Topological Ground State Research Articles

SU(3) spin-orbit coupled fermions in an optical lattice

We propose a scheme to realize the SU(3) spin–orbit coupled three-component fermions in an one-dimensional optical lattice. The topological properties of the single-particle Hamiltonian are studied by calculating the Berry phase, winding number and edge state. We also investigate the effects of the interaction on the ground-state topology of the system, and characterize the interaction-induced topological phase transitions, using a state-of-the-art density-matrix renormalization-group numerical method. Finally, we show the typical features of the emerging quantum phases, and map out the many-body phase diagram between the interaction and the Zeeman field. Our results establish a way for exploring novel quantum physics induced by the SOC with SU(N) symmetry.

Bulk-boundary-defect correspondence at disclinations in rotation-symmetric topological insulators and superconductors

We study a link between the ground-state topology and the topology of the lattice via the presence of anomalous states at disclinations -- topological lattice defects that violate a rotation symmetry only locally. We first show the existence of anomalous disclination states, such as Majorana zero-modes or helical electronic states, in second-order topological phases by means of Volterra processes. Using the framework of topological crystals to construct d-dimensional crystalline topological phases with rotation and translation symmetry, we then identify all contributions to (d-2)-dimensional anomalous disclination states from weak and first-order topological phases. We perform this procedure for all Cartan symmetry classes of topological insulators and superconductors in two and three dimensions and determine whether the correspondence between bulk topology, boundary signatures, and disclination anomaly is unique.

Flavour Hund's coupling, Chern gaps and charge diffusivity in moiré graphene.

Interaction-driven spontaneous symmetry breaking lies at the heart of many quantum phases of matter. In moiré systems, broken spin/valley 'flavour' symmetry in flat bands underlies the parent state from which correlated and topological ground states ultimately emerge1-10. However, the microscopic mechanism of such flavour symmetry breaking and its connection to the low-temperature phases are not yet understood. Here we investigate the broken-symmetry many-body ground state of magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene (MATBG) and its nontrivial topology using simultaneous thermodynamic and transport measurements. We directly observe flavour symmetry breaking as pinning of the chemical potential at all integer fillings of the moiré superlattice, demonstrating the importance of flavour Hund's coupling in the many-body ground state. The topological nature of the underlying flat bands is manifested upon breaking time-reversal symmetry, where we measure energy gaps corresponding to Chern insulator states with Chern numbers 3, 2, 1 at filling factors 1, 2, 3, respectively, consistent with flavour symmetry breaking in the Hofstadter butterfly spectrum of MATBG. Moreover, concurrent measurements of resistivity and chemical potential provide the temperature-dependent charge diffusivity of MATBG in the strange-metal regime11-a quantity previously explored only in ultracold atoms12. Our results bring us one step closer to a unified framework for understanding interactions in the topological bands of MATBG, with and without a magnetic field.

Observability of a sharp Majorana transition in a few-body model

We propose experimentally observable signatures of of topological Majorana quasiparticles in the few-body limit of the interacting cold-atom model of [Iemini et al. Phys. Rev. Lett. 118 200404 (2017)]. In this limit, the total on-site density and single-body correlations change smoothly with the model parameters, while the calculated mutual information of opposite ends of the lattice indicates a sharp transition of the system to a topological ground state. Furthermore, local density and parity measurements provide an experimentally viable path for observing the ground state Majorana quasiparticles in ultracold atoms. Our results lay out a promising future for utilizing few-body systems as a testing ground for Majorana physics.

Competing antiferromagnetic-ferromagnetic states in a d7 Kitaev honeycomb magnet.

The Kitaev model is a rare example of an analytically solvable and physically instantiable Hamiltonian yielding a topological quantum spin liquid ground state. Here we report signatures of Kitaev spin liquid physics in the honeycomb magnet Li3Co2SbO6, built of high-spin (Co2+) ions, in contrast to the more typical low-spin electron configurations in the presence of large spin-orbit coupling. Neutron powder diffraction measurements, heat capacity, and magnetization studies support the development of a long-range antiferromagnetic order space group of , below at . The magnetic entropy recovered between and 50 K is estimated to be , in good agreement with the value expected for systems close to a Kitaev quantum spin liquid state. The temperature-dependent magnetic order parameter demonstrates a value of 0.19(3), consistent with XY anisotropy and in-plane ordering, with Ising-like interactions between layers. Further, we observe a spin-flop-driven crossover to ferromagnetic order with space group of under an applied magnetic field of at . Magnetic structure analysis demonstrates these magnetic states are competing at finite applied magnetic fields even below the spin-flop transition. Both the compass model, a quantitative comparison of the specific heat of Li3Co2SbO6, and related honeycomb cobaltates to the anisotropic Kitaev model further support proximity to a Kitaev spin liquid state. This material demonstrates the rich playground of high-spin systems for spin liquid candidates and complements known Ir- and Ru-based materials.

