. Hence every nonempty square complex matrix has an eigenvector.

A nondiagonalizable example is the Jordan block $\left(\begin{array}{cc}0& 1\\ 0& 0\end{array}\right)$: its only eigenvalue is zero, and its eigenspace is one-dimensional. A Hermitian matrix satisfies $A^{†}=A$ and has an orthonormal eigenbasis by the spectral theorem. One proof finds an eigenvector, notes that its orthogonal complement is invariant, and repeats. Its eigenvalues are real becausewhere $e^{†}e>0$.

With all eigenvalues negative, $A$ is invertible. Its same complete eigenbasis givesSome powered eigenvalues can coincide, but the original eigenvectors remain a complete basis. Writing $A=U\mathrm{diag}({\lambda }_i)U^{†}$, the convergent matrix exponential series givesThus the matrix inverse from a decaying matrix exponential isThe identity printed in the original PDF is missing a minus sign. Already for the one-by-one matrix $A=(-1)$ its integral is $1$, whereas its inverse is $-1$. Equivalently, integrating $d(e^{tA})/dt=A{e}^{tA}$ gives $A{\int }_0^{\infty }{e}^{tA}dt=-I$, confirming the correction without diagonalization.