Topological Space-Time Crystal

Yang Peng
Phys. Rev. Lett. 128, 186802 – Published 4 May 2022
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Abstract

We introduce a new class of out-of-equilibrium noninteracting topological phases: the topological space-time crystals. These are time-dependent quantum systems that do not have discrete spatial translation symmetries but instead are invariant under discrete space-time translations. Similar to the Floquet-Bloch systems, the space-time crystals can be described by a frequency-domain-enlarged Hamiltonian, which is used to classify topologically distinct space-time crystals. We show that these space-time crystals can be engineered from conventional crystals with an additional time-dependent drive that behaves like a traveling wave moving across the crystal. Interestingly, we are able to construct 1D and 2D examples of topological space-time crystals based on tight-binding models that involve only one orbital, in contrast to the two-orbital minimal models for any previously discovered static or Floquet topological phases with crystalline structures.

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  • Received 13 January 2022
  • Revised 9 April 2022
  • Accepted 14 April 2022

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.128.186802

© 2022 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Condensed Matter, Materials & Applied PhysicsAtomic, Molecular & Optical

Authors & Affiliations

Yang Peng1,2,*

  • 1Department of Physics and Astronomy, California State University, Northridge, Northridge, California 91330, USA
  • 2Department of Physics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA

  • *Corresponding author. yang.peng@csun.edu

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Issue

Vol. 128, Iss. 18 — 6 May 2022

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