Detecting axion dynamics on the surface of magnetic topological insulators
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arXiv
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Preprint |
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2024
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| _version_ | 1866908774582714368 |
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| author | Gao, Zhi-Qiang Wang, Taige Zaletel, Michael P. Lee, Dung-Hai |
| author_facet | Gao, Zhi-Qiang Wang, Taige Zaletel, Michael P. Lee, Dung-Hai |
| contents | Axions, initially proposed to solve the strong CP problem, have recently gained attention in condensed matter physics, particularly in topological insulators. However, detecting axion dynamics has proven challenging, with no experimental confirmations to date. In this study, we identify the surface of magnetic topological insulators as an ideal platform for observing axion dynamics. The vanishing bulk gap at the surface allows for order $O(1)$ variations in the axion field, making the detection of axion-like phenomena more feasible. In contrast, these phenomena are strongly suppressed in the bulk due to the small magnetic exchange gap. We investigate two-photon decay as a signature of axion dynamics and calculate the branching ratio using a perturbative approach. Our findings reveal that the photon flux emitted from the surface is in-plane and orders of magnitude larger than that from the bulk, making it detectable with modern microwave technology. We also discuss potential material platforms for detecting axion two-photon decay and strategies to enhance the signal-to-noise ratio. |
| format | Preprint |
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arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2409_17230 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2024 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Detecting axion dynamics on the surface of magnetic topological insulators Gao, Zhi-Qiang Wang, Taige Zaletel, Michael P. Lee, Dung-Hai Strongly Correlated Electrons Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics Materials Science Axions, initially proposed to solve the strong CP problem, have recently gained attention in condensed matter physics, particularly in topological insulators. However, detecting axion dynamics has proven challenging, with no experimental confirmations to date. In this study, we identify the surface of magnetic topological insulators as an ideal platform for observing axion dynamics. The vanishing bulk gap at the surface allows for order $O(1)$ variations in the axion field, making the detection of axion-like phenomena more feasible. In contrast, these phenomena are strongly suppressed in the bulk due to the small magnetic exchange gap. We investigate two-photon decay as a signature of axion dynamics and calculate the branching ratio using a perturbative approach. Our findings reveal that the photon flux emitted from the surface is in-plane and orders of magnitude larger than that from the bulk, making it detectable with modern microwave technology. We also discuss potential material platforms for detecting axion two-photon decay and strategies to enhance the signal-to-noise ratio. |
| title | Detecting axion dynamics on the surface of magnetic topological insulators |
| topic | Strongly Correlated Electrons Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics Materials Science |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2409.17230 |