Tuning nodal line semimetals in trilayered systems
We investigate two-dimensional trilayered quantum systems with multi-orbital conduction bands by focusing on the role played by the layer degree of freedom in setting the character of nodal line semimetals. The layer index can label the electronic states where the electrons reside in the unit cell and can enforce symmetry constraints in the electronic structure by protecting bands crossing. We demonstrate that both the atomic spin-orbit coupling and the removal of local orbital degeneracy can lead to different types of electronic transitions with nodal lines that undergo a changeover from a loop structure enclosing the center of the Brillouin zone to pockets winding around multiple high sym…
Driving topological phases by spatially inhomogeneous pairing centers
We investigate the effect of periodic and disordered distributions of pairing centers in a one-dimensional itinerant system to obtain the microscopic conditions required to achieve an end Majorana mode and the topological phase diagram. Remarkably, the topological invariant can be generally expressed in terms of the physical parameters for any pairing center configuration. Such a fundamental relation allows us to unveil hidden local symmetries and to identify trajectories in the parameter space that preserve the non-trivial topological character of the ground state. We identify the phase diagram with topologically non-trivial domains where Majorana modes are completely unaffected by the spa…
Exotic Spin-Orbital Physics in Hybrid Oxides
We compare the effective spin-orbital super\-exchange triggered by magnetic $3d$ impurities with $d^3$ and $d^2$ configurations and either no orbital degree of freedom (orbital dilution) or hole replacing a doublon (charge dilution) in a $4d^4$ Mott insulator with $S=1$ spins. Impurities causing orbital dilution act either as spin defects decoupled from the surrounding ions, or generate orbital polarons along $d^3$-$d^4$ hybrid bonds. The exchange on these bonds determines which orbital is occupied by a doublon on the host site. In case of charge dilution by $3d^2$ impurities additional $\propto T_i^+T_j^+$ terms arise which enhance orbital fluctuations. We show that such terms may radicall…