The effects of interaction on quantum spin Hall insulators

TL;DR

This paper investigates how interactions affect quantum spin Hall insulators, revealing that edge states exhibit antiferromagnetic correlations and phase transitions are driven by magnetic exciton condensation.

Contribution

It provides a field theory analysis of interaction effects on quantum spin Hall insulators, highlighting the role of vortex proliferation and edge charge conservation.

Findings

Edges have power-law antiferromagnetic correlations at small U

Vortex proliferation is suppressed by charge conservation in large samples

Finite width allows vortex proliferation, inducing phase transitions

Abstract

We study the $S_z$-conserving quantum spin Hall insulator in the presence of Hubbard $U$ from a field theory point view. The main findings are the following. (1) For arbitrarily small U the edges possess power-law correlated antiferromagnetic XY local moments. Gapless charge excitations arise from the Goldstone-Wilczek mechanism. (2) The decaying exponent of the XY correlation is $\ge 2$ hence normally space-time vortices should proliferate. (3) For thermodynamic samples, vortex proliferation is prohibited by the conservation of edge charge. (4) For a sample with finite width electron tunneling between opposite edges allows vortex proliferation hence is a strongly relevant perturbation (more relevant than in the non-interacting theory). (5) The phase transition between the antiferromagnetic and the topological insulating phases is triggered by the condensation of magnetic excitons.