Singularities, swallowtails and Dirac points. An analysis for families of Hamiltonians and applications to wire networks, especially the Gyroid

TL;DR

This paper develops a singularity theory-based method to detect and classify Dirac points and level crossings in Hamiltonian families, with applications to wire networks like the Double Gyroid, revealing their unique physical properties.

Contribution

It introduces a novel approach using singularity theory to analyze spectral singularities in Hamiltonian families, specifically classifying Dirac points in wire network models.

Findings

Identified Dirac points in the Double Gyroid Hamiltonian.

Classified level crossing singularities as $A_n$ types.

Indicated potential unique physical properties of Gyroid nanowire systems.

Abstract

Motivated by the Double Gyroid nanowire network we develop methods to detect Dirac points and classify level crossings, aka. singularities in the spectrum of a family of Hamiltonians. The approach we use is singularity theory. Using this language, we obtain a characterization of Dirac points and also show that the branching behavior of the level crossings is given by an unfolding of $A_n$ type singularities. Which type of singularity occurs can be read off a characteristic region inside the miniversal unfolding of an $A_k$ singularity. We then apply these methods in the setting of families of graph Hamiltonians, such as those for wire networks. In the particular case of the Double Gyroid we analytically classify its singularities and show that it has Dirac points. This indicates that nanowire systems of this type should have very special physical properties.