arXiv subjects

Hoi Chun Po

Publications and source records attributed to Hoi Chun Po.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2021

Exciton-driven antiferromagnetic metal in a correlated van der Waals insulator

Collective excitations of bound electron-hole pairs -- known as excitons -- are ubiquitous in condensed matter, emerging in systems as diverse as band semiconductors, molecular crystals, and proteins. Recently, their existence in strongly correlated electron materials has attracted increasing interest due to the excitons' unique coupling to spin and orbital degrees of freedom. The non-equilibrium driving of such dressed quasiparticles offers a promising platform for realizing unconventional many-body phenomena and phases beyond thermodynamic equilibrium. Here, we achieve this in the van der Waals correlated insulator NiPS$_3$ by photoexciting its newly discovered spin-orbit-entangled excitons that arise from Zhang-Rice states. By monitoring the time evolution of the terahertz conductivity, we observe the coexistence of itinerant carriers produced by exciton dissociation and the long-wavelength antiferromagnetic magnon that coherently precesses in time. These results demonstrate the emergence of a transient metallic state that preserves long-range antiferromagnetism, a phase that cannot be reached by simply tuning the temperature. More broadly, our findings open an avenue toward the exciton-mediated optical manipulation of magnetism.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2021

Topological Descendants of Multicritical EuTl2

The past decades have witnessed a transformation in characterizing condensed matter systems with topology. Aided by a refined understanding of topological band structures with crystalline symmetries that has emerged recently, many electronic phases have been identified and a plethora of materials have been predicted to host novel properties and functionalities. A key underlying question, also with respect to future application, is to what extent the related physical features can be manipulated, especially in the context of magnetic order. Here we describe a paradigmatic semimetal that simultaneously incorporates multiple, and sometimes conflicting topology which guarantees gaplessness and leads to an exceptionally rich family of descendent phases on lowering symmetry. We predict that this multicritical phase is realized in EuTl2. Starting from the parent semimetallic state, which already separates two topological insulating regimes, the interplay of inherent magnetism and strain allows for an exceptionally rich phase diagram of topological descendant states.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2021

Fractional corner magnetization of collinear antiferromagnets

Recent studies revealed that the electric multipole moments of insulators result in fractional electric charges localized to the hinges and corners of the sample. We here explore the magnetic analog of this relation. We show that a collinear antiferromagnet with spin $S$ defined on a $d$-dimensional cubic lattice features fractionally quantized magnetization $M_{\text{c}}^z=S/2^d$ at the corners. We find that the quantization is robust even in the presence of gapless excitations originating from the spontaneous formation of the Néel order, although the localization length diverges, suggesting a power-law localization of the corner magnetization. When the spin rotational symmetry about the $z$ axis is explicitly broken, the corner magnetization is no longer sharply quantized. Even in this case, we numerically find that the deviation from the quantized value is negligibly small based on quantum Monte Carlo simulations.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2021

Higher-Order Nonlinear Anomalous Hall Effects Induced by Berry Curvature Multipoles

In recent years, it has been shown that Berry curvature monopoles and dipoles play essential roles in the anomalous Hall effect and the nonlinear Hall effect respectively. In this work, we demonstrate that Berry curvature multipoles (the higher moments of Berry curvatures at the Fermi energy) can induce higher-order nonlinear anomalous Hall (NLAH) effect. Specifically, an AC Hall voltage perpendicular to the current direction emerges, where the frequency is an integer multiple of the frequency of the applied current. Importantly, by analyzing the symmetry properties of all the 3D and 2D magnetic point groups, we note that the quadrupole, hexapole and even higher Berry curvature moments can cause the leading-order frequency multiplication in certain materials. To provide concrete examples, we point out that the third-order NLAH voltage can be the leading-order Hall response in certain antiferromagnets due to Berry curvature quadrupoles, and the fourth-order NLAH voltage can be the leading response in the surface states of topological insulators induced by Berry curvature hexapoles. Our results are established by symmetry analysis, effective Hamiltonian and first-principles calculations. Other materials which support the higher-order NLAH effect are further proposed, including 2D antiferromagnets and ferromagnets, Weyl semimetals and twisted bilayer graphene near the quantum anomalous Hall phase.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2020

$\mathbb{Z}_2$-enriched symmetry indicators for topological superconductors in the 1651 magnetic space groups

