Coupling-matrix approach to the Chern number calculation in disordered systems  

作　　者：张议夫 杨运友 鞠艳 盛利 沈瑞 盛冬宁 邢定钰 

机构地区：[1]National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures and Department of Physics, Nanjing University [2]College of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Sichuan Normal University [3]Department of Physics and Astronomy, California State University, Northridge

出　　处：《Chinese Physics B》2013年第11期130-134,共5页中国物理B（英文版）

基　　金：Project supported by the National Basic Research Program of China(Grant Nos.2009CB929504,2011CB922103,and 2010CB923400);the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.11225420,11074110,11174125,11074109,11074111,and 91021003);the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions,China;the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province,China(Grant No.BK2010364);the US NSF(Grant Nos.DMR-0906816 and DMR-1205734);he Princeton MRSEC(Grant No.DMR-0819860)

摘　　要：The Chern number is often used to distinguish different topological phases of matter in two-dimensional electron systems. A fast and efficient coupling-matrix method is designed to calculate the Chern number in finite crystalline and disordered systems. To show its effectiveness, we apply the approach to the Haldane model and the lattice Hofstadter model, and obtain the correct quantized Chern numbers. The disorder-induced topological phase transition is well reproduced, when the disorder strength is increased beyond the critical value. We expect the method to be widely applicable to the study of topological quantum numbers.The Chern number is often used to distinguish different topological phases of matter in two-dimensional electron systems. A fast and efficient coupling-matrix method is designed to calculate the Chern number in finite crystalline and disordered systems. To show its effectiveness, we apply the approach to the Haldane model and the lattice Hofstadter model, and obtain the correct quantized Chern numbers. The disorder-induced topological phase transition is well reproduced, when the disorder strength is increased beyond the critical value. We expect the method to be widely applicable to the study of topological quantum numbers.

关 键 词：Chern number TOPOLOGY DISORDER 

分 类 号：O469[理学—凝聚态物理]