Signatures of topological ground state degeneracy in Majorana islands

We consider a mesoscopic superconducting island hosting multiple pairs of Majorana zero-energy modes. The Majorana island consists of multiple p-wave wires connected together by a trivial (s-wave) superconducting backbone and is characterized by an overall charging energy $E_C$; the wires are coupled to normal-metal leads via tunnel junctions. We calculate the average charge on the island as well as non-local conductance matrix as a function of a p-wave pairing gap $\Delta_P$, charging energy $E_C$ and dimensionless junction conductances $g_i$. We find that the presence of a topological ground-state degeneracy in the island dramatically enhances charge fluctuations and leads to the suppression of Coulomb blockade effects. In contrast with conventional (s-wave) mesoscopic superconducting islands, we find that Coulomb blockade oscillations of conductance are suppressed in Majorana islands regardless of the ratio $E_C/\Delta_P$ or the magnitude of the conductances $g_i$. We also discuss our findings in relation to the so-called topological Kondo effect.

Classification of symmetry-protected topological phases in two-dimensional many-body localized systems

We use low-depth quantum circuits, a specific type of tensor networks, to classify two-dimensional symmetry-protected topological many-body localized phases. For (anti-)unitary on-site symmetries we show that the (generalized) third cohomology class of the symmetry group is a topological invariant; however our approach leaves room for the existence of additional topological indices. We argue that our classification applies to quasi-periodic systems in two dimensions and systems with true random disorder within times which scale superexponentially with the inverse interaction strength. Our technique might be adapted to supply arguments suggesting the same classification for two-dimensional symmetry-protected topological ground states with a rigorous proof.

Topological Basis Realization Associated with Spin-1 Non-Hermitian XXZ Model

We investigate the spin-1 topological basis realization of a non-Hermitian Heisenberg XXZ chain model. For the non-Hermitian case, the Hamiltonian and the topological ground states of the system are constructed by Birman-Murakami-Wenzl algebra. The results show that all the spin singlet states belong to the topological ground states. The topological subspace and the spin singlet subspace are equivalent. The topological basis can reduce Birman-Murakami-Wenzl algebra generators, and the reduced matrices satisfy reduced Birman-Murakami-Wenzl algebra relations.

Topology and the one-dimensional Kondo-Heisenberg model

The Kondo-Heinsberg chain is an interesting model of a strongly correlated system which has a broad superconducting state with pair-density wave (PDW) order. Some of us have recently proposed that this PDW state is a symmetry-protected topological (SPT) state, and the gapped spin sector of the model supports Majorana zero modes. In this work, we reexamine this problem using a combination of numeric and analytic methods. In extensive density matrix renormalization group calculations, we find no evidence of a topological ground state degeneracy or the previously proposed Majorana zero modes in the PDW phase of this model. This result motivated us to reexamine the original arguments for the existence of the Majorana zero modes. A careful analysis of the effective continuum field theory of the model shows that the Hilbert space of the spin sector of the theory does not contain any single Majorana fermion excitations. This analysis shows that the PDW state of the doped 1D Kondo-Heisenberg model is not an SPT with Majorana zero modes.

Galois Conjugated Tensor Fusion Categories and Nonunitary Conformal Field Theory.

