Localization and topological signatures under periodic twisting

Fuente: arXiv
Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Walkling, James, Štrkalj, Antonio, Ünal, F. Nur
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
Subjects:
Online Access:
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1866916961599881216
author Walkling, James
Štrkalj, Antonio
Ünal, F. Nur
author_facet Walkling, James
Štrkalj, Antonio
Ünal, F. Nur
contents We theoretically explore a dynamical generalization of the Aubry-André model in two dimensions formed by superimposing two square-lattice potentials. Motivated by the rich physics emerging at different twist angles between the two lattices at equilibrium, we introduce periodic twisting by continuously rotating one of the lattices with respect to the other in the plane. We demonstrate that the distinct time-dependent twisting in this system gives rise to an intricate form of periodic multi-frequency driving that changes with the distance from the rotation axis. We find that the incommensurate nature of the potential no longer plays the pivotal role as it does in the static case. Rather, the tunneling can be understood in terms of a local, spatially varying dynamical localization effect, which we show to yield ring-shaped states localized within the bulk that have interesting transport signatures. Quantifying the eigenstates with the Bott index and local Chern marker, we find that there is a zoo of states with non-trivial topological signatures, the most ubiquitous of which result in relatively uniform ring-shaped regions of the Chern marker. We investigate the origin of these effects from various angles and identify that hybridization between different delocalized ring states plays a vital role. Lastly, we discuss possible experimental realizations in quantum simulation settings. Our results open a new avenue of investigation with periodic twisting inducing a spatially varying multi-frequency drive.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2509_18248
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Localization and topological signatures under periodic twisting
Walkling, James
Štrkalj, Antonio
Ünal, F. Nur
Quantum Gases
Disordered Systems and Neural Networks
Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
Atomic Physics
Quantum Physics
We theoretically explore a dynamical generalization of the Aubry-André model in two dimensions formed by superimposing two square-lattice potentials. Motivated by the rich physics emerging at different twist angles between the two lattices at equilibrium, we introduce periodic twisting by continuously rotating one of the lattices with respect to the other in the plane. We demonstrate that the distinct time-dependent twisting in this system gives rise to an intricate form of periodic multi-frequency driving that changes with the distance from the rotation axis. We find that the incommensurate nature of the potential no longer plays the pivotal role as it does in the static case. Rather, the tunneling can be understood in terms of a local, spatially varying dynamical localization effect, which we show to yield ring-shaped states localized within the bulk that have interesting transport signatures. Quantifying the eigenstates with the Bott index and local Chern marker, we find that there is a zoo of states with non-trivial topological signatures, the most ubiquitous of which result in relatively uniform ring-shaped regions of the Chern marker. We investigate the origin of these effects from various angles and identify that hybridization between different delocalized ring states plays a vital role. Lastly, we discuss possible experimental realizations in quantum simulation settings. Our results open a new avenue of investigation with periodic twisting inducing a spatially varying multi-frequency drive.
title Localization and topological signatures under periodic twisting
topic Quantum Gases
Disordered Systems and Neural Networks
Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
Atomic Physics
Quantum Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.18248