While the symmetry-based diagnosis of topological insulators and semimetals has enabled large-scale discovery of topological materials candidates, the extension of these approaches to the diagnosis of topological superconductors remains a major open question. One important new ingredient in the analysis of topological superconductivity is the presence of $\mathbb Z_2$-valued Pfaffian invariants associated with certain high-symmetry momenta. Such topological invariants lie beyond the conventional scope of symmetry representation theory for band structures, and as such they are nontrivial to incorporate into the systematic calculations of the symmetry indicators of band topology. Here, we overcome this challenge and report the full computation of the $\mathbb Z_2$-enriched symmetry indicators for superconductors in all symmetry settings. Our results indicate that incorporating the $\mathbb Z_2$ band labels enhance the diagnostic power of the scheme in roughly $60\%$ of the symmetry settings. Our framework can also be readily integrated with first-principles calculations to elucidate on the possible properties of unconventional superconductivity in a given compound. As a demonstration, we analyze explicitly the interplay between pairing symmetry and topological superconductivity in the recently discovered superconductors CaPtAs and CaSb$_2$.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2020

Symmetry indicators of band topology

Topological materials are quantum materials with nontrivial ground-state entanglement that are irremovable so long as certain rules, like invariance under symmetries and the existence of an energy gap, are respected. They showcase unconventional properties like robust anomalous surface states and quantized physical responses. The intense research efforts in understanding topological materials result in a modernized perspective on the decades-old theory of symmetry representations in electronic band structures, and inspire the development of general theories that enable the efficient diagnosis of topological materials using only symmetry data. One example is the theory of symmetry indicators of band topology, which is the focus of this topical review. We will aim at providing a pedagogical introduction to the key concepts and constructions in the theory, alongside with a brief summary of the latest development.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2020

Topological flat bands in frustrated kagome lattice CoSn

Electronic flat bands in momentum space, arising from strong localization of electrons in real space, are an ideal stage to realize strong correlation phenomena. In certain lattices with built-in geometrical frustration, electronic confinement and flat bands can naturally arise from the destructive interference of electronic hopping pathways. Such lattice-borne flat bands are often endowed with nontrivial topology if combined with spin-orbit coupling, while their experimental realization in condensed matter system has been elusive so far. Here, we report the direct observation of topological flat bands in the vicinity of the Fermi level in frustrated kagome system CoSn, using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and band structure calculations. The flat band manifests itself as a dispersionless electronic excitation along the G-M high symmetry direction, with an order of magnitude lower bandwidth (below 150 meV) compared to the Dirac bands originating from the same orbitals. The frustration-driven nature of the flat band is directly confirmed by the real-space chiral d-orbital texture of the corresponding effective Wannier wave functions. Spin-orbit coupling opens a large gap of 80 meV at the quadratic band touching point between the Dirac and flat bands, endowing a nonzero Z2 topological invariant to the flat band in the two-dimensional Brillouin zone. Our observation of lattice-driven topological flat band opens a promising route to engineer novel emergent phases of matter at the crossroad between strong correlation physics and electronic topology.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2019

XFe4Ge2 (X = Y, Lu) and Mn3Pt: Filling-enforced magnetic topological metals

Magnetism, coupled with nontrivial band topology, can bring about many interesting and exotic phenomena, so that magnetic topological materials have attracted persistent research interest. However, compared with non-magnetic topological materials (TMs), the magnetic TMs are less studied, since their magnetic structures and topological phase transitions are usually complex and the first-principles predictions are usually sensitive on the effect of Coulomb interaction. In this work, we present a comprehensive investigation of XFe4Ge2 (X = Y, Lu) and Mn3Pt, and find these materials to be filling-enforced magnetic topological metals. Our first-principles calculations show that XFe4Ge2 (X = Y, Lu) host Dirac points near the Fermi level at high symmetry point S. These Dirac points are protected by PT symmetry (P and T are inversion and time-reversal transformations, respectively) and a 2-fold screw rotation symmetry. Moreover, through breaking PT symmetry, the Dirac points would split into Weyl nodes. Mn3Pt is found to host 4-fold degenerate band crossings in the whole high symmetry path of A-Z. We also utilize the GGA+U scheme to take into account the effect of Coulomb repulsion and find that the filling-enforced topological properties are naturally insensitive on U.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2019

Refined symmetry indicators for topological superconductors in all space groups

Topological superconductors are exotic phases of matter featuring robust surface states that could be leveraged for topological quantum computation. A useful guiding principle for the search of topological superconductors is to relate the topological invariants with the behavior of the pairing order parameter on the normal-state Fermi surfaces. The existing formulas, however, become inadequate for the prediction of the recently proposed classes of topological crystalline superconductors. In this work, we advance the theory of symmetry indicators for topological (crystalline) superconductors to cover all space groups. Our main result is the exhaustive computation of the indicator groups for superconductors under a variety of symmetry settings. We further illustrate the power of this approach by analyzing four-fold symmetric superconductors with or without inversion symmetry, and show that the indicators can diagnose topological superconductors with surface states of different dimensionalities or dictate gaplessness in the bulk excitation spectrum.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2019

