English

Eigenstate Transitions, Duality, and Anomalous Diffusion in a Quasiperiodic Qi-Wu-Zhang Chern Insulator

Disordered Systems and Neural Networks 2026-06-30 v1 Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics

Abstract

Quasiperiodic systems usually interpolate between extended, critical, and localized states as the quasiperiodic modulation is increased. Here we show that the magnetic Qi-Wu-Zhang Chern-insulator model realizes a distinct full-spectrum transition in which localization is avoided. For an irrational magnetic flux, the two-dimensional model reduces to a spinor quasiperiodic chain with a matrix onsite modulation controlled by the hopping amplitude txt_x. When m+2>ty|m+2|>t_y, increasing txt_x produces the conventional extended-critical-localized sequence with a critical line at tx=tyt_x=t_y. In contrast, when m+2ty|m+2|\le t_y, the system changes from an extended phase to a critical phase at tx=m+2t_x=|m+2| and remains critical even for stronger quasiperiodic modulation. Finite-size scaling of the average inverse participation ratio gives IPRqα\overline{\mathrm{IPR}}\sim q^{-\alpha} with 0<α<10<\alpha<1 throughout this persistent critical regime. A dual transformation exchanging txt_x and tyt_y, together with a Lyapunov-exponent analysis, explains the phase diagram. Wave-packet dynamics further distinguish ballistic, anomalous-diffusive, and localized regimes. These results identify magnetic Chern-insulator systems as a natural platform for robust criticality and anomalous quantum transport.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2606.31604,
  title  = {Eigenstate Transitions, Duality, and Anomalous Diffusion in a Quasiperiodic Qi-Wu-Zhang Chern Insulator},
  author = {Tengming Lou and Haiyang Wang and Haijiao Ji and Haiwen Liu},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2606.31604},
  year   = {2026}
}

Comments

9 pages, 4 figures