Spin-directed network model for the surface states of weak three-dimensional ${\mathbb{Z}}_2^{}$ topological insulators

Abstract

A two-dimensional spin-directed ${\mathbb{Z}}_2^{}$ network model is constructed that describes the combined effects of dimerization and disorder for the surface states of a weak three-dimensional ${\mathbb{Z}}_2^{}$ topological insulator. The network model consists of helical edge states of two-dimensional layers of ${\mathbb{Z}}_2^{}$ topological insulators which are coupled by time-reversal symmetric interlayer tunneling. It is argued that, without dimerization of interlayer couplings, the network model has no insulating phase for any disorder strength. However, a sufficiently strong dimerization induces a transition from a metallic phase to an insulating phase. The critical exponent $\nu$ for the diverging localization length at metal-insulator transition points is obtained by finite-size scaling analysis of numerical data from simulations of this network model. It is shown that the phase transition belongs to the two-dimensional symplectic universality class of Anderson transition.

36 pages and 27 figures, plus Supplemental Material

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