Topological classification with additional symmetries from Clifford algebras

Takahiro Morimoto and Akira Furusaki
Phys. Rev. B 88, 125129 – Published 20 September 2013

Abstract

We classify topological insulators and superconductors in the presence of additional symmetries such as reflection or mirror symmetries. For each member of the 10 Altland-Zirnbauer symmetry classes, we have a Clifford algebra defined by operators of the generic (time-reversal, particle-hole, or chiral) symmetries and additional symmetries, together with gamma matrices in Dirac Hamiltonians representing topological insulators and superconductors. Following Kitaev's approach, we classify gapped phases of noninteracting fermions under additional symmetries by examining all possible distinct Dirac mass terms which can be added to the set of generators of the Clifford algebra. We find that imposing additional symmetries in effect changes symmetry classes and causes shifts in the periodic table of topological insulators and superconductors. Our results are in agreement with the classification under reflection symmetry recently reported by Chiu, Yao, and Ryu [Phys. Rev. B 88, 075142 (2013)]. Several examples are discussed including a topological crystalline insulator with mirror Chern numbers and mirror superconductors.

  • Received 11 June 2013

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.88.125129

©2013 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Takahiro Morimoto1 and Akira Furusaki1,2

  • 1Condensed Matter Theory Laboratory, RIKEN, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
  • 2RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science (CEMS), Saitama 351-0198, Japan

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Issue

Vol. 88, Iss. 12 — 15 September 2013

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