arXiv · 1711.05746
From Dirac semimetals to topological phases in three dimensions: a coupled wire construction
Abstract
Weyl and Dirac (semi)metals in three dimensions have robust gapless electronic band structures. Their massless single-body energy spectra are protected by symmetries such as lattice translation, (screw) rotation and time reversal. In this manuscript, we discuss many-body interactions in these systems. We focus on strong interactions that preserve symmetries and are outside the single-body mean-field regime. By mapping a Dirac (semi)metal to a model based on a three dimensional array of coupled Dirac wires, we show (1) the Dirac (semi)metal can acquire a many-body excitation energy gap without breaking the relevant symmetries, and (2) interaction can enable an anomalous Weyl (semi)metallic phase that is otherwise forbidden by symmetries in the single-body setting and can only be present holographically on the boundary of a four dimensional weak topological insulator. Both of these topological states support fractional gapped (gapless) bulk (resp. boundary) quasiparticle excitations.
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Syed Raza, Alexander Sirota, Jeffrey C. Y. Teo. 2019-03-04. From Dirac semimetals to topological phases in three dimensions: a coupled wire construction. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevx.9.011039
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