Topological crystalline Kondo insulators and universal topological surface states of SmB$_6$

ORAL

Abstract

We prove theoretically that certain strongly correlated Kondo insulators are topological crystalline insulators with nontrivial topology protected by crystal symmetries. In particular, we find that SmB$_6$ is such a material. In addition to a nontrivial Z$_2$ topological index protected by time reversal symmetry, SmB$_6$ also has nontrival mirror Chern numbers protected by mirror symmetries. On the $(100)$ surface of SmB$_6$, the nontrivial mirror Chern numbers do not generate additional surface states beyond those predicted by the Z$_2$ topological index. However, on the $(110)$ surface, two more surface Dirac points are predicted. Remarkably, we find that for SmB$_6$ both the Z$_2$ topological index and the mirror Chern numbers are independent of microscopic details, which enable us to obtain surface state properties that are universal.

Authors

  • Mengxing Ye

    Univ of Michigan - Ann Arbor

  • J.W. Allen

    Univ of Michigan - Ann Arbor, Randall Laboratory of Physics, University of Michigan, Dept. of Physics, University of Michigan

  • Kai Sun

    Randall Laboratory of Physics, University of Michigan, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, University of Michigan, Univ of Michigan - Ann Arbor, Dept. of Physics, University of Michigan