Multiple Photon Field-induced Topological States in Bulk HgTe

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that strong photon fields in photonic structures can induce and control topological phases in bulk HgTe through steady-state hybridization, enabling on-demand engineering of quantum material properties.

Contribution

It reveals a novel mechanism where photon fields induce topological states in solids via polarization-mediated symmetry-breaking, demonstrated through advanced QEDFT calculations.

Findings

Photon fields induce topological phases in HgTe.

Topological states depend on sample orientation and coupling strength.

Steady-state hybridization enables robust topological phenomena.

Abstract

Strong light-matter interactions can be exploited to modify properties of quantum materials both in and out of thermal equilibrium. Recent studies suggest electromagnetic fields in photonic structures can hybridize with condensed matter systems, resulting in photon field-dressed collective quantum states such as charge density waves, superconductivity, and ferroelectricity. Here, we show that photon fields in photonic structures, including optical cavities and waveguides, induce emergent topological phases in solids through polarization-mediated symmetry-breaking mechanisms. Using state-of-the-art quantum electrodynamic density functional theory (QEDFT) calculations, we demonstrate that strong light-matter coupling can reconfigure both the electronic and ionic structures of HgTe, driving the system into Weyl, nodal-line, or topological insulator phases. These phases depend on the relative orientation of the sample in the photonic structures, as well as the coupling strength. Unlike previously reported laser-driven phenomena with ultrashort lifetimes, the photon field-induced symmetry breaking arises from steady-state photon-matter hybridization, enabling multiple robust topological states to emerge. Our study demonstrates that vacuum fluctuations in photonic structures can be used to engineer material properties and realize rich topological phenomena in quantum materials on demand.