Magnetization signatures of light-induced quantum Hall edge states

Abstract

Circularly polarised light opens a gap in the Dirac spectrum of graphene and topological insulator (TI) surfaces, thereby inducing a quantum Hall-like phase. We propose to detect the accompanying edge states and their current by the magnetic field they produce. The topological nature of the edge states is reflected in the mean orbital magnetization of the sample, which shows a universal linear dependence as a function of a generalized chemical potential - independent of the driving details and the properties of the material. The proposed protocol overcomes several typically encountered problems in the realization and measurement of Floquet phases, including the destructive effects of phonons and coupled electron baths and provides a way to occupy the induced edge states selectively. We estimate practical experimental parameters and conclude that the magnetization signature of the Floquet topological phase may be detectable with current techniques.

4 pages, 2 figures

References in corpus (16)

• The electronic properties of graphene
• Quantum Spin Hall Insulator State in HgTe Quantum Wells
• Signatures of Majorana fermions in hybrid superconductor-semiconductor nanowire devices
• Discovery (theoretical prediction and experimental observation) of a large-gap topological-insulator class with spin-polarized single-Dirac-cone on the surface
• A topological Dirac insulator in a quantum spin Hall phase : Experimental observation of first strong topological insulator
• Photovoltaic Hall effect in graphene
• Topological characterization of periodically-driven quantum systems
• Exploring Topological Phases With Quantum Walks
• Ultrafast Optical Excitation of a Persistent Surface-State Population in the Topological Insulator Bi2Se3
• Irradiated graphene as a tunable Floquet topological insulator
• Photoinduced transition between conventional and topological insulators in two-dimensional electronic systems
• Tuning laser-induced bandgaps in graphene
• Effective Theory of Floquet Topological Transitions
• Optical response of graphene under intense terahertz fields
• Effect of radiation on transport in graphene
• Dynamics of tunneling into nonequilibrium edge states

Cited by in corpus (10)

• Topological invariants of Floquet systems: General formulation, special properties, and Floquet topological defects
• Floquet interface states in illuminated three-dimensional topological insulators
• Sub-picosecond spin dynamics of excited states in the topological insulator Bi${}_2$Te${}_3$
• Pure spin current and perfect valley filter by designed separation of the chiral states in two-dimensional honeycomb lattices
• Four-dimensional Floquet topological insulator with an emergent second Chern number
• Floquet boundary states in AB-stacked graphite
• Unconventional quantum Hall effect in Floquet topological insulators
• Optical conductivity and orbital magnetization of Floquet vortex states
• Quantized charge transport in disordered Floquet topological insulators in the absence of Anderson localization
• Intervalley Band Crossing and Transition of Fractional Chern Insulators in Floquet Twisted Bilayer MoTe${}_2$