PIRSA:14020120

A symmetry-respecting topologically-ordered surface phase of 3d electron topological insulators.

Metlitski, M. (2014). A symmetry-respecting topologically-ordered surface phase of 3d electron topological insulators.. Perimeter Institute. https://pirsa.org/14020120

Metlitski, Max. A symmetry-respecting topologically-ordered surface phase of 3d electron topological insulators.. Perimeter Institute, Feb. 12, 2014, https://pirsa.org/14020120 

          @misc{ pirsa_PIRSA:14020120,
            doi = {10.48660/14020120},
            url = {https://pirsa.org/14020120},
            author = {Metlitski, Max},
            keywords = {},
            language = {en},
            title = {A symmetry-respecting topologically-ordered surface phase of 3d electron topological insulators.},
            publisher = {Perimeter Institute},
            year = {2014},
            month = {feb},
            note = {PIRSA:14020120 see, \url{https://pirsa.org}}
          }

Max Metlitski

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) - Department of Physics

Talk number
PIRSA:14020120
Collection
Talk Type
Abstract
A 3d electron topological insulator (ETI) is a phase of matter protected by particle-number conservation and time-reversal symmetry. It was previously believed that the surface of an ETI must be gapless unless one of these symmetries is broken. A well-known symmetry-preserving, gapless surface termination of an ETI supports an odd number of Dirac cones. In this talk, I will show that in the presence of strong interactions, an ETI surface can actually be gapped and symmetry preserving, at the cost of carrying an intrinsic two-dimensional topological order. I will argue that such a topologically ordered phase can be obtained from the surface superconductor by proliferating the flux 2hc/e vortex. The resulting topological order consists of two sectors: a Moore-Read sector, which supports non-Abelian charge e/4 anyons, and an Abelian anti-semion sector, which is electrically neutral. The time-reversal and particle number symmetries are realized in this surface phase in an "anomalous" way: one which is impossible in a strictly 2d system. If time permits, I will discuss related results on topologically ordered surface phases of 3d topological superconductors.