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Z2 Spin Hopf Insulator: Helical Hinge States and Returning Thouless Pump

ORAL

Abstract

We introduce a time-reversal-symmetric analog of the Hopf insulator that we call a spin Hopf insulator. The spin Hopf insulator harbors nontrivial Kane-Mele $_2$ invariants on its surfaces, and is the first example of a nonmagnetic delicate topological insulator with spin-orbit coupling. We show that the Kane-Mele $_2$ topology on the surface is generically unstable, but can be stabilized by the addition of a composition of the particle hole and spatial inversion symmetry. Such a symmetry not only protects the surface $_2$ invariant, but also protects gapless helical hinge states on the spin Hopf insulator.

Publication: arXiv:2208.08455

Presenters

  • Penghao Zhu

    University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Authors

  • Penghao Zhu

    University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

  • Aris Alexandradinata

    University of California, Santa Cruz

  • Taylor L Hughes

    University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign