English

Parity (and time-reversal) anomaly in a semiconductor

Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics 2008-11-26 v2 High Energy Physics - Phenomenology

Abstract

The physics of a parity anomaly, potentially observable in a narrow-gap semiconductor, is revisited. Fradkin, Dagotto, and Boyanovsky have suggested that a Hall current of anomalous parity can be induced by a Peierls distortion on a domain wall. I argue that a perturbation inducing the parity anomaly must break the time reversal symmetry, which rules out the Peierls distortion as a potential cause. I list all possible perturbations that can generate the anomaly.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.cond-mat/0009389,
  title  = {Parity (and time-reversal) anomaly in a semiconductor},
  author = {Oleg Tchernyshyov},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:cond-mat/0009389},
  year   = {2008}
}

Comments

11 pages, 1 figure. Sign errors fixed