Topological phases and edge modes of an uneven ladder

We investigate the topological properties of a two-chain quantum ladder with uneven legs,i.e.,the two chains differ in their periods by a factor of 2.Such an uneven ladder presents rich band structures classified by the closure of either direct or indirect bandgaps.It also provides opportunities to explore fundamental concepts concerning band topology and edge modes,including the difference of intracellular and intercellular Zak phases,and the role of the inversion symmetry(IS).We calculate the Zak phases of the two kinds and find excellent agreement with the dipole moment and extra charge accumulation.We also find that configurations with IS feature a pair of degenerate two-side edge modes emerging as the closure of the direct bandgap,while configurations without IS feature one-side edge modes emerging as not only the closure of both direct and indirect bandgaps but also within the band continuum.Furthermore,by projecting to the two sublattices,we find that the effective Bloch Hamiltonian corresponds to that of a generalized Su–Schrieffer–Heeger model or the Rice–Mele model whose hopping amplitudes depend on the quasimomentum.In this way,the topological phases can be efficiently extracted through winding numbers.We propose that uneven ladders can be realized by spin-dependent optical lattices and their rich topological characteristics can be examined by near future experiments.

Electronic properties and topological phases of ThXY(X= Pb, Au, Pt and Y= Sb, Bi, Sn) compounds

The electronic properties and topological phases of ThXY （X = Pb, Au, Pt, Pd and Y = Sb, Bi, Sn） compounds in the presence of spin-orbit coupling, using density functional theory are investigated. The ThPtSn compound is stable in the ferromagnetic phase and the other ThXY compounds are stable in nonmagnetic phases. Band structures of these compounds in topological phases （insulator or metal） and normal phases within generalized gradient approximation （GGA） and Engel- Vosko generalized gradient approximation （GGA_EV） are compared. The ThPtSn, ThPtBi, ThPtSb, ThPdBi, and ThAuBi compounds have topological phases and the other ThXY compounds have normal phases. Band inversion strengths and topological phases of these compounds at different pressure are studied. It is seen that the band inversion strengths of these compounds are sensitive to pressure and for each compound a second-order polynomial fitted on the band inversion strengths-pressure curves.

Effect of disorders on topological phases in one-dimensional optical superlattices

In a recent paper, Lang et al. proposed that edge states and topological phases can be observed in one-dimensional optical superlattices. They showed that the topological phases can be revealed by observing the density profile of a trapped fermion system, which displays plateaus with their positions. However, disorders are not considered in their model. To study the effect of disorders on the topological phases, we introduce random potentials to the model for optical superlattcies.Our calculations show that edge states are robust against the disorders. We find the edge states are very sensitive to the number of the sites in the optical superlattice and we propose a simple rule to describe the relationship between the edge states and the number of sites. The density plateaus are also robust against weak disorders provided that the average density is calculated over a long interval. The widths of the plateaus are proportional to the widths of the bulk energy gaps when there are disorders. The disorders can diminish the bulk energy gaps. So the widths of the plateaus decrease with the increase of disorders and the density plateaus disappear when disorders are too strong. The results in our paper can be used to guide the experimental detection of topological phases in one-dimensional systems.

Various topological phases and their abnormal effects of topological acoustic metamaterials

The last 20 years have witnessed growing impacts of the topological concept on the branches of physics,including materials,electronics,photonics,and acoustics.Topology describes objects with some global invariant property under continuous deformation,which in mathematics could date back to the 17th century and mature in the 20th century.In physics,it successfully underpinned the physics of the Quantum Hall effect in 1984.To date,topology has been extensively applied to describe topological phases in acoustic metamaterials.As artificial structures,acoustic metamaterials could be well theoretically analyzed,on-demand designed,and easily fabricated by modern techniques,such as three-dimensional printing.Some new theoretical topological models were first discovered in acoustic metamaterials analogous to electronic counterparts,associated with novel effects for acoustics closer to applications.In this review,we focused on the concept of topology and its realization in airborne acoustic crystals,solid elastic phononic crystals,and surface acoustic wave systems.We also introduced emerging concepts of non-Hermitian,higher-order,and Floquet topological insulators in acoustics.It has been shown that the topology theory has such a powerful generality that among the disciplines from electron to photon and phonon,from electronic to photonics and acoustics,from acoustic topological theory to acoustic devices,could interact and be analogous to fertilize fantastic new ideas and prototype devices,which might find applications in acoustic engineering and noisevibration control engineering in the near future.

RKKY interaction in helical higher-order topological insulators

We theoretically investigate the Ruderman–Kittel–Kasuya–Yosida(RKKY) interaction in helical higher-order topological insulators(HOTIs), revealing distinct behaviors mediated by hinge and Dirac-type bulk carriers. Our findings show that hinge-mediated interactions consist of Heisenberg, Ising, and Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya(DM) terms, exhibiting a decay with impurity spacing z and oscillations with Fermi energy εF. These interactions demonstrate ferromagnetic behaviors for the Heisenberg and Ising terms and alternating behavior for the DM term. In contrast, bulk-mediated interactions include Heisenberg, twisted Ising, and DM terms, with a conventional cubic oscillating decay. This study highlights the nuanced interplay between hinge and bulk RKKY interactions in HOTIs, offering insights into designs of next-generation quantum devices based on HOTIs.

Topological edge and corner states of valley photonic crystals with zipper-like boundary conditions

We present a stable valley photonic crystal(VPC)unit cell with C_(3v)symmetric quasi-ring-shaped dielectric columns and realize its topological phase transition by breaking mirror symmetry.Based on this unit cell structure,topological edge states(TESs)and topological corner states(TCSs)are realized.We obtain a new type of wave transmission mode based on photonic crystal zipper-like boundaries and apply it to a beam splitter assembled from rectangular photonic crystals(PCs).The constructed beam splitter structure is compact and possesses frequency separation functions.In addition,we construct a box-shaped triangular PC structures with zipper-like boundaries and discover phenomena of TCSs in the corners,comparing its corner states with those formed by other boundaries.Based on this,we explore the regularities of the electric field patterns of TESs and TCSs,explain the connection between the characteristic frequencies and locality of TCSs,which helps better control photons and ensures low power consumption of the system.

Topological phase transition in compressed van der Waals superlattice heterostructure BiTeCl/HfTe_(2)

Based on first-principles calculations,we investigate the electronic band structures and topological properties of heterostructure BiTeCl/HfTe_(2) under c-direction strain.In the primitive structure,this material undergoes a phase transition from an insulator with a narrow indirect gap to a metal by strong spin-orbital coupling.When strain effect is considered,band inversion at time-reversal invariant point Z is responsible for the topological phase transition.These nontrivial topologies are caused by two different types of band crossings.The observable topological surface states in(110)surface also support that this material experiences topological phase transition twice.The layered heterostructure with van der Waals force provides us with a new desirable platform upon which to control topological phase transition and construct topological superconductors.

Interacting topological magnons in a checkerboard ferromagnet

This work is devoted to studying the magnon-magnon interaction effect in a two-dimensional checkerboard ferromagnet with the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction.Using a first-order Green function method,we analyze the influence of magnon-magnon interaction on the magnon band topology.We find that Chern numbers of two renormalized magnon bands are different above and below the critical temperature,which means that the magnon band gap-closing phenomenon is an indicator for one topological phase transition of the checkerboard ferromagnet.Our results show that the checkerboard ferromagnet possesses two topological phases,and its topological phase can be controlled either via the temperature or the applied magnetic field due to magnon-magnon interactions.Interestingly,it is found that the topological phase transition can occur twice with the increase in the temperature,which is different from the results of the honeycomb ferromagnet.

Emergent topological ordered phase for the Ising-XY model revealed by cluster-updating Monte Carlo method

The two-component cold atom systems with anisotropic hopping amplitudes can be phenomenologically described by a two-dimensional Ising-XY coupled model with spatial anisotropy.At low temperatures,theoretical predictions[Phys.Rev.A 72053604(2005)]and[arXiv:0706.1609]indicate the existence of a topological ordered phase characterized by Ising and XY disorder but with 2XY ordering.However,due to ergodic difficulties faced by Monte Carlo methods at low temperatures,this topological phase has not been numerically explored.We propose a linear cluster updating Monte Carlo method,which flips spins without rejection in the anisotropy limit but does not change the energy.Using this scheme and conventional Monte Carlo methods,we succeed in revealing the nature of topological phases with half-vortices and domain walls.In the constructed global phase diagram,Ising and XY-type transitions are very close to each other and differ significantly from the schematic phase diagram reported earlier.We also propose and explore a wide range of quantities,including magnetism,superfluidity,specific heat,susceptibility,and even percolation susceptibility,and obtain consistent and reliable results.Furthermore,we observed first-order transitions characterized by common intersection points in magnetizations for different system sizes,as opposed to the conventional phase transition where Binder cumulants of various sizes share common intersections.The critical exponents of different types of phase transitions are reasonably fitted.The results are useful to help cold atom experiments explore the half-vortex topological phase.

Two-dimensional Sb net generated nontrivial topological states in SmAgSb_(2) probed by quantum oscillations

The REAgSb_(2)(RE = rare earth and Y) family has drawn considerable research interest because the two-dimensional Sb net in their crystal structures hosts topological fermions and hence rich topological properties. We report herein the magnetization and magnetotransport measurements of SmAgSb_(2) single crystal, which unveil very large magnetoresistance and high carrier mobility up to 6.2 × 10^(3)% and 5.58 × 10^(3)cm^(2)·V^(-1)·s^(-1), respectively. The analysis of both Shubnikov–de Haas and de Haas–van Alphen quantum oscillations indicates nontrivial Berry phases in the paramagnetic state while trivial Berry curvature in the antiferromagnetic state, indicating a topological phase transition induced by the antiferromagnetic order. It is also supported by the first-principles calculations. The results not only provide a new interesting topological material but also offer valuable insights into the correlation between magnetism and nontrivial topological states.

