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arXiv · 2310.16886

Photo-induced electronic and spin topological phase transitions in monolayer bismuth

Bo Peng·Gunnar F. Lange·Daniel Bennett·Kang Wang·Robert-Jan Slager·Bartomeu Monserrat
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Abstract

Ultrathin bismuth exhibits rich physics including strong spin-orbit coupling, ferroelectricity, nontrivial topology, and light-induced structural dynamics. We use \textit{ab initio} calculations to show that light can induce structural transitions to four transient phases in bismuth monolayers. These light-induced phases exhibit nontrivial topological character, which we illustrate using the recently introduced concept of spin bands and spin-resolved Wilson loops. Specifically, we find that the topology changes via the closing of the electron and spin band gaps during photo-induced structural phase transitions, leading to distinct edge states. Our study provides strategies to tailor electronic and spin topology via ultrafast control of photo-excited carriers and associated structural dynamics.

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Bo Peng, Gunnar F. Lange, Daniel Bennett, Kang Wang, Robert-Jan Slager, Bartomeu Monserrat. 2023-10-25. Photo-induced electronic and spin topological phase transitions in monolayer bismuth. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.132.116601

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