English

Topology of ultra-localized insulators and superconductors

Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics 2026-02-11 v2 Disordered Systems and Neural Networks

Abstract

The topology of an insulator can be defined even when all eigenstates of the system are localized - an extreme case of Anderson insulators that we call ultra-localized. We derive the classification of such ultra-localized insulators in all symmetry classes and dimensions. We clarify their bulk-boundary correspondence and show that ultra-localized systems are in many instances phases of matter not described by the known classification of topological insulators and superconductors. As a consequence, we clarify which conventional topological phases are Wannierizable, and which topological phases cannot exist without delocalized states.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2407.07957,
  title  = {Topology of ultra-localized insulators and superconductors},
  author = {Bastien Lapierre and Luka Trifunovic and Titus Neupert and Piet W. Brouwer},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2407.07957},
  year   = {2026}
}

Comments

Version to appear in PRL