Phonon-induced topological transitions and crossovers in Dirac materials

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that electron-phonon interactions can induce topological phase transitions in Dirac materials, revealing that phonons can create topological states at finite temperatures even in initially trivial systems.

Contribution

It uncovers a novel mechanism by which phonons can induce topological phases, challenging the conventional view that temperature destabilizes topological order.

Findings

Phonons can induce topological surface states at finite temperature.

Topological transitions can occur in trivial ground state materials due to electron-phonon interactions.

Temperature can promote topological phases contrary to previous beliefs.

Abstract

We show that electron-phonon interactions can alter the topological properties of Dirac insulators and semimetals, both at zero and nonzero temperature. Contrary to the common belief that increasing temperature always destabilizes topological phases, our results highlight instances in which phonons may lead to the appearance of topological surface states above a crossover temperature in a material that has a topologically trivial ground state.