Search arXivSearch

arXiv · 1112.5907

2D and 3D topological insulators with isotropic and parity-breaking Landau levels

Abstract

We investigate topological insulating states in both two and three dimensions with the harmonic potential and strong spin-orbit couplings breaking the inversion symmetry. Landau-level like quantizations appear with the full 2D and 3D rotational symmetry and time-reversal symmetry. Inside each band, states are labeled by their angular momenta over which energy dispersions are strongly suppressed by spin-orbit coupling to nearly flat. The radial quantization generates energy gaps between neighboring bands at the order of the harmonic frequency. Helical edge or surface states appear on open boundaries characterized by the Z2 index. These Hamiltonians can be viewed from the dimensional reduction of the high dimensional quantum Hall states in 3D and 4D flat spaces. These states can be realized with ultra-cold fermions inside harmonic traps with the synthetic gauge fields.

Explore related subjects

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

Yi Li, Xiangfa Zhou, Congjun Wu. 2012-03-23. 2D and 3D topological insulators with isotropic and parity-breaking Landau levels. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevb.85.125122

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related papers

Nanoscale Dipolar Fields in Artificial Spin Ice Probed by Scanning NV Magnetometry

We investigate dipolar coupling fields in two square-lattice artificial spin ice (ASI) systems with different lattice constants using scanning probe microscopy based on a single nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center in diamond. This technique offers unprecedented spatial resolution, operates under ambient condition, and provides quantitative stray field measurements, making it uniquely suited for studying nanoscale magnetic textures. Our approach combines fluorescence quenching imaging and continuous-wave optically detected magnetic resonance (cODMR). A comparison of the two ASI samples, which differ in their lattice constants of 1000 nm and 910 nm respectively, reveals differences in the appearance of ice-rule violations - deviations from the lowest energy configuration in ASI vertices. We attribute these variations to varying coupling strengths dictated by the lattice constant. From the cODMR data, we extract both axial and transverse components of the local magnetic field relative to the NV axis. Micromagnetic modeling of these measurements allows for an iterative determination of the external magnetic field orientation, the detection of subtle magnetization tilts induced by weak external fields (well below the nanomagnets' switching threshold), and an estimation of the effective saturation magnetization, thereby accounting for deviations in nanomagnet dimensions. These findings provide crucial insights into the tunable magnetic interactions in ASI, paving the way for the design of advanced magnonic and spintronic devices.

cond-mat.mes-hall

Plasmon-driven electron-hole pair formation in a non-equilibrium Fermi liquid

Collective modes in Fermi liquids are usually regarded as dissipation channels that relax electronic excitations through Landau damping. Whether such modes can instead mediate the formation of correlated electronic states under non-equilibrium conditions remains an open question. Here, we show that under optical photo-doping, a bulk plasmon can drive correlated inter-band transfer within a transient electronic continuum. Using time- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (Tr-ARPES) on EuCd$_2$As$_2$ supported by electronic structure calculations, we observe that at high excitation density, plasmons transfer energy from a weakly dispersing bulk band into unoccupied surface states. This bulk-to-surface redistribution stabilizes a long-lived, energy-localized spectral feature consistent with a Mahan exciton. Our results reveal a non-equilibrium regime of Fermi-liquid physics in which collective modes do not merely dissipate energy, but also stabilize correlated bound states.

cond-mat.mes-hall

Band offsets in InP/ZnSe nanocrystals evaluated using two-photon transitions analysis

We present a semi-analytical theoretical kp-study of the energy structure and optical transitions in spherical core-shell InP/ZnSe nanocrystals. We use the eight-band Kane model and the six-band Luttinger Hamiltonian in the spherical approximation to calculate the electron and hole energy spectra, respectively. The influence of the Coulomb interaction is considered perturbatively. The one- and two-photon absorption spectra are calculated as functions of the band offsets between the InP core and ZnSe shell. Exciton states responsible for the main features in the two-photon absorption spectra of InP/ZnSe nanocrystals are identified and the spectral dependence of the linear-circular dichroism signal is predicted. We show that in the presence of inhomogeneous broadening, the transition to the ground two-photon-active exciton state can be hidden behind intense transitions to higher-lying states. A comparison of the calculated one- and two-photon absorption spectra with the available experimental data shows that, depending on the lattice strain in the InP core, the range of possible valence band offsets is 0.85-1 eV. The determined range exceeds the natural valence band offset of 0.57 eV and indicates the presence of electric dipoles formed by the preferential Zn-P bonds at the InP/ZnSe heterointerface.

cond-mat.mes-hall