Punctured-Chern topological invariants for semi-metallic bandstructures

Abstract

Topological insulator-based methods underpin the topological classification of gapped bands, including those surrounding semi-metallic nodal defects. However, multiple bands with gap-closing points can also possess non-trivial topology. We construct a general wavefunction-based ``punctured-Chern" invariant to capture such topology. To show its general applicability, we analyze two systems with disparate gapless topology: 1) a recent two-dimensional fragile topological model to capture the various band-topological transitions and 2) a three-dimensional model with a triple-point nodal defect to characterize its semi-metallic topology with \emph{half-integers} that govern physical observables such as anomalous transport. This invariant also gives the classification for Nexus triple-points ($\mathbb{Z}\times\mathbb{Z}$) with certain symmetry restrictions, which is re-confirmed by abstract algebra.