Reduction of Z classification of a two-dimensional weak topological insulator: Real-space dynamical mean-field theory study

Abstract

One of the remarkable interaction effects on topological insulators is the reduction of topological classification in free-fermion systems. We address this issue in a bilayer honeycomb lattice model by taking into account temperature effects on the reduction. Our analysis, based on the real-space dynamical mean field theory, elucidates the following results. (i) Even when the reduction occurs, the winding number defined by the Green's function can take a nontrivial value at zero temperature. (ii) The winding number taking the nontrivial value becomes consistent with the absence of gapless edge modes due to Mott behaviors emerging only at the edges. (iii) Temperature effects can restore the gapless edge modes, provided that the energy scale of interactions is smaller than the bulk gap. In addition, we observe the topological edge Mott behavior only in some finite temperature region.