Physics – Condensed Matter – Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
Scientific paper
2006-04-04
Physics
Condensed Matter
Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
A mistake corrected in references
Scientific paper
10.1103/PhysRevB.74.045125
We prove a general theorem on the relation between the bulk topological quantum number and the edge states in two dimensional insulators. It is shown that whenever there is a topological order in bulk, characterized by a non-vanishing Chern number, even if it is defined for a non-conserved quantity such as spin in the case of the spin Hall effect, one can always infer the existence of gapless edge states under certain twisted boundary conditions that allow tunneling between edges. This relation is robust against disorder and interactions, and it provides a unified topological classification of both the quantum (charge) Hall effect and the quantum spin Hall effect. In addition, it reconciles the apparent conflict between the stability of bulk topological order and the instability of gapless edge states in systems with open boundaries (as known happening in the spin Hall case). The consequences of time reversal invariance for bulk topological order and edge state dynamics are further studied in the present framework.
Qi Xiao-Liang
Wu Yong-Shi
Zhang Shou-Cheng
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