In this paper, we analyze two phase transitions in exciton bilayer systems: a topological phase transition to a phase which hosts Majorana fermions and a phase transition to a Wigner crystal. Using generic simple models for different phases, we discuss the conductance properties of the latter when contacted to metallic leads and demonstrate the possibility to observe the different phase transitions by simple conductance measurements.
AbstractWe theoretically report the finding of a new kind of topological phase transition between a normal insulator and a topological metal state where the closing-reopening of bandgap is accompanied by passing the Fermi level through an additional band. The resulting nontrivial topological metal phase is characterized by stable zero-energy localized edge states that exist within the full gapless bulk states. Such states living on a quasi-one-dimensional system with three sublattices per unit cell are protected by hidden inversion symmetry. While other required symmetries such as chiral, particle-hole, or full inversion symmetry are absent in the system.