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Researchers calculate topological numbers for 2D materials with spiral boundary conditions

Chern numbers in two-dimensional systems with spiral boundary conditions
Spiral boundary conditions for two-dimensional lattice systems. Credit: Masaaki Nakamura

In recent years, topological materials have been studied extensively. A typical example of a topological material is a topological insulator, which is a unique insulator that does not conduct electricity inside the material, but allows electricity called spin current to flow on the surface.

The difference between a normal insulator and a can be mathematically expressed by the topological number. For example, a coffee cup with a handle can be transformed into a torus by continuous transformation, but it cannot be transformed into a shape without holes such as a ball or a cracker.

This is expressed as "topological difference," and the number of holes in this case corresponds to the topological number. There are other topological materials such as topological superconductors.

In a published in Âé¶¹ÒùÔºical Review B, researchers proposed a new method to calculate the topological number for using the concepts of polarization theory and spiral boundary conditions.

Polarization is a physical quantity that indicates the bias of the distribution of electrons in a material, and it is possible to know the information that appears on the surface when a sample is cut. The spiral boundary condition is a theoretical concept that encompasses two-dimensional lattice systems in one-dimensional order.

The study shows that the method of calculating topological numbers using , which has been discussed so far in one-dimensional lattice systems, can be extended to two-dimensional systems.

This research is also theoretically significant in that it clarifies the correspondence with the method based on lattice gauge theory used in . The method can also be applied to the analysis of based on large-scale computer calculations.

More information: Masaaki Nakamura et al, Chern numbers in two-dimensional systems with spiral boundary conditions, Âé¶¹ÒùÔºical Review B (2024). . On arXiv:

Journal information: Âé¶¹ÒùÔºical Review B , arXiv

Provided by Ehime University

Citation: Researchers calculate topological numbers for 2D materials with spiral boundary conditions (2024, November 20) retrieved 28 April 2025 from /news/2024-11-topological-2d-materials-spiral-boundary.html
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