arXiv · 1109.4808
Effective field theory of topological insulator and the Foldy-Wouthuysen transformation
Abstract
Employing the Foldy-Wouthuysen transformation it is demonstrated straightforwardly that the first and second Chern numbers are equal to the coefficients of the 2+1 and 4+1 dimensional Chern-Simons actions which are generated by the massive Dirac fermions coupled to the Abelian gauge fields. A topological insulator model in 2+1 dimensions is discussed and by means of a dimensional reduction approach the 1+1 dimensional descendant of the 2+1 dimensional Chern-Simons theory is presented. Field strength of the Berry gauge field corresponding to the 4+1 dimensional Dirac theory is explicitly derived through the Foldy-Wouthuysen transformation. Acquainted with it the second Chern numbers are calculated for specific choices of the integration domain. A method is proposed to obtain 3+1 and 2+1 dimensional descendants of the effective field theory of the 4+1 dimensional time reversal invariant topological insulator theory. Inspired by the spin Hall effect in graphene, a hypothetical model of the time reversal invariant spin Hall insulator in 3+1 dimensions is proposed.
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O. F. Dayi, M. Elbistan, E. Yunt. 2011-09-22. Effective field theory of topological insulator and the Foldy-Wouthuysen transformation. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aop.2011.11.013
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