Topological mirror insulators in one dimension

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Alexander Lau - , Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden (Author)
  • Jeroen Van Den Brink - , Chair of Solid State Theory, Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden, Harvard University (Author)
  • Carmine Ortix - , Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden, Utrecht University (Author)

Abstract

We demonstrate the existence of topological insulators in one dimension (1D) protected by mirror and time-reversal symmetries. They are characterized by a nontrivial Z2 topological invariant defined in terms of the "partial" polarizations, which we show to be quantized in the presence of a 1D mirror point. The topological invariant determines the generic presence or absence of integer boundary charges at the mirror-symmetric boundaries of the system. We check our findings against spin-orbit coupled Aubry-André-Harper models that can be realized, e.g., in cold-atomic Fermi gases loaded in one-dimensional optical lattices or in density- and Rashba spin-orbit-modulated semiconductor nanowires. In this setup, in-gap end-mode Kramers doublets appearing in the topologically nontrivial state effectively constitute a double-quantum dot with spin-orbit coupling.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number165164
JournalPhysical Review B
Volume94
Issue number16
Publication statusPublished - 25 Oct 2016
Peer-reviewedYes