arXiv subjects

Ansgar Graf

Publications and source records attributed to Ansgar Graf.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2023

Massless multifold Hopf semimetals

Three-dimensional topological semimetals exhibit linear energy band crossing points that act as monopoles of Berry curvature. Here, an alternative class of semimetals is introduced, featuring linear $N$-fold crossing points each of which acts as a source of a \emph{Berry dipole}. We construct continuum and lattice models for such \emph{massless multifold Hopf semimetals (MMHSs)} with $N=3,4,5$ bands and study nontrivial effects of a Berry dipole crossing: (i) A Landau level spectrum that is strongly tunable by the orientation of the magnetic field relative to the dipole axis. (ii) An anomalous Hall conductivity that is an odd function of the Fermi level. (iii) Weak-field dissipative magnetoconductivities that resemble the chiral anomaly, chiral magnetic and magnetochiral effects familiar from a pair of coupled Weyl nodes, but that are even functions of the Fermi level. By gapping out MMHSs, multiband Hopf insulators with Hopf numbers as high as $\mathcal{N}_\text{Hopf}=10$ are obtained, providing a fertile playground to explore delicate topology.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2021

Designing flat-band tight-binding models with tunable multifold band touching points

Being dispersionless, flat bands on periodic lattices are solely characterized by their macroscopically degenerate eigenstates: compact localized states (CLSs) in real space and Bloch states in reciprocal space. Based on this property, this work presents a straightforward method to build flat-band tight-binding models with short-range hoppings \emph{on any periodic lattice}. The method consists in starting from a CLS and engineering families of Bloch Hamiltonians as quadratic (or linear) functions of the associated Bloch state. The resulting tight-binding models not only exhibit a flat band, but also multifold quadratic (or linear) band touching points (BTPs) whose number, location, and degeneracy can be controlled to a large extent. Quadratic flat-band models are ubiquitous: they can be built from any arbitrary CLS, on any lattice, in any dimension and with any number $N\geq2$ of bands. Linear flat-band models are rarer: they require $N\geq3$ and can only be built from CLSs that fulfill certain compatibility relations with the underlying lattice. Most flat-band models from the literature can be classified according to this scheme: Mielke's and Tasaki's models belong to the quadratic class, while the Lieb, dice and breathing Kagome models belong to the linear class. Many novel flat-band models are introduced, among which an $N=4$ bilayer honeycomb model with fourfold quadratic BTPs, an $N=5$ dice model with fivefold linear BTPs, and an $N=3$ Kagome model with BTPs that can be smoothly tuned from linear to quadratic.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2021

Berry Curvature and Quantum Metric in $N$-band systems -- an Eigenprojector Approach

The eigenvalues of a parameter-dependent Hamiltonian matrix form a band structure in parameter space. In such $N$-band systems, the quantum geometric tensor (QGT), consisting of the Berry curvature and quantum metric tensors, is usually computed from numerically obtained energy eigenstates. Here, an alternative approach to the QGT based on eigenprojectors and (generalized) Bloch vectors is exposed. It offers more analytical insight than the eigenstate approach. In particular, the full QGT of each band can be obtained without computing eigenstates, using only the Hamiltonian matrix and the respective band energy. Most saliently, the well-known two-band formula for the Berry curvature in terms of the Hamiltonian vector is generalized to arbitrary $N$. The formalism is illustrated using three- and four-band multifold fermion models that have very different geometrical and topological properties despite an identical band structure. From a broader perspective, the methodology used in this work can be applied to compute any physical quantity or to study the quantum dynamics of any observable without the explicit construction of energy eigenstates.

cond-mat.other↗

arXiv2020

Theory of magnetotransport in shaped topological insulator nanowires

We show that shaped topological insulator (TI) nanowires, i.e. such that their cross-section radius varies along the wire length, can be tuned into a number of different transport regimes when immersed in a homogeneous coaxial magnetic field. This is in contrast with widely studied tubular nanowires with constant cross-section, and is due to magnetic confinement of Dirac surface carriers. In flat 2D systems such a confinement requires non-homogeneous magnetic fields, while for shaped nanowires of standard size homogeneous fields of the order of $B\sim\,1$T are sufficient. We put recent work [Kozlovsky et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 124, 126804 (2020)] into broader context and extend it to deal with axially symmetric wire geometries with arbitrary radial profile. A dumbbell-shaped TI nanowire is used as a paradigmatic example for transport through a constriction and shown to be tunable into five different transport regimes: (i) conductance steps, (ii) resonant transmission, (iii) current suppression, (iv) Coulomb blockade, and (v) transport through a triple quantum dot. Switching between regimes is achieved by modulating the strength of a coaxial magnetic field and does not require strict axial symmetry of the wire cross-section. As such, it should be observable in TI nanowires fabricated with available experimental techniques.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2020

Magnetoconductance, Quantum Hall Effect, and Coulomb Blockade in Topological Insulator Nanocones

Magnetotransport through cylindrical topological insulator (TI) nanowires is governed by the interplay between quantum confinement and geometric (Aharonov-Bohm and Berry) phases. Here, we argue that the much broader class of TI nanowires with varying radius -- for which a homogeneous coaxial magnetic field induces a varying Aharonov-Bohm flux that gives rise to a non-trivial mass-like potential along the wire -- is accessible by studying its simplest member, a TI nanocone. Such nanocones allow to observe intriguing mesoscopic transport phenomena: While the conductance in a perpendicular magnetic field is quantized due to higher-order topological hinge states, it shows resonant transmission through Dirac Landau levels in a coaxial magnetic field. Furthermore, it may act as a quantum magnetic bottle, confining surface Dirac electrons and leading to a largely interaction-dominated regime of Coulomb blockade type. We show numerically that the above-mentioned effects occur for experimentally accessible values of system size and magnetic field, suggesting that TI nanocone junctions may serve as building blocks for Dirac electron optics setups.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