Higher-order topological corner and bond-localized modes in magnonic insulators

Abstract

We theoretically investigate a two-dimensional decorated honeycomb lattice framework to realize a second-order topological magnon insulator (SOTMI) phase featuring distinct corner-localized modes. Our study emphasizes the pivotal role of spin-magnon mapping in characterizing bosonic topological properties, which exhibit differences from their fermionic counterparts. We employ a symmetry indicator topological invariant to identify and characterize this SOTMI phase, particularly for systems respecting time-reversal and ${\sf{C}}_6$ rotational symmetry. Using a spin model defined on a honeycomb lattice geometry, we demonstrate that introducing ``\textit{kekulé}'' type distortions yields a topological phase. In contrast, ``\textit{anti-kekulé}'' distortions result in a non-topological magnonic phase. The presence of kekulé distortions manifests in two distinct topologically protected bosonic corner modes - an \textit{intrinsic} and a \textit{pseudo}, based on the specific edge terminations. On the other hand, anti-kekulé distortions give rise to \SW{\textit{Tamm/Shockley}} type bond-localized boundary modes, which are non-topological and reliant on particular edge termination. We further investigate the effects of random out-of-plane exchange anisotropy disorder on the robustness of these bosonic corner modes. The distinction between SOTMIs and their fermionic counterparts arises due to the system-specific magnonic onsite energies, a crucial feature often overlooked in prior literature. Our study unveils exciting prospects for engineering higher-order topological phases in magnon systems and enhances our understanding of their unique behavior within decorated honeycomb lattices.