We provide a generalization of the matrix product operator formalism for string-net projected entangled pair states (PEPS) to include nonunitary solutions of the pentagon equation. These states provide the explicit lattice realization of the Galois conjugated counterparts of (2+1)-dimensional topological quantum field theories, based on tensor fusion categories. Although the parent Hamiltonians of these renormalization group fixed point states are gapless, these states can still be the topological ground states of a gapped non-Hermitian Hamiltonian. We show by example that the topological sectors of the Yang-Lee theory (the nonunitary counterpart of the Fibonacci fusion category) can be constructed, even in the absence of closure under Hermitian conjugation of the basis elements of the Ocneanu tube algebra. The topological sector construction is demonstrated by applying the concept of strange correlators to the Yang-Lee model, giving rise to a nonunitary version of the classical hard hexagon model in the Yang-Lee universality class and obtaining all generalized twisted boundary conditions on a finite cylinder of the Yang-Lee edge singularity. Finally, we construct the PEPS transfer matrix and show that taking the Hermitian conjugate changes the topological phase for these nonunitary string-net models.

Phase diagram and thermal Hall conductivity of the spin-liquid Kekulé-Kitaev model

In this work we study the phase diagram of Kekul\'{e}-Kitaev model. The model is defined on a honeycomb lattice with bond dependent anisotropic exchange interactions making it exactly solvable in terms of Majorana representation of spins in close analogy to the Kitaev model. However, the energy spectrum of Majorana fermions has a multi-band structure characterized by Chern numbers 0, $\pm$1, and $\pm2$. We obtained the phase diagram of the model in the plane of exchange couplings and in the presence of a magnetic field and found chiral topological and trivial spin-liquid ground states. In the absence of magnetic field most part of the phase diagram is a trivial gapped phase continuously connected to an Abelian phase, while in the presence of the magnetic field a topological phase arises. Furthermore, motivated by recent thermal measurements on the spin-liquid candidate $\alpha$-RuCl$_{3}$, we calculated the thermal Hall conductivity at different regimes of parameters and temperatures and found the latter is quantized over a wide range of temperatures.

Topological phases of a dimerized Fermi\u2013Hubbard model for semiconductor nano-lattices

Motivated by recent advances in fabricating artificial lattices in semiconductors and their promise for quantum simulation of topological materials, we study the one-dimensional dimerized Fermi–Hubbard model. We show how the topological phases at half-filling can be characterized by a reduced Zak phase defined based on the reduced density matrix of each spin subsystem. Signatures of bulk–boundary correspondence are observed in the triplon excitation of the bulk and the edge states of uncoupled spins at the boundaries. At quarter-filling, we show that owing to the presence of the Hubbard interaction the system can undergo a transition to the topological ground state of the non-interacting Su–Schrieffer–Heeger model with the application of a moderate-strength external magnetic field. We propose a robust experimental realization with a chain of dopant atoms in silicon or gate-defined quantum dots in GaAs where the transition can be probed by measuring the tunneling current through the many-body state of the chain.

Effective non-Hermitian physics for degenerate ground states of a non-Hermitian Ising model with symmetry

In this paper, based on a one-dimensional non-Hermitian spin model with -invariant term, we study the non-Hermitian physics for the two (nearly) degenerate ground states. By using the high-order perturbation method, an effective pseudo-spin model is obtained to describe non-Hermitian physics for the two (nearly) degenerate ground states, which are precisely consistent with the numerical calculations. We found that there may exist effective (anti) symmetry for the effective pseudo-spin model of the two (nearly) degenerate ground states. In particular, there exists spontaneous (anti) -symmetry breaking for the topological degenerate ground states with tunable parameters in external fields. We also found that even a very tiny imaginary external field applied will drive phase transition.

Prediction of a novel topological multidefect ground state

Atomistic first-principles-based effective Hamiltonian simulations are conducted in some ferroelectric systems to predict the existence of a novel topological state. Such state is coined here as ``topological eclecton'' because it is made of a plethora of electrical topological defects, including (i) vortices and antivortices in different planes, (ii) hedgehogs and antihedgehogs, and (iii) a few skyrmions. Such state can be a ground state and readapt itself to form other striking topological states or phases when, e.g., heating the system or applying electric fields. In addition to its unique combined topological characteristics, it is also ferroelectric and chiral in nature.

Exotic States Emerged By Spin-Orbit Coupling, Lattice Modulation and Magnetic Field in Lieb Nano-ribbons

The Lieb nano-ribons with the spin-orbit coupling, the lattice modulation and the magnetic field are exactly studied. They are constructed from the Lieb lattice with two open boundaries in a direction. The interplay between the spin-orbit coupling, the lattice modulation and the magnetic field emerges various exotic ground states. With certain conditions of the spin-orbit coupling, the lattice modulation, the magnetic field and filling the ground state becomes half metallic or half topological. In the half metallic ground state, one spin component is metallic, while the other spin component is insulating. In the half topological ground state, one spin component is topological, while the other spin component is topological trivial. The model exhibits very rich phase diagram.

