Double-helicoid surface states in Dirac semimetals protected by glide-time-reversal symmetry

Abstract

Recently, some $Z_2$ monopole charges were defined for Dirac semimetals with $\mathcal{G}\mathcal{T}$ symmetry ($\mathcal{G}$: glide, $\mathcal{T}$: time-reversal) in previous works, and the charges are believed to lead to double-helicoid surface states. However, no proof of the bulk-surface correspondence is given there. In this paper, we point out one of the $Z_2$ charges in the previous works is gauge-dependent, and newly define another $Z_2$ charge. Using this new $Z_2$ charge, we give a proof of the bulk-surface correspondence. We also compare the new $Z_2$ charge with the $Z_2$ invariant for $\mathcal{G}$-protected topological crystalline insulators, and the second Stiefel-Whitney number for $\mathcal{P}\mathcal{T}$-protected nodal line semimetals.

14 pages, 8 figures