Abstract
We extend the Kitaev model defined for the Pauli matrices to the Clifford algebra of matrices, taking the representation as an example. On a decorated square lattice, the ground state spontaneously breaks time-reversal symmetry and exhibits a topological phase transition. The topologically nontrivial phase carries gapless chiral edge modes along the sample boundary. On the three-dimensional (3D) diamond lattice, the ground states can exhibit gapless 3D Dirac-cone-like excitations and gapped topological insulating states. Generalizations to even higher rank matrices are also discussed.
1 More- Received 19 February 2009
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.79.134427
©2009 American Physical Society