Boundary central charge from bulk odd viscosity: Chiral superfluids

We derive a low energy effective field theory for chiral superfluids, which accounts for both spontaneous symmetry breaking and fermionic ground-state topology. Using the theory, we show that the odd (or Hall) viscosity tensor, at small wave-vector, contains a dependence on the chiral central charge $c$ of the boundary degrees of freedom, as well as additional non-universal contributions. We identify related bulk observables which allow for a bulk measurement of $c$. In Galilean invariant superfluids, only the particle current and density responses to strain and electromagnetic fields are required. To complement our results, the effective theory is benchmarked against a perturbative computation within a canonical microscopic model.

Coulomb-interaction-induced Majorana edge modes in nanowires

We show that Majorana edge modes appear in a strongly correlated phase of semiconducting nanowires with discrete rotational symmetry in the cross section. These modes exist in the absence of spin-orbit coupling, magnetic fields and superconductivity. They appear purely due to the combination of the three-dimensional Coulomb interaction and orbital physics, which generates a fermionic condensate exhibiting a topological ground state degeneracy in a sector of the spectrum which is gapped to continuum modes. The gap can be comparable in magnitude to the topological superconducting gap in other solid-state candidate systems for Majorana edge modes, and may similarly be probed via tunnel spectroscopy.

Dynamical Phase Transitions in Topological Insulators

The traditional concept of phase transitions has, in recent years, been widened in a number of interesting ways. The concept of a topological phase transition separating phases with a different ground state topology, rather than phases of different symmetries, has become a large widely studied field in its own right. Additionally an analogy between phase transitions, described by non-analyticities in the derivatives of the free energy, and non-analyticities which occur in dynamically evolving correlation functions has been drawn. These are called dynamical phase transitions and one is often now far from the equilibrium situation. In these short lecture notes we will give a brief overview of the history of these concepts, focusing in particular on the way in which dynamical phase transitions themselves can be used to shed light on topological phase transitions and topological phases. We will go on to focus, first, on the effect which the topologically protected edge states, which are one of the interesting consequences of topological phases, have on dynamical phase transitions. Second we will consider what happens in the experimentally relevant situations where the system begins either in a thermal state rather than the ground state, or exchanges particles with an external environment.

Fractional quantum Hall states with gapped boundaries in an extreme lattice limit

We present a detailed microscopic investigation of fractional quantum Hall states with gapped boundaries in a coupled bilayer lattice model featuring holes whose counterpropagating chiral edge states are hybridized and gapped out. We focus on a lattice limit for cold-atom experiments, in which each hole just consists of a single removed site. Although the holes distort the original band structure and lead to ingap remnants of the continuum edge modes, we find that the lowest nearly flat band representing a higher-genus system may naturally form by controlling the local hopping terms that gap out the boundaries. Remarkably, local interactions in this new flat band lead to various Abelian and non-Abelian fractional quantum Hall states with gapped boundaries residing on emergent higher-genus surfaces, which we identify by extracting the nontrivial topological ground-state degeneracies and the fractional statistics of quasiparticles. These results demonstrate the feasibility of realizing novel fractional quantum Hall states with gapped boundaries even in the extreme lattice limit, thus enabling a possible new route towards universal topological quantum computation.

Gapless Coulomb State Emerging from a Self-Dual Topological Tensor-Network State.

In the tensor network representation, a deformed Z_{2} topological ground state wave function is proposed and its norm can be exactly mapped to the two-dimensional solvable Ashkin-Teller model. Then the topological (toric code) phase with anyonic excitations corresponds to the partial order phase of the Ashkin-Teller model, and possible topological phase transitions are precisely determined. With the electric-magnetic self-duality, a novel gapless Coulomb state with quasi-long-range order is obtained via a quantum Kosterlitz-Thouless phase transition. The corresponding ground state is a condensate of pairs of logarithmically confined electric charges and magnetic fluxes, and the scaling behavior of various anyon correlations can be exactly derived, revealing the effective interaction between anyons and their condensation. Deformations away from the self-duality drive the Coulomb state into either the gapped Higgs phase or the confining phase.