Simulation of higher-order topological phases and related topological phase transitions in a superconducting qubit

Higher-order topological phases give rise to new bulk and boundary physics,as well as new classes of topological phase transitions.While the realization of higher-order topological phases has been confirmed in many platforms by detecting the existence of gapless boundary modes,a direct determination of the higher-order topology and related topological phase transitions through the bulk in experiments has still been lacking.To bridge the gap,in this work we carry out the simulation of a twodimensional second-order topological phase in a superconducting qubit.Owing to the great flexibility and controllability of the quantum simulator,we observe the realization of higher-order topology directly through the measurement of the pseudo-spin texture in momentum space of the bulk for the first time,in sharp contrast to previous experiments based on the detection of gapless boundary modes in real space.Also through the measurement of the evolution of pseudo-spin texture with parameters,we further observe novel topological phase transitions from the second-order topological phase to the trivial phase,as well as to the first-order topological phase with nonzero Chern number.Our work sheds new light on the study of higher-order topological phases and topological phase transitions.

Direct dynamical characterization of higher-order topological phases with nested band inversion surfaces

Higher-order topological phases(HOTPs) are systems with topologically protected in-gap boundary states localized at their ed à nT-dimensional boundaries, with d the system dimension and n the order of the topology. This work proposes a dynamics-based characterization of one large class of Z-type HOTPs without specifically relying on any crystalline symmetry considerations. The key element of our innovative approach is to connect quantum quench dynamics with nested configurations of the socalled band inversion surfaces(BISs) of momentum-space Hamiltonians as a sum of operators from the Clifford algebra(a condition that can be partially relaxed), thereby making it possible to dynamically detect each and every order of topology on an equal footing. Given that experiments on synthetic topological matter can directly measure the winding of certain pseudospin texture to determine topological features of BISs, the topological invariants defined through nested BISs are all within reach of ongoing experiments. Further, the necessity of having nested BISs in defining higher-order topology offers a unique perspective to investigate and engineer higher-order topological phase transitions.

Universal topological quench dynamics for Z_(2)topological phases

The free-fermion topological phases with Z_(2)invariants cover a broad range of topological states,including the time-reversal invariant topological insulators,and are defined on the equilibrium ground states.Whether such equilibrium topological phases have universal correspondence to far-from-equilibrium quantum dynamics is a fundamental issue of both theoretical and experimental importance.Here we uncover the universal topological quench dynamics linking to these equilibrium topological phases of different dimensionality and symmetry classes in the tenfold way,with a general framework being established.We show a novel result that a generic d-dimensional topological phase represented by Dirac type Hamiltonian and with Z_(2)invariant defined on high symmetry momenta can be characterized by topology reduced to certain arbitrary discrete momenta of Brillouin zone called the highest-order bandinversion surfaces.Such dimension-reduced topology has unique correspondence to the topological pattern emerging in far-from-equilibrium quantum dynamics by quenching the system from trivial phase to the topological regime,rendering the dynamical hallmark of the equilibrium topological phase.This work completes the dynamical characterization for the full tenfold classes of topological phases,which can be partially extended to even broader topological phases protected by lattice symmetries and in non-Dirac type systems,and shall advance widely the research in theory and experiment.

Topological properties of tetratomic Su-Schrieffer-Heeger chains with hierarchical long-range hopping

We propose a new generalized Su–Schrieffer–Heeger model with hierarchical long-range hopping based on a onedimensional tetratomic chain. The properties of the topological states and phase transition, which depend on the cointeraction of the intracell and intercell hoppings, are investigated using the phase diagram of the winding number. It is shown that topological states with large positive/negative winding numbers can readily be generated in this system. The properties of the topological states can be verified by the ring-type structures in the trajectory diagram of the complex plane. The topological phase transition is strongly related to the opening(closure) of an energy bandgap at the center(boundaries) of the Brillouin zone. Finally, the non-zero-energy edge states at the ends of the finite system are revealed and matched with the bulk–boundary correspondence.

