This important graduate level text unites the physical mechanisms behind the phenomena of topological matter within a theoretical framework.

This thesis extends our understanding of systems of independent electrons by developing a generalization of Bloch’s Theorem which is applicable whenever translational symmetry is broken solely due to arbitrary boundary conditions. The thesis begins with a historical overview of topological condensed matter physics, placing the work in context, before introducing the generalized form of Bloch's Theorem. A cornerstone of electronic band structure and transport theory in crystalline matter, Bloch's Theorem is generalized via a reformulation of the diagonalization problem in terms of corner-modified block-Toeplitz matrices and, physically, by allowing the crystal momentum to take complex values. This formulation provides exact expressions for all the energy eigenvalues and eigenstates of the single-particle Hamiltonian. By precisely capturing the interplay between bulk and boundary properties, this affords an exact analysis of several prototypical models relevant to symmetry-protected topological phases of matter, including a characterization of zero-energy localized boundary excitations in both topological insulators and superconductors. Notably, in combination with suitable matrix factorization techniques, the generalized Bloch Hamiltonian is also shown to provide a natural starting point for a unified derivation of bulk-boundary correspondence for all symmetry classes in one dimension.

This book approaches condensed matter physics from the perspective of quantum information science, focusing on systems with strong interaction and unconventional order for which the usual condensed matter methods like the Landau paradigm or the free fermion framework break down. Concepts and tools in quantum information science such as entanglement, quantum circuits, and the tensor network representation prove to be highly useful in studying such systems. The goal of this book is to introduce these techniques and show how they lead to a new systematic way of characterizing and classifying quantum phases in condensed matter systems. The first part of the book introduces some basic concepts in quantum information theory which are then used to study the central topic explained in Part II: local Hamiltonians and their ground states. Part III focuses on one of the major new phenomena in strongly interacting systems, the topological order, and shows how it can essentially be defined and characterized in terms of entanglement. Part IV shows that the key entanglement structure of topological states can be captured using the tensor network representation, which provides a powerful tool in the classification of quantum phases. Finally, Part V discusses the exciting prospect at the intersection of quantum information and condensed matter physics – the unification of information and matter. Intended for graduate students and researchers in condensed matter physics, quantum information science and related fields, the book is self-contained and no prior knowledge of these topics is assumed.

This book covers basic and advanced aspects in the field of Topological Matter. The chapters are based on the lectures presented during the Topological Matter School 2017. It provides graduate level content introducing the basic concepts of the field, including an introductory session on group theory and topological classification of matter. Different topological phases such as Weyls semi-metals, Majoranas fermions and topological superconductivity are also covered. A review chapter on the major experimental achievements in the field is also provided. The book is suitable not only for master, graduate and young postdoctoral researchers, but also to senior scientists who want to acquaint themselves with the subject.

This graduate-level textbook is the first pedagogical synthesis of the field of topological insulators and superconductors, one of the most exciting areas of research in condensed matter physics. Presenting the latest developments, while providing all the calculations necessary for a self-contained and complete description of the discipline, it is ideal for graduate students and researchers preparing to work in this area, and it will be an essential reference both within and outside the classroom. The book begins with simple concepts such as Berry phases, Dirac fermions, Hall conductance and its link to topology, and the Hofstadter problem of lattice electrons in a magnetic field. It moves on to explain topological phases of matter such as Chern insulators, two- and three-dimensional topological insulators, and Majorana p-wave wires. Additionally, the book covers zero modes on vortices in topological superconductors, time-reversal topological superconductors, and topological responses/field theory and topological indices. The book also analyzes recent topics in condensed matter theory and concludes by surveying active subfields of research such as insulators with point-group symmetries and the stability of topological semimetals. Problems at the end of each chapter offer opportunities to test knowledge and engage with frontier research issues. Topological Insulators and Topological Superconductors will provide graduate students and researchers with the physical understanding and mathematical tools needed to embark on research in this rapidly evolving field.

"Topological concepts are essential to understand many of the most important recent discoveries in the basic physics of solids. Topology can be loosely defined as the branch of mathematics studying the properties of an object that are invariant under smooth distortions. Topological phases, as a result, show a kind of robustness and universality that is similar in spirit to the famous universality observed at continuous phase transitions, but with a very different microscopic origin. This chapter introduces some of the key examples of topological phases of matter and places them in the broader context of many-body physics. Einstein famously commented that statistical mechanics was one kind of physics whose basic principles would last forever, because they were based only on the assumption that our knowledge of a complex system is incomplete. Topological phases show how a kind of macroscopic simplicity and perfection can nevertheless emerge in many-particle systems, even in the presence of disorder and fluctuations that make a complete microscopic description impossible"--

This book reports new results in condensed matter physics for which topological methods and ideas are important. It considers, on the one hand, recently discovered systems such as carbon nanocrystals and, on the other hand, new topological methods used to describe more traditional systems such as the Fermi surfaces of normal metals, liquid crystals and quasicrystals. The authors of the book are renowned specialists in their fields and present the results of ongoing research, some of it obtained only very recently and not yet published in monograph form.