Axionic surface wave in dynamical axion insulators
Fuente:
arXiv
Salvato in:
| Autori principali: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Natura: | Preprint |
| Pubblicazione: |
2022
|
| Soggetti: | |
| Accesso online: | |
| Tags: |
Aggiungi Tag
Nessun Tag, puoi essere il primo ad aggiungerne!!
|
| _version_ | 1866916619648761856 |
|---|---|
| author | Zhu, Tongshuai Wang, Huaiqiang Xing, Dingyu Zhang, Haijun |
| author_facet | Zhu, Tongshuai Wang, Huaiqiang Xing, Dingyu Zhang, Haijun |
| contents | The electromagnetic response of three-dimensional topological insulators can be described by an effective axion action with a quantized axion field. Once both time-reversal and inversion symmetries are broken, for example, in antiferromagnetic topological insulators, the axion field becomes dynamical along with magnetic fluctuations. The dynamical axion field, when coupled to electromagnetic fields, can lead to rich physical phenomena. Here, based on the modified Maxwell's equations, we reveal the existence of an exotic type of polariton excitation, termed a surface axion polariton, which propagates in the interface between a dynamical axion insulator and a dielectric. When doping the dynamical axion insulator to be metallic, the coexistence of axion-photon coupling and plasmon-photon coupling will further generate a mixed surface axion plasmon polariton. We also propose a Kretschmann-Raether configuration to experimentally detect the surface axion polariton. Our result provides an alternative way to study the axion electrodynamics in condensed matter physics. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2204_06332 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2022 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Axionic surface wave in dynamical axion insulators Zhu, Tongshuai Wang, Huaiqiang Xing, Dingyu Zhang, Haijun Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics The electromagnetic response of three-dimensional topological insulators can be described by an effective axion action with a quantized axion field. Once both time-reversal and inversion symmetries are broken, for example, in antiferromagnetic topological insulators, the axion field becomes dynamical along with magnetic fluctuations. The dynamical axion field, when coupled to electromagnetic fields, can lead to rich physical phenomena. Here, based on the modified Maxwell's equations, we reveal the existence of an exotic type of polariton excitation, termed a surface axion polariton, which propagates in the interface between a dynamical axion insulator and a dielectric. When doping the dynamical axion insulator to be metallic, the coexistence of axion-photon coupling and plasmon-photon coupling will further generate a mixed surface axion plasmon polariton. We also propose a Kretschmann-Raether configuration to experimentally detect the surface axion polariton. Our result provides an alternative way to study the axion electrodynamics in condensed matter physics. |
| title | Axionic surface wave in dynamical axion insulators |
| topic | Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2204.06332 |