Large-$S$ and tensor-network methods for strongly-interacting topological insulators

Abstract

The study of correlation effects in topological phases of matter can benefit from a multidisciplinary approach that combines techniques drawn from condensed matter, high-energy physics and quantum information science. In this work, we exploit these connections to study the strongly-interacting limit of certain lattice Hubbard models of topological insulators, which map onto four-Fermi quantum field theories with a Wilson-type discretization, and have been recently shown to be at reach of cold-atom quantum simulators based on synthetic spin-orbit coupling. We combine large-S and tensor-network techniques to explore the possible spontaneous symmetry-breaking phases that appear when the interactions of the topological insulators are sufficiently large. In particular, we show that varying the Wilson parameter $r$ of the lattice discretizations leads to a novel Heisenberg-Ising compass model with critical lines that flow with the value of $r$.