Spin-charge separated solitons in a topological band insulator

Phys Rev Lett. 2008 Aug 22;101(8):086801. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.101.086801. Epub 2008 Aug 19.

Abstract

In this Letter we construct a simple, controllable, two-dimensional model based on a topological band insulator. It has many attractive properties. (1) We obtain spin-charge separated solitons that are associated with dynamic pi fluxes. (2) These solitons obey Bose statistics and their condensation triggers a phase transition from a spin Hall insulator to an easy-plane ferromagnet. (3) It suggests an alternative way to classify the Z2 topological band insulator without resorting to the sample boundary.