https://doi.org/10.1140/epjb/e2016-70051-5
Regular Article
Dynamical gap generation in topological insulators
1
Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Bari,
70126
Bari,
Italy
2
INFN – Sezione di Bari, 70125
Bari,
Italy
a
e-mail: paolo.cea@ba.infn.it
Received: 22 January 2016
Received in final form: 22 February 2016
Published online: 18 April 2016
We developed a quantum field theoretical description for the surface states of three-dimensional topological insulators. Within the relativistic quantum field theory formulation, we investigated the dynamics of low-lying surface states in an applied transverse magnetic field. We argued that, by taking into account quantum fluctuations, in three-dimensional topological insulators there is dynamical generation of a gap by a rearrangement of the Dirac sea. By comparing with available experimental data we found that our theoretical results allowed a consistent and coherent description of the Landau level spectrum of the surface low-lying excitations. Finally, we showed that the recently detected zero-Hall plateau at the charge neutral point could be accounted for by chiral edge states residing at the magnetic domain boundaries between the top and bottom surfaces of the three-dimensional topological insulator.
Key words: Solid State and Materials
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag, 2016