Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
8201584 | Annals of Physics | 2017 | 19 Pages |
Abstract
We propose a novel geometric model of time-reversal-invariant topological insulators in three dimensions in presence of an external electromagnetic field. Their gapped boundary supports relativistic quantum Hall states and is described by a Chern-Simons theory, where the gauge connection takes values in the Maxwell algebra. This represents a non-central extension of the Poincaré algebra and takes into account both the Lorentz and magnetic-translation symmetries of the surface states. In this way, we derive a relativistic version of the Wen-Zee term and we show that the non-minimal coupling between the background geometry and the electromagnetic field in the model is in agreement with the main properties of the relativistic quantum Hall states in the flat space.
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering
Physics and Astronomy
Physics and Astronomy (General)
Authors
Giandomenico Palumbo,