Realizing and Detecting a Topological Insulator in the AIII Symmetry Class

Velasco, Carlos G. und Paredes, Belen (2017): Realizing and Detecting a Topological Insulator in the AIII Symmetry Class. In: Physical Review Letters, Bd. 119, Nr. 11, 115301

Abstract

Topological insulators in the AIII (chiral unitary) symmetry class lack experimental realization. Moreover, fractionalization in one-dimensional topological insulators has not been yet directly observed. Our work might open possibilities for both challenges. We propose a one-dimensional model realizing the AIII symmetry class which can be realized in current experiments with ultracold atomic gases. We further report on a distinctive property of topological edge modes in the AIII class: in contrast to those in the well-studied BDI (chiral orthogonal) class, they have nonzero momentum. Exploiting this feature we propose a path for the detection of fractionalization. A fermion added to an AIII system splits into two halves localized at opposite momenta, which can be detected by imaging the momentum distribution.

• Dokumententyp: Zeitschriftenartikel
• Fakultät: Physik
• Themengebiete: 500 Naturwissenschaften und Mathematik > 530 Physik
• ISSN: 0031-9007
• Sprache: Englisch