Quasiperiodic Quadrupole Insulators

TL;DR

This paper explores how quasiperiodic modulations can preserve and even enhance topological phases in higher-order topological insulators, revealing a new quasiperiodic-induced second-order topological phase and complex transition sequences.

Contribution

It demonstrates that quasiperiodic modulations can induce and enrich higher-order topological phases, including the first quasiperiodic-induced second-order topological insulator.

Findings

Quasiperiodic modulations preserve topological properties.

Discovery of a quasiperiodic-induced second-order topological phase.

Multiple reentrant topological transitions induced by quasiperiodicity.

Abstract

Higher-order topological insulators are an intriguing new family of topological states that host lower-dimensional boundary states. Concurrently, quasiperiodic systems have garnered significant interest due to their complex localization and topological properties. In this work we study the impact of chiral symmetry preserving quasiperiodic modulations on the paradigmatic Benalcazar-Bernevig-Hughes model, which hosts topological insulating phases with zero-energy sublattice-polarized modes. We find that the topological properties are not only robust to the quasiperiodic modulation, but can even be enriched. In particular, we unveil the first instance of a quasiperiodic induced second-order topological insulating phase. Furthermore, in contrast with disorder, we find that quasiperiodic modulations can induce multiple reentrant topological transitions, showing an intricate sequence of localization properties. Our results open a promising avenue for exploring the rich interplay between higher-order topology and quasiperiodicity.