Commensurate and incommensurate Haldane phases for a spin-1 bilinear-biquadratic model

Commensurate and incommensurate Haldane phases for a spin-1 bilinear-biquadratic model are investigated using an infinite matrix product state algorithm.The bipartite entanglement entropy can detect a transition point between the two phases.In both phases,the entanglement spectrum shows double degeneracy.We calculate the nonlocal order parameter of the bond-centered inversion in both phases,which rapidly approaches a saturation value of-1 as the segment length increases.The nonlocal order parameter of the bond-centered inversion with a saturation value-1 and the nonzero value string order indicate that the Haldane phase is a symmetry-protected topological phase.To distinguish the commensurate and incommensurate Haldane phases,the transversal spin correlation and corresponding momentum distribution of the structure factor are analyzed.As a result,the transversal spin correlations exhibit different decay forms in both phases.

Spin direction dependent quantum anomalous Hall effect in two-dimensional ferromagnetic materials

We propose a scheme for realizing the spin direction-dependent quantum anomalous Hall effect(QAHE)driven by spin-orbit couplings(SOC)in two-dimensional(2D)materials.Based on the sp^(3)tight-binding(TB)model,we find that these systems can exhibit a QAHE with out-of-plane and in-plane magnetization for the weak and strong SOC,respectively,in which the mechanism of quantum transition is mainly driven by the band inversion of p_(x,y)/p_(z)orbitals.As a concrete example,based on first-principles calculations,we realize a real material of monolayer 1T-SnN_(2)/PbN_(2)exhibiting the QAHE with in-plane/out-of-plane magnetization characterized by the nonzero Chern number C and topological edge states.These findings provide useful guidance for the pursuit of a spin direction-dependent QAHE and hence stimulate immediate experimental interest.

Topological properties of non-Hermitian Creutz ladders

We study topological properties of the one-dimensional Creutz ladder model with different non-Hermitian asymmetric hoppings and on-site imaginary potentials,and obtain phase diagrams regarding the presence and absence of an energy gap and in-gap edge modes.The non-Hermitian skin effect(NHSE),which is known to break the bulk-boundary correspondence(BBC),emerges in the system only when the non-Hermiticity induces certain unbalanced non-reciprocity along the ladder.The topological properties of the model are found to be more sophisticated than that of its Hermitian counterpart,whether with or without the NHSE.In one scenario without the NHSE,the topological winding is found to exist in a two-dimensional plane embedded in a four-dimensional space of the complex Hamiltonian vector.The NHSE itself also possesses some unusual behaviors in this system,including a high spectral winding without the presence of long-range hoppings,and a competition between two types of the NHSE,with the same and opposite inverse localization lengths for the two bands,respectively.Furthermore,it is found that the NHSE in this model does not always break the conventional BBC,which is also associated with whether the band gap closes at exceptional points under the periodic boundary condition.

Floquet bands and photon-induced topological edge states of graphene nanoribbons

Floquet theorem is widely used in the light-driven systems. But many 2 D-materials models under the radiation are investigated with the high-frequency approximation, which may not be suitable for the practical experiment. In this work,we employ the non-perturbative Floquet method to strictly investigate the photo-induced topological phase transitions and edge states properties of graphene nanoribbons under the light irradiation of different frequencies(including both low and high frequencies). By analyzing the Floquet energy bands of ribbon and bulk graphene, we find the cause of the phase transitions and its relation with edge states. Besides, we also find the size effect of the graphene nanoribbon on the band gap and edge states in the presence of the light.

Topological phase transitions driven by next-nearest-neighbor hopping in noncentrosymmetric cold Fermi gases

We investigate the topological phase marked by the Thouless–Kohmoto–Nightingale–Nijs（TKNN） number and the phase transitions driven by the next nearest neighbor（NNN） hopping in noncentrosymmetric cold Fermi gases, both spinsinglet pairing and spin-triplet pairing are considered. There exists a critical t＇c for the NNN hopping, at which the quantum phase transition occurs, and the system changes from an Abelian（non-Abelian） phase to a non-Abelian（Abelian） one. By numerically diagonalizing the Hamiltonian in the real space, the energy spectra with edge states for different topological phases and the Majorana zero modes are discussed. Although the spin-triplet pairing does not contribute to the gap closing and the phase diagram, it induces gapless states in the presence of a magnetic field, and the TKNN number in this region is still zero.

Photoinduced Weyl semimetal phase and anomalous Hall effect in a three-dimensional topological insulator

Motivated by the fact that Weyl fermions can emerge in a three-dimensional topological insulator on breaking either time-reversal or inversion symmetries,we propose that a topological quantum phase transition to a Weyl semimetal phase occurs under the off-resonant circularly polarized light,in a three-dimensional topological insulator,when the intensity of the incident light exceeds a critical value.The circularly polarized light effectively generates a Zeeman exchange field and a renormalized Dirac mass,which are highly controllable.The phase transition can be exactly characterized by the first Chern number.A tunable anomalous Hall conductivity emerges,which is fully determined by the location of the Weyl nodes in momentum space,even in the doping regime.Our predictions are experimentally realizable through pump-probe angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and raise a new way for realizing Weyl semimetals and quantum anomalous Hall effects.