Quantization of interface currents

Abstract

At the interface of two two-dimensional quantum systems, there may exist interface currents similar to edge currents in quantum Hall systems. It is proved that these interface currents are macroscopically quantized by an integer that is given by the difference of the Chern numbers of the two systems. It is also argued that at the interface between two time-reversal invariant systems with half-integer spin, one of which is trivial and the other non-trivial, there are dissipationless spin-polarized interface currents.

arXiv commentfinal version, minor corrections, appears in J. Math. Phys

References in corpus (10)

• $Z_2$ Topological Order and the Quantum Spin Hall Effect
• The Non-Commutative Geometry of the Quantum Hall Effect
• Simultaneous quantization of edge and bulk Hall conductivity
• Equality of bulk and edge Hall conductance revisited
• Topological invariants of edge states for periodic two-dimensional models
• Snake orbits and related magnetic edge states
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• Persistence of spin edge currents in disordered quantum spin Hall systems
• Quantization of edge currents along magnetic barriers and magnetic guides
• Localization and Chern numbers for weakly disordered BdG operators

Cited by in corpus (6)

• Theory and Experimental Investigation of the Quantum Valley Hall Effect
• Continuous bulk and interface description of topological insulators
• Topology in shallow-water waves: a violation of bulk-edge correspondence
• T-duality simplifies bulk-boundary correspondence
• T-duality simplifies bulk-boundary correspondence: some higher dimensional cases
• Interfaces of discrete systems - spectral and index properties