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Separate Surface and Bulk Topological Anderson Localization Transitions in Disordered Axion Insulators
Cormac Grindall1, Alexander C Tyner2,3, Ang-Kun Wu1,4
1Rutgers University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Center for Materials Theory, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA.
Physical Review Letters
|December 12, 2025
Summary
Disorder can decouple topological insulators
Area of Science:
- Condensed matter physics
- Topological phases of matter
- Quantum materials
Background:
- Topological phases of matter possess distinct bulk and boundary electronic gaps.
- Disorder can lead to decoupled mobility gaps, analogous to bulk-boundary criticality in Landau theory.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate the effect of disorder on a 3D axion insulator.
- Analyze the distinct evolution of bulk and surface mobility gaps under disorder.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a three-dimensional axion insulator model.
- Introduced disorder within the Gaussian unitary ensemble.
- Analyzed the electronic band structure and Hall conductance.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated different gap evolutions for bulk and surface topology under disorder.
- Observed the emergence of a 2D unquantized anomalous Hall metal on each surface.
- Identified spectral and response properties similar to conventional 3D topological insulator surface states.
Conclusions:
- Disorder can decouple bulk and surface topology in axion insulators.
- A novel 2D anomalous Hall metal phase can be realized on the surfaces.
- Results offer insights into topological phases and potential extensions to other quantum materials.
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