Derivation of Wannier orbitals and minimal-basis tight-binding hamiltonians for twisted bilayer graphene: a first-principles approach

Twisted bilayer graphene (TBLG) has emerged as an important platform for studying correlated phenomena, including unconventional superconductivity, in two-dimensional systems. The complexity of the atomic-scale structures in TBLG has made even the study of single-particle physics at low energies around the Fermi level, quite challenging. Our goal here is to provide a convenient and physically motivated picture of single-particle physics in TBLG using reduced models with the smallest possible number of localized orbitals. The reduced models exactly reproduce the low-energy bands of \textit{ab-initio} tight-binding models, including the effects of atomic relaxations. Furthermore, we obtain for the first time the corresponding Wannier orbitals that incorporate all symmetries of TBLG, which are also calculated as a function of angle, a requisite first step towards incorporating electron interaction effects. We construct eight-band and five-band models for the low-energy states for twist angles between $1.3^\circ$ and $0.6^\circ$. The models are created using a multi-step Wannier projection technique starting with appropriate $\textit{ab initio}$ $k \cdot p$ continuum hamiltonians. Our procedure can also readily capture the perturbative effects of substrates and external displacement fields while offering a significant reduction in complexity for studying electron-electron correlation phenomena in realistic situations.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2019

Two-dimensional topological materials discovery by symmetry-indicator method

Two-dimensional (2D) topological materials (TMs) have attracted tremendous attention due to the promise of revolutionary devices with non-dissipative electric or spin currents. Unfortunately, the scarcity of 2D TMs holds back the experimental realization of such devices. In this work, based on our recently developed, highly efficient TM discovery algorithm using symmetry indicators, we explore the possible 2D TMs in all non-magnetic compounds in four recently proposed materials databases for possible 2D materials. We identify hundreds of 2D TM candidates, including 205 topological (crystalline) insulators and 299 topological semimetals. In particular, we highlight MoS, with a mirror Chern number of -4, as a possible experimental platform for studying the interaction-induced modification to the topological classification of materials. Our results winnow out the topologically interesting 2D materials from these databases and provide a TM gene pool which for further experimental studies.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2019

Faithful Tight-binding Models and Fragile Topology of Magic-angle Bilayer Graphene

Correlated insulators and superconductivity have been observed in "magic-angle" twisted bilayer graphene, when the nearly flat bands close to neutrality are partially filled. While a momentum-space continuum model accurately describes these flat bands, interaction effects are more conveniently incorporated in tight-binding models. We have previously shown that no fully symmetric tight-binding model can be minimal, in the sense of capturing just the flat bands, so extended models are unavoidable. Here, we introduce a family of tight-binding models that capture the flat bands while simultaneously retaining all symmetries. In particular, we construct three concrete models with five, six, or ten bands per valley and per spin. These models are also faithful, in that the additional degrees of freedom represent energy bands further away from neutrality, and they serve as optimal starting points for a controlled study of interaction effects. Furthermore, our construction demonstrates the "fragile topology" of the nearly flat bands; i.e., the obstruction to constructing exponentially localized Wannier functions can be resolved when a particular set of trivial bands is added to the model.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2019

Landau Level Degeneracy in Twisted Bilayer Graphene: Role of Symmetry Breaking

The degeneracy of Landau levels flanking charge neutrality in twisted bilayer graphene is known to change from eight-fold to four-fold when the twist angle is reduced to values near the magic angle of $\approx 1.05^\circ$. This degeneracy lifting has been reproduced in experiments by multiple groups, and is known to occur even in devices which do not harbor the correlated insulators and superconductors. We propose $C_3$ symmetry breaking as an explanation of such robust degeneracy lifting, and support our proposal by numerical results on the Landau level spectrum in near-magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene. Motivated by recent experiments, we further consider the effect of $C_2$ symmetry breaking on the Landau levels.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2019

Towards ideal topological materials: Comprehensive database searches using symmetry indicators

Topological materials (TMs) showcase intriguing physical properties defying expectations based on conventional materials, and hold promise for the development of devices with new functionalities. While several theoretically proposed TMs have been experimentally confirmed, extensive experimental exploration of topological properties as well as applications in realistic devices have been held back due to the lack of excellent TMs in which interference from trivial Fermi surface states is minimized. We tackle this problem in the present work by applying our recently developed method of symmetry indicators to all non-magnetic compounds in the 230 space groups. An exhaustive database search reveals thousands of TM candidates. Of these, we highlight the excellent TMs, the 258 topological insulators and 165 topological crystalline insulators which have either noticeable full band gap or a considerable direct gap together with small trivial Fermi pockets. We also give a list of 489 topological semimetals with the band crossing points located near the Fermi level. All predictions obtained through standard generalized gradient approximation (GGA) calculations were cross-checked with the modified Becke-Johnson (MBJ) potential calculations, appropriate for narrow gap materials. With the electronic and optical behavior around the Fermi level dominated by the topologically non-trivial bands, these newly found TMs candidates open wide possibilities for realizing the promise of TMs in next-generation electronic devices.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2019

