Abstract
The edge states of the recently proposed quantum spin Hall systems constitute a new symmetry class of one-dimensional liquids dubbed the "helical liquid," where the spin orientation is determined by the direction of electron motion. We prove a no-go theorem which states that a helical liquid with an odd number of components cannot be constructed in a purely 1D lattice system. In a helical liquid with an odd number of components, a uniform gap in the ground state can appear when the time-reversal symmetry is spontaneously broken by interactions. On the other hand, a correlated two-particle backscattering term by an impurity can become relevant while keeping the time-reversal invariance.
Keywords
PhysicsCondensed matter physicsQuantum spin liquidQuantum Hall effectQuantum spin Hall effectTranslational symmetrySpin (aerodynamics)Symmetry (geometry)Lattice (music)ElectronLuttinger liquidQuantum mechanicsSpin polarization
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Publication Info
- Year
- 2006
- Type
- article
- Volume
- 96
- Issue
- 10
- Pages
- 106401-106401
- Citations
- 745
- Access
- Closed
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Cite This
Congjun Wu,
B. Andrei Bernevig,
Shou-Cheng Zhang
(2006).
Helical Liquid and the Edge of Quantum Spin Hall Systems.
Physical Review Letters
, 96
(10)
, 106401-106401.
https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.96.106401
Identifiers
- DOI
- 10.1103/physrevlett.96.106401