MG14 - Talk detail

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Talk

Title

Abstract

We study the properties of a class of fermionic systems when coupled to electromagnetic and gravitational sources, including torsion and curvature. By using the technology of anomaly polynomials, we derive the parity-odd effective action of a massive Dirac fermion in d=2+1 and d=4+1, which provide simple model systems that realize fermion topological phases. We discuss the covariant anomalies of the corresponding boundary/domain-wall states, from a Callan-Harvey anomaly-inflow, as well as a Hamiltonian spectral flow point of view. We also discuss the applicability of our results to other systems such as chiral fermions. Finally, using dimensional reduction from d=4+1, we derive the effective action for a d=3+1 time-reversal invariant topological insulator in the presence of torsion and curvature, and discuss its various physical consequences including the properties in the presence of curvature and torsional defects.

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