PIRSA:11090070 Scientific Series Condensed Matter

DOI10.48660/11090070

Series: Quantum Matter

Burnell, F. (2011). Building Fractional Topological Insulators. Perimeter Institute. https://pirsa.org/11090070

Burnell, Fiona. Building Fractional Topological Insulators. Perimeter Institute, Sep. 14, 2011, https://pirsa.org/11090070 

@misc{ pirsa_PIRSA:11090070,
  doi = {10.48660/11090070},
  url = {https://pirsa.org/11090070},
  author = {Burnell, Fiona},
  keywords = {Condensed Matter},
  language = {en},
  title = {Building Fractional Topological Insulators},
  publisher = {Perimeter Institute},
  year = {2011},
  month = {sep},
  note = {PIRSA:11090070 see, \url{https://pirsa.org}}
}

Abstract

Time-reversal invariant band insulators can be separated into two categories: `ordinary' insulators and `topological' insulators. Topological band insulators have low-energy edge modes that cannot be gapped without violating time-reversal symmetry, while ordinary insulators do not. A natural question is whether more exotic time-reversal invariant insulators (insulators not connected adiabatically to band insulators) can also exhibit time-reversal protected edge modes. In 2 dimensions, one example of this is the fractional spin Hall insulator (essentially a spin-up and spin-down copy of a fractional quantum Hall insulator, with opposite effective magnetic fields for each spin). I will discuss another family of strongly interacting insulators, which exist in both 2 and 3 dimensions, that can have time-reversal protected edge modes. This gives a new set of examples of `fractional' topological insulators.

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