Three-dimensional network model for strong topological insulator transitions

Abstract

We construct a three-dimensional (3D), time-reversal symmetric generalization of the Chalker-Coddington network model for the integer quantum Hall transition. The novel feature of our network model is that in addition to a weak topological insulator phase already accommodated by the network model framework in the pre-existing literature, it hosts strong topological insulator phases as well. We unambiguously demonstrate that strong topological insulator phases emerge as intermediate phases between a trivial insulator phase and a weak topological phase. Additionally, we found a non-local transformation that relates a trivial insulator phase and a weak topological phase in our network model. Remarkably, strong topological phases are mapped to themselves under this transformation. We show that upon adding sufficiently strong disorder the strong topological insulator phases undergo phase transitions into a metallic phase. We numerically determine the critical exponent of the insulator-metal transition. Our network model explicitly shows how a semi-classical percolation picture of topological phase transitions in 2D can be generalized to 3D and opens up a new venue for studying 3D topological phase transitions.