Year: 2015
Type: article
Abstract: Can topologically non-trivial states, such as those in topological insulators and superconductors, arise in the mixed states of open quantum systems? By imposing special constraints on the gauge structure of the density matrices which describe open quantum systems, the authors find non-trivial topological invariants showing that topological phenomena can be generalized to mixed states. The method is illustrated with an analysis of Chern insulators at finite temperature.
Source: Physical Review B
Authors: Jan Carl Budich, Sebastian Diehl
Language: English
Subfield: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funder: European Research Council
OpenAlex ID: W1999190285