Fragile topological phases in interacting systems

Topological phases of matter are defined by their nontrivial patterns of ground-state quantum entanglement, which is irremovable so long as the excitation gap and the protecting symmetries, if any, are maintained. Recent studies on noninteracting electrons in crystals have unveiled a peculiar variety of topological phases, which harbors nontrivial entanglement that can be dissolved simply by the the addition of entanglement-free, but charged, degrees of freedom. Such topological phases have a weaker sense of robustness than their conventional counterparts, and are therefore dubbed "fragile topological phases." In this work, we show that fragile topology is a general concept prevailing beyond systems of noninteracting electrons. Fragile topological phases can generally occur when a system has a $\mathrm{U}(1)$ charge conservation symmetry, such that only particles with one sign of the charge are physically allowed (e.g. electrons but not positrons). We demonstrate that fragile topological phases exist in interacting systems of both fermions and of bosons.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2018

Fragile Topology and Wannier Obstructions

Topological phases, such as Chern insulators, are defined in terms of additive indices that are stable against the addition of trivial degrees of freedom. Such topology presents an obstruction to any Wannier representation, namely, the representation of the electronic states in terms of symmetric, exponentially localized Wannier functions. Here, we address the converse question: Do obstructions to Wannier representation imply stable band topology? We answer this in the negative, pointing out that some bands can also display a distinct type of "fragile topology." Bands with fragile topology do not admit any Wannier representation by themselves, but such a representation becomes possible once certain additional trivial degrees of freedom are supplied. We construct a physical model of fragile topology on the honeycomb lattice that also helps resolve a recent puzzle in band theory. This model provides a counterexample to the assumption that splitting of an "elementary band representation" introduced in [Nature 547, 298--305 (2017)] leads to bands that are individually topological. Instead, half of the split bands of our model realizes a trivial band with exponentially localized symmetric Wannier functions, whereas the second half possess fragile topology. Our work highlights an important and previously overlooked connection between band structure and Wannier functions, and is expected to have far reaching consequences given the central role played by Wannier functions in the modeling of real materials.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2018

Symmetry indicators and anomalous surface states of topological crystalline insulators

The rich variety of crystalline symmetries in solids leads to a plethora of topological crystalline insulators (TCIs) featuring distinct physical properties, which are conventionally understood in terms of bulk invariants specialized to the symmetries at hand. While isolated examples of TCI have been identified and studied, the same variety demands a unified theoretical framework. In this work, we show how the surfaces of TCIs can be analyzed within a general surface theory with multiple flavors of Dirac fermions, whose mass terms transform in specific ways under crystalline symmetries. We identify global obstructions to achieving a fully gapped surface, which typically lead to gapless domain walls on suitably chosen surface geometries. We perform this analysis for all 32 point groups, and subsequently for all 230 space groups, for spin-orbit-coupled electrons. We recover all previously discussed TCIs in this symmetry class, including those with "hinge" surface states. Finally, we make connections to the bulk band topology as diagnosed through symmetry-based indicators. We show that spin-orbit-coupled band insulators with nontrivial symmetry indicators are always accompanied by surface states that must be gapless somewhere on suitably chosen surfaces. We provide an explicit mapping between symmetry indicators, which can be readily calculated, and the characteristic surface states of the resulting TCIs.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2018

Band Structure of Twisted Bilayer Graphene: Emergent Symmetries, Commensurate Approximants and Wannier Obstructions

A remarkable feature of the band structure of bilayer graphene at small twist angle is the appearance of isolated bands near neutrality, whose bandwidth can be reduced at certain magic angles (eg. $θ\sim 1.05^\circ$). In this regime, correlated insulating states and superconductivity have been experimentally observed. A microscopic description of these phenomena requires an understanding of universal aspects of the band structure, which we discuss here. First, we point out the importance of emergent symmetries, such as valley conservation, which are excellent symmetries in the limit of small twist angles and dictate qualitative features of the band structure. These have sometimes been overlooked when discussing commensurate approximants to the band structure, which we also review here, and solidify their connection with the continuum theory which incorporates all emergent symmetries. Finally, we discuss obstructions to writing down tight-binding models of just the isolated bands, and in particular a new symmetry based diagnostic of these obstructions, as well as relations to band topology and strategies for resolving the obstruction. Especially, we construct a four-band model where the two lower isolated bands realize all identified Wannier obstructions of the single-valley nearly flat bands of twisted bilayer graphene.

cond-mat.str-el↗