One-dimensional topological insulators with noncentered inversion symmetry axis

Abstract

In this Rapid Communication, we discuss the characteristic features of one-dimensional topological insulators with inversion symmetry but noncentered inversion axis in the unit cell, for any choice of the unit cell. In these systems, the global inversion operation generates a $k$-dependent inversion operator within the unit cell and this implies a nonquantized Zak's phase both for the trivial and nontrivial topological phases. By relating the Zak's phase with the eigenvalues of modified parity operators at the inversion invariant momenta, a corrected quantized form of the Zak's phase is derived. We show that finite energy topological edge states of this family of chains are symmetry protected not by usual chiral symmetry but by a hidden sublattice chiral-like symmetry. A simple justification is presented for shifts in the polarization quantization relation for any choice of